On Sunday, the Patriots left Raymond James with a 28-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after another strong showing from second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Maye completed just 16 of 31 passes, but threw for 270 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception en route to a seventh straight Patriots victory.
The win moves New England to 8-2 on the season, keeping them atop the AFC East as one of the most surprising teams of the 2025 NFL season.
After the game, another surprising update emerged, with DraftKings Sportsbook revealing that Maye has officially become a +250 favorite to win league MVP.
Previously, he was a +320 favorite, but Sunday’s performance moved him even further up the leaderboard, ahead of Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (+400) and Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (+450).
Maye has quickly emerged as one of the most efficient passers in the league this season, throwing for 2,555 passing yards, 19 passing TDs, and five INTs across 10 games, with a completion rate of 71.6%.
He also has 284 rushing yards after Sunday’s contest, which ranks near the top among NFL quarterbacks.
Beyond box-score numbers, Maye's season has included several highlight moments - he's already broken a Patriots single-game completion-percentage mark previously held by Tom Brady.
For much of the season, it seemed Mahomes might eventually reclaim control of the MVP race, yet Maye's rapid ascent has shifted momentum firmly in his favor.
Looking ahead, the Patriots have a short week before hosting the Jets on Nov. 13, and hitting the road for Cincinnati on Nov. 23.
They'll then kick off December under the primetime lights at home against the Giants, face Buffalo in Week 15, and finish with trips to Baltimore and New York before ending the season against Miami.
Those games include several playoff-caliber defenses that will be the truest tests of Maye's MVP argument. However, if he sustains high efficiency and the Patriots keep winning, markets and voters will continue to take notice.
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