The New England Patriots have rocketed back to the top of the NFL this season, sporting a 9-2 record thanks in large part to the play of second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
Don’t consider former NFL MVP Cam Newton sold, however.
“It has fool’s gold written all over them, cubic zirconia middle of the mall,” Newton said of the Patriots on First Take. “And yes, is Drake Maye playing good football? Absolutely. I would like to attest his great play to one specific person that I know too well, Josh McDaniels. Now Josh McDaniels may not be a great head coach, but he is a brilliant offensive mind.”
Newton added that his primary concern with the team is their schedule, which is one of the easiest in the league. However, he had more questions about Maye’s ability to compete against high-quality NFL teams.
“I have more concerns with the New England Patriots playing five and six teams that have losing records than going into a situation where the competition exceeds what you may have been used to,” Newton said. “That’s the biggest question I have for Drake Maye.”
For his part, the Patriots quarterback isn’t letting the comments get him. In fact, he’s not even sure which show Newton made them on.
“I don’t even know what show he’s on,” Maye said during his weekly WEEI appearance. “I think they get paid to make remarks and make certain comments. So, I just worry about what people in our organization think, and worry about we think and what my teammates think. People are going to have different opinions. I’m just going out there on Sunday and worrying about ourselves.”
It’s worth noting that the Patriots have beaten the Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road this season, which is no small feat.
Regardless of what Newton thinks, the Patriots are currently betting favorites to win the AFC East, and Maye, who leads the NFL with 2,836 passing yards, finds himself in the MVP discussion. Presuming they make the playoffs, we’ll find out whether they’re paper tigers.