By Michael GallagherShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberThough Sunday was, statically, the worst game of Drake Maye’s NFL career — it was one that Maye likely wouldn’t change because it came in a winning effort that sent him to his first Super Bowl in just his second year as a pro.
Maye completed 10-of-21 passes for 86 yards, and he added another 65 yards on the ground along with a rushing touchdown, but the most memorable part of the day for the former No. 3 overall pick had nothing to do with numbers.
New England knocked off the top-seeded Denver Broncos 10-7 to advance to the team’s first Super Bowl since 2018 — Tom Brady’s next-to-last year with the franchise — and Maye accomplished a feat that Brady never could.
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In his first attempt, Maye won a playoff game in Denver — something Brady failed to do in his career.
He was 0-3 against the Broncos on the road in the postseason. Brady’s Patriots lost 27-13 in the 2005 divisional round, 26-16 in the 2013 AFC Championship Game, and 20-18 in the 2015 AFC Championship Game.
In fact, Maye has as many postseason wins against the Broncos (one) as Brady had in his entire 23-year NFL career.
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But Maye’s accolades don’t stop there.
He also passed Brady (136) for the most postseason rushing yards by a Patriots QB (141) despite playing 38 fewer playoff games. Maye also joined Brady as the only QBs in franchise history to lead their team to the Super Bowl in their first two NFL seasons. Both reached the Super Bowl in Year 2.
Maye and the Patriots will face the winner of Sunday’s NFC Championship Game between the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams on Feb. 8 in Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
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