New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 24 of 31 passes in a 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 22.
Maye finished with 321 passing yards, two touchdowns and a 117.8 passer rating, according to Boston.com.
The Drake Maye performance included a late-second-quarter interception in the end zone while New England was driving with a chance to take the lead. The turnover stood alongside a productive passing line and drew specific attention from both coaches after the game.
Drake Maye performance combines strong numbers with one costly turnover
Maye’s 321 yards and two touchdown passes came against a Chicago defense that recorded two sacks and six quarterback hits, Boston.com reported. The passing total was the second-highest figure in the matchup, with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams finishing with 308 yards.
The interception came on a throw intended for tight end Eli Raridon late in the second quarter. Mike Vrabel later said Maye would like to have the throw back, while also pointing to the quarterback’s ability to compete and give New England a chance.
The statistical contrast was straightforward: Maye completed 77.4 percent of his attempts and averaged more than 10 yards per completion, while Chicago’s pressure produced six official hits and two sacks. Those figures capture both the production and the defensive resistance Maye faced.
Ben Johnson praises Maye’s ability to create outside structure
Bears head coach Ben Johnson called Maye “an outstanding player” after the game and said, “It’s very hard to bottle him up.” Johnson said the Patriots quarterback can extend plays with his legs and find an open running lane when a downfield option is unavailable.
“You only rush four and he finds a way,” Johnson said. “If he doesn’t see anything down the field, he’ll find an open gap and skirt on through.”
Johnson also described Maye as an elite deep-ball thrower who can damage a defense as a runner. “It’s a dangerous combination of a guy that’s an elite deep ball thrower along with he can crush you with his legs,” Johnson said.
Johnson’s comments were an opposing coach’s evaluation of Maye after facing him in the matchup. His praise focused on the combination of deep passing and movement that can force a defense to defend beyond the initial structure of a play.
The Patriots quarterback produced a key third-quarter answer
New England answered with a nine-play third-quarter drive that ended in a 30-yard touchdown pass from Maye to Raridon, according to Boston.com. The play gave the Patriots another scoring sequence after the end-zone interception.
Raridon’s touchdown was Maye’s second scoring pass of the game. His complete line—24 completions on 31 attempts, 321 yards and two touchdowns—provided the main statistical foundation for New England’s offense in the six-point loss.
Chicago’s pressure numbers added context to the drive. The Bears finished with two sacks and six quarterback hits, requiring Maye to make plays while facing repeated contact from the pass rush.
Mike Vrabel’s assessment keeps the focus on Maye’s development
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Maye competed and gave New England a chance. Vrabel specifically cited Maye’s scrambling and his ability to find good places to go with the football.
“He gave us a chance. He competed and I know he’d like to have that throw back to Eli (Raridon), but I thought he really competed,” Vrabel said. “Whether that was running around and scrambling or finding good places to go with the football, he gave us a chance.”
Vrabel added that Maye could learn from the interception and said, “I’m glad he’s ours.” His assessment paired a direct correction for the end-zone decision with praise for the quarterback’s effort and playmaking.
Maye and Caleb Williams offered another 2024 quarterback comparison
Thursday’s game matched two quarterbacks selected near the top of the 2024 NFL Draft. Chicago selected Williams first overall, while New England selected Maye third, Boston.com reported.
Williams completed 22 of 33 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Maye finished with more passing yards, more completions and a higher completion percentage, while both quarterbacks threw two touchdown passes.
Boston.com reported that Johnson believed Maye had found his rhythm at this point in the season and expected him to continue in that direction. The Patriots-Bears matchup was scheduled as a Thursday Night Football game in Chicago on Oct. 22, 2026.
