Drake Maye named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October

Drake Maye was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October on Wednesday, November 4, after leading the New England Patriots to a 3-1 record during the month. NBC Sports reported the NFL announcement. It was the first time Maye had received the award, according to NBC Sports and the Patriots.

Maye’s October passing and rushing numbers

The Patriots said Maye completed 90 of 134 passes for 1,199 yards and an NFL-leading 12 passing touchdowns. NBC Sports reported that he added 129 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He threw multiple touchdown passes in all four October games, according to NBC Sports.

The four games behind New England’s October record

At Buffalo on October 4, Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 54 yards on eight attempts, and earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, according to the Patriots. New England beat the Raiders 45-17 on October 11; Maye accounted for five touchdowns, four passing and one rushing, the team said.

The Patriots defeated the Jets 26-19 on October 18, with Maye throwing three touchdowns. Four nights later, he accounted for three more—two passing and one rushing—in a Thursday night game in Chicago on October 22. Those three wins and the team’s fourth-game loss gave New England its 3-1 October record, according to the Patriots.

Maye’s award in Patriots history

The award was also the Patriots’ first Offensive Player of the Month honor since Tom Brady received it for November 2017, the team said. For Maye, the October honor was his first monthly award of this kind, following a four-game stretch in which he threw 12 touchdowns and helped New England win three times.