The New England Patriots have been some of the best football teams in the league this season, and it may have come as a surprise to many. One reason for their success has been Drake Maye and the way he's led the offense to heights they haven't maybe since Tom Brady was on the team. His play has put him in MVP conversations, and there's no doubt that he should be atop the ladder.
He'll have some competition, as Matthew Stafford has made a compelling case to win the award this season, especially since he's had the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC. Well, everybody knows that this is a league where you can be at the top one week, and then the next week, everything can fall apart.
That's kind of what happened to Stafford this week against the Carolina Panthers, where he threw three interceptions, and one of them was a pick-six. His MVP chances possibly dropped after a performance like that, and an insider posted the perfect picture to illustrate the race.
Three Matthew Stafford turnovers? pic.twitter.com/bmL3D1shlw
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) November 30, 2025
If Maye is able to have a strong performance against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, there can be an argument that he leapfrogs Stafford in the MVP race.
Of course, there is still enough time in the season for things to change, so nothing will be decided this week. At the same time, if Maye can play well now and keep it going as the season ends, it could be a tight competition.
Maye has stepped up big time this season, and he's sharing the wealth amongst his receivers. It's been hard to say the Patriots have had a true No. 1 receiver because everyone is making plays. To add on to their strong offense, their defense has been one of the best in the league.
