Drake Maye stats vs. Chargers: How Patriots QB overcame turnovers in playoff debut to advance

Daniel Mader

•
Drake Maye stats vs. Chargers: How Patriots QB overcame turnovers in playoff debut to advance image

After an MVP-like sophomore season, expectations were set high for Drake Maye's playoff debut on Sunday night.

The New England Patriots quarterback has a chance to become one of the youngest MVPs ever for his regular season numbers, as he set his team up well to contend for a Super Bowl by going 14-3 with an AFC East title. Facing the Los Angeles Chargers in his first postseason game, however, things didn't go as smoothly for Maye.

The Patriots pulled out a 16-3 win thanks to their defense's dominance, a collection of field goals and a late offensive push. Especially in the second half, Maye came through with a few big plays, helping mask what was otherwise shaping up to be of the worst games of the young passer's career.

Here's a look at Drake Maye's turnovers against the Chargers and how he overcame them to lead the Patriots to the divisional round.

MORE: Where did Patriots-Chargers rank among lowest-scoring playoff games ever?

Drake Maye turnovers vs. Chargers

Especially in the first half against Los Angeles, Maye did not look like the same quarterback he was throughout the 2025 season. While he had a few nice scrambles to set up field goals, the second-year quarterback wasn't finding many answers in Jim Harbaugh's defense.

On the Patriots' second drive of the game, Maye's pass was tipped at the line, then intercepted by Daiyan Henley.

The second turnover of the day for Maye came in the second half, as he lost the ball while being sacked in the third quarter. 

Fortunately for Maye, the Chargers were never able to truly capitalize off his mistakes with the Patriots' defense all over Justin Herbert. Maye went on to recover from his struggles, leading New England to a playoff victory.

Postgame, Mike Vrabel said he thought the Patriots "got to take care of the football," but Maye "came through when we needed him."

"The tipped pass is something that was unfortunate," Vrabel said. "The throw to Hunter [Henry] I thought, when we needed him, was elite.”

MORE: How 2026 wild-card weekend broke NFL record in just four games

Drake Maye stats vs. Chargers

  • Completions-Attempts:  17-29
  • Completion Percentage: 58.6%
  • Passing Yards: 268
  • Passing TDs: 1
  • Interceptions: 1
  • Sacks: 5
  • Carries: 10
  • Rushing Yards: 66
  • Rushing TDs: 0
  • Fumbles:  2 (lost 1)

All things told, Maye did not find much against a stingy Chargers defense. Unlike many of his performances throughout 2025, the Patriots quarterback struggled to make big plays or find open receivers, especially in the first half. 

Maye's first-half completion percentage of 40% was his lowest all season, per ESPN. Still, the young passer managed to put those struggles behind him by leading the Patriots to a win in the second half. According to OptaSTATS, Maye became the youngest player in NFL history with at least 250 passing yards and 50 rushing yards in a playoff victory.

Particularly with his legs, Maye was able to set up multiple field-goal drives for New England. Just before halftime, he took advantage of some wide-open field, sprinting up the middle for a big gain that resulted in the Patriots taking a 6-3 lead.

Throughout the night, Maye came through with some key first downs when the Patriots needed them.

Finally, the big plays started to show up for Maye and his offense in the final 18 minutes. Toward the end of the third quarter, he hit Kayshon Boutte for a 42-yard gain that set up another Patriots field goal.

And finally, New England scored the game's first touchdown in the fourth quarter when Maye lofted a pass deep for Hunter Henry in the end zone. It was more than the Patriots would need on a night with their defense playing at an elite level, but it also represented an in-game turnaround for Maye.

Even with unimpressive numbers and multiple turnovers, Maye managed to lead his squad to a playoff win thanks to his second-half performance. He led New England in rushing yards on Sunday night, and the Patriots will have at least one game to play behind their star quarterback.

Here's a look at Maye's second-half stats alone, which helped overcome his other struggles:

MORE 2026 NFL PLAYOFFS:

Content Producer

Contributing Writer