Pigskin Rizz

I'm almost embarrassed to admit it. I care about Drake Maye winning the NFL 2025 MVP Award.

I catch myself getting a little defensive when I hear the arguments against Maye's MVP candidacy. Granted, I'm a total fanboy when it comes to my adopted son. Seriously, though; why should I care? There's only one piece of hardware we care about in Patriots Nation, and that's the Lombardi Trophy.

And yet, nothing can change my mood faster than hearing the words "weak schedule." 

Yes, the Patriots schedule was littered with losers, but those losers also featured four of the best pass defenses in the NFL this year. And, as I'm sure you've seen already, Maye and Matthew Stafford - the two leading betting favorites for MVP - faced six common opponents, where their volume stats were close to a wash, but in the statistic that matters most, Maye and the Patriots were 6-0 while Stafford and the Rams went 4-2.

Quick Aside: I can almost hear the defensive whine of my voice as I make these "Oh yeah? Well, what about this?" arguments, even if all those voices are just in my head, shouting at a straw man. 

I've got a question for the pigskin pundits and bobbleheads ringing that "weak schedule" bell: What strength of schedule would you need to see for Drake Maye's performance to qualify? 

My point is that the "weak schedule" is completely arbitrary.

As is the whole MVP thing, really. 

My understanding is that there are 50 people who vote for the award. Basically, the very definition of a small data sample. Last year, Lamar Jackson had the better statistical year, but Josh Allen - certainly a worthy choice - was voted MVP. I have no idea what the strength of schedule differential was between Baltimore and Buffalo, but I do know the Bills got to play the 5-12-0 Jets and the 4-13-0 Patriots twice. 

Whatever.

In the grand scheme of things, none of it really matters, except maybe to everyone on the Patriots not named Drake Maye. I think his teammates and coaches want it for him and why not? They're all going to be cashing a playoff check largely because of Drake "Drake Maye" Maye. 

The only question is, how big will that check be?