Written by :
Mary Montgomery
Published on :
Drake Maye comes into Sunday's AFC Divisional Playoffs game between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans with a passing yards total over/under of 219.5. C.J. Stroud's total was listed at 214.5.
Maye completed 17-of-29 targets for 268 yards, one touchdown, one interception and lost one fumble in the Patriots’ 16-3, Wild Card win over the Chargers, rushing 10 times for 66 yards.
Maye led the team in rushing, but he got the most out of RB Rhamondre Stevenson, efficiently linking up with him three times via the passing game for 75 yards. Maye was nearly on the receiving end of an explosive pass play, but rookie WR Efton Chism overthrew him, wide open, running down the right sideline. Chism made up for it with a 20-yard reception. Maye’s 37-yard scramble on the Patriots’ final drive before halftime was the longest rush of the game. He connected with TE Hunter Henry for a 28-yard, third-quarter touchdown against Chargers S Derwin James. The Patriots face the winner of the Texans-Steelers game tomorrow night. Maye’s elite fantasy upside remains intact no matter the opponent, though the Steelers field a far more fantasy-friendly defense than the Texans.
C.J. Stroud completed 21-of-32 passes for 250 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the Texans’ 30-6, Wild Card win over the Steelers.
The final score does not tell the full story for Stroud in this one as the veteran signal caller put the ball on the ground a ridiculous five times, losing two of them, in addition to his interception in the red zone. The three turnovers kept the Steelers in the game, with the Texans nursing a 7-6 lead into the fourth quarter before their defense broke open the dam with two defensive scores in the final frame. To his credit, Stroud did manage to lead the team down the field without alpha wide receiver Nico Collins to ice the game late, although the Pittsburgh defense was completely gassed at that point in the game. Stroud will assuredly need to play better football if the Texans want to avoid being sent packing when they square off against the Patriots in Foxboro in the Divisional Round next weekend, a game he could be forced to play without Collins considering he immediately entered the concussion protocol late Monday.
- Mary Montgomery, Gambling911.com
