Ben Johnson has described Drake Maye as a “deadly combination” ahead of Thursday night’s meeting between the Bears and the Patriots, saying the New England quarterback’s arm talent and running ability make him a major problem for any defense.
Johnson’s assessment comes as Maye has started to turn his season around after a rough opening spell. The Patriots have won three straight, and their offense has been scoring in bunches as Maye has found more rhythm over the last three games, especially the last two.
That matters because the Bears are about to get their first coaching matchup under Johnson against a quarterback who has shown exactly why he can change a game in multiple ways.
Why Maye has become such a concern
Johnson was clear about what makes Maye difficult to defend. “Well, it’s a dangerous combination of a guy that’s an elite deep ball thrower along with, he can crush you with his legs. I think that combination is deadly,” Johnson said.
That is the kind of profile that keeps defensive coaches awake. A quarterback who can threaten downfield and also punish space with his legs forces a defense to stay disciplined on every snap, especially when the opponent has found a scoring rhythm.
Johnson added that the recent form is impossible to ignore. “It’s really picked up steam over these last three games. You can see that their offense is putting up points in bunches right now — three-game winning streak and a ton of explosive plays throughout. When you look at it that way, he’s a big challenge,” he said.
Recent form has changed the picture
Maye’s season did not begin smoothly, but the numbers now tell a different story. In Week 5, he threw for 374 yards with four touchdowns against Las Vegas. Then on Sunday, he followed that with 235 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over the Jets.
Across the season, Maye has 1,463 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions, while completing 63.9 percent of his passes. He has also rushed for 185 yards and one touchdown, which is a big part of why Johnson sees him as such a difficult matchup.
The point is not just that Maye is producing better numbers. It is that he is doing so in a way that can stretch a defense in more than one direction at once.
McDaniels’ role in the Patriots offense
Johnson also credited Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for helping put Maye and the rest of the offense in position to succeed, even if the line is not at full strength.
“Josh McDaniels does a great job just making sure he puts those guys in the right spots. Even if they’re down some O-linemen, he’ll do a great job making sure he has that in mind and, showcases what the rest of their guys can do,” Johnson said.
That is another reason the Bears cannot treat this like a simple quarterback-vs-defense story. The Patriots are giving Maye a structure that helps him build momentum, and the explosive plays have been arriving in bunches.
For Johnson and the Bears, Thursday night is a chance to see whether they can contain a quarterback who is now playing with confidence and variety. Based on Johnson’s own assessment, the threat is obvious: if Maye has time and space, he can hurt a defense in more than one way.
