For weeks, the greater New England area anticipated Drake Maye’s first NFL start.
After the Patriots’ Week 1 upset over the Bengals, New England slumped to a 1-4 record with Jacoby Brissett at the helm while showcasing the worst offense in the entire league.
Following a demoralizing 15-10 loss to Miami, head coach Jerod Mayo named Maye the starter, stating the rookie signal caller, “Gives us the best chance to win now and going forward.”
Although it wasn’t perfect, the third-overall pick flashed greatness against the Texans and gave New England’s offense the spark it desperately needed. Despite throwing an ugly interception on the team’s first drive, Maye put together the best performance by a Patriots quarterback all season, which wasn’t hard to do.
https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1845519059921633363
The rookie’s ability to extend plays with his legs countered the Patriots’ lackluster support at the offensive line, which helped put points on the scoreboard. It wasn’t all pretty, Maye still got hit — a lot — but it was clear the change at quarterback made a massive difference.
Although most of the highlights were through the air, Maye shined on the ground as well. The rookie showed off his athleticism in his debut, leading the team in rushing with 38 yards on five carries.
By the end of the third quarter, Maye had 182 passing yards, an in-season high for a Patriots quarterback through the first six games. Maye tossed three touchdowns in his debut, which is more than Brissett has all season (two).
https://twitter.com/patriots/status/1845895094848700478?s=46&t=ZZO03NZwaHdH0wIyvJayOA
And the most important stat of all, the Patriots scored 21 points, the most New England has put up in a game all season.
Despite the positives, the six-time Superbowl champions still suffered a 41-21 loss against Houston. Texans quarterback CJ Stroud dissected the Patriots defense and New England turned the ball over three times.
During the first five weeks of the season, the New England offense had reached all-time lows. It seemed that the team could only move forward. With Maye at the helm, the Patriots have made strides on offense.
New England has a chance to save their season next week when the team travels to London to face the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars, who mirror the Patriots’ 1-5 record.
Leave a comment