Maybe the Texans game was the right time to start Drake Maye after all, and other final thoughts
If Maye's first start was any indication of things, he's ready to step into his role as franchise quarterback.
Commentary
Since Drake Maye arrived in Foxborough, one of the main questions surrounding the young quarterback was: when would he be ready to start games for the Patriots?
Some believed he should have started right away, while others endorsed giving Maye more time to develop by having him watch and learn behind Jacoby Brissett.
New England ripped the band-aid off and played Maye against the Texans on Sunday. They were desperate for good news after losing four straight games and dealing with several off-the-field distractions. Mayo said he just felt it was the right time.
Throwing Maye into the fire with a patchwork offensive line trying to hold up against one of the NFL’s best pass-rushes was not a ideal. But, the reality is that he was always going to have to face teams like the Texans during his NFL career. He had to get in at some point to develop his game.
“I would say there’s never a perfect time to make a change,” Mayo said when he announced Maye as the starter. “Every defense that we play, whether it’s the defensive ends or the defensive tackles, they all have the ability to rush and get after the quarterback. So, I don’t think there’s ever a perfect time.”
The rookie quarterback didn’t get much support on Sunday. He was the Patriots’ leading rusher with 38 yards. He was sacked four times. The defense gave up 368 yards and 41 points.
But, he looked ready to go which is the most important part. It wasn’t perfect. He turned the ball over three times, including an overthrow on the third pass of the game and a strip-sack near the end.
The offense hasn’t looked strong under this new regime. The play-calling hasn’t been great and there has been a lack of discipline on both sides of the ball.
However, Maye’s development is the most important thing for the Patriots’ coaching staff to get right this season. He already looks comfortable playing the role of franchise quarterback, receiver Kendrick Bourne said.
“He’s a natural leader,” Bourne said. “He has aura, so that’s important in football. Some people have aura, some people don’t and he’s kind of one of those. He doesn’t have to try, he’s that guy. So it’s important. You can tell when you see him. He passes the eye-test. When he’s in the huddle, he knows what he’s doing, and you can feel it.”
There will always be people who second-guess these kinds of decisions. Some will argue that he should have started last week. But, who cares if the Dolphins were a better matchup for Maye in his first start? Nobody is going to remember that game a decade from now.
Some will say the Patriots are taking a risk by playing Maye with this group. But, there are no guarantees that this roster will look better at any point this season or even next year. A top-5 pick is supposed to elevate his teammates with his talent.
So, was it the right call to start Drake Maye Week 6? We’ll never know. There’s no such thing as a perfect week. But, things went relatively well for the rookie during a 20-point loss, and chances are they will continue to get better.
Here’s a couple more thoughts from the loss:
Kayshon Boutte has put together a solid couple of weeks
The 40-yard touchdown that Boutte caught from Maye traveled the longest distance in the air of any completion by a Patriots quarterback over the last three seasons, according to Next Gen State.
It was the first career touchdown for both Boutte and Maye.
Boutte made his first start against the Dolphins in Week 5 and made a key block that helped spring Rhamondre Stevenson for the Patriots’ only touchdown.
Boutte caught all three of his passing targets from Maye and posted a career-high 59 yards against the Texans. He has caught seven of the eight targets Patriots quarterbacks have given him this season.
“Like I said, the more you play, the more confident you become,” Boutte said. “We practice Monday through Thursday, with a walkthrough on Friday and Saturday. Trusting your preparation, and there’s never really a doubt in my mind that I can’t make a play. I really catch every ball that’s thrown to me, so it’s like, ‘just catch them.’”
Run defense is regressing
The Patriots have given up 190 or more rushing yards in back-to-back weeks.
They held Cincinnati to 70 rushing yards in Week 1, but have struggled to contain the run ever since. New England had a top-5 run defense last year, allowing just 93.2 yards per game.
That number has ballooned to 130.3 this season, which puts them in the middle of the pack at 14th.
Injuries have taken their toll. Missing Christian Barmore and Ja’Whaun Bentley hurts.
The regression has been noticeable and something the Patriots can’t tolerate going forward, Mayo said.
“Yeah, it’s very disappointing, and I would say now at this time we’re kind of up and down as far as starting fast,” Mayo said. “We have to start fast whether we’re on defense or offense, and we just didn’t do that.”
“I thought they did settle down,” Mayo added. “But again, it goes back to every single play being important, and you can stop them, stop them, stop them, and then all of a sudden it’s a 50-yard run. We can’t live in that world.”
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