‘It’s frustrating’: Drake Maye is trying to balance short-term struggles with long-term development
"I know we've got better football ahead of us. This wasn't our best product today."
Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye processed the disappointing 34-15 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday with honesty in his postgame press conference.
On a day when New England was uncompetitive for large tracts of the game, the 22-year-old Maye noted that a lack of execution underpinned his team’s underachievement.
“Penalties set us back and kind of put us behind the eight-ball,” Maye said. “You just can’t do that in this league.”
The Patriots finished with 10 penalties for 75 yards, including several at critical junctures in the first half that helped shape the trajectory of the game.
Though he disagreed with any assessment that the team is regressing, Maye acknowledged the frustration of committing self-inflicted errors.
“I don’t think it’s something where we’re just getting beat and out-talented,” he explained. “I think it’s just something where we’re hurting ourselves.”
After a series of performances in which he showed his potential and shined in isolated moments, Maye mostly struggled in Miami on Sunday. He finished 22-of-37 for 222 yards passing (including a highlight-worthy touchdown pass), but also committed two turnovers.
One, a third quarter fumble caused by a sack from Dolphins lineman Zach Sieler, led to a quick Miami touchdown to make the score 31-0. It would prove to be an insurmountable lead.
Reflecting on the fumble, Maye called it “just bad” on his part to not manage the circumstances better.
“Just find a way to protect the football and go down, or find a way to get it out,” Maye said of turnover.
The other mistake, a fourth-quarter interception near the line of scrimmage, was one he put less focus on.
“The interception, just trying to check it down and it happened to get tipped, so I’m not too worried about that.”
New England is now 3-9 on the season, struggling once again on third downs (going just 3-of-14 in the game).
“It’s tough. It’s frustrating,” Maye said of the outcome. “I know we’ve got better football ahead of us. This wasn’t our best product today.”
As he continues to grind through the Patriots’ rebuilding effort, the 2024 first-round pick said he encouraged teammates to bottle up the feeling they had in the aftermath of Sunday’s demoralizing defeat.
“Yeah it’s tough,” said Maye. “I think like I’ve always said, I hate losing more than I really like to win. Losing sucks. I told some of the guys on the sideline, ‘Just remember this feeling. Remember this feeling of really getting our butts whipped today.’ I think it’s only up from here. We’ve got a bright future and a lot of bright players in there that can make some plays for the Patriots.”
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