Inside Drake Maye’s first Patriots start, from a trust-earning meeting to his alluring — if rollercoaster — day

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the New England Patriots shifted to the two-minute drill, their rookie quarterback settled in.

Drake Maye knew this collection of calls. He knew that the Houston Texans were playing man coverage and creeping toward him. And the third overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft knew that the receiver he’d warmed up with until the final substitution for his first series had asked for a shot.

So Maye exploited the Texans’ belief that his first-quarter interception had quieted the downfield passing game. He exploited the separation he trusted Kayshon Boutte to find against another third overall pick, cornerback Derek Stingley.

Dropping back in a pocket cleaner than most Patriots pockets this year, Maye sailed a 40-yard touchdown to Boutte’s back shoulder.

“I felt like in this group, we can push the ball down field and make plays in the passing game,” Maye said. “Tried to let one ride and give Boutte a chance.

“That was my thought process: Give him a chance.”

The Patriots did not win Maye’s first career start. The 41-21 loss to the now 5-1 Texans showed New England how far it is from rallying around a highly drafted quarterback to contend as the Texans are doing with C.J. Stroud.

And yet, Maye’s goal for Boutte on his first touchdown might as well have described Maye’s own role in his first professional start.

Give them a chance.

Even as the Texans outpaced New England, Maye seemed like he will do just that.

New England head coach Jerod Mayo praised how Maye controlled the huddle and read the defense, the quarterback’s ceiling flashing even as his floor sometimes quivered.

The Patriots have a long way to go — but against the Texans, Maye hinted at how much further he might be able to take them.

“It’s definitely encouraging,” Mayo said. “From a team-wide perspective right now, we let him down. It was his first game, and I feel like I let him down.

“We’ve just got to be better.”

Maye’s ceiling, floor sparked Patriots style…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-10-14 04:46:16

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