FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — As the New England Patriots entered their two-minute drill, their rookie quarterback settled into the game.
Drake Maye knew this set of connections. He knew the Houston Texans were playing coverage and creeping towards him. And the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft knew that the receiver he had been warming up with until the final shift on his first series had called for a shot.
So Maye took advantage of the Texans' belief that his first-quarter interception calmed down the passing game downfield. He used the separation he trusted in Kayshon Boutte against another third overall pick, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Back in pockets cleaner than most Patriots this year, Maye sailed a 40-yard touchdown pass to Boutte's back shoulder.
“I felt like in this group we could run the ball downfield and make plays in the passing game,” Maye said. “I tried to let one ride and give Boutte a chance.
“That was my thought process: Give him a chance.”
The Patriots didn't 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 well-rounded quarterback to competing like the Texans do with C.J. Stroud.
And yet, Maye's goal for Boutte on his first try could just as easily describe Maye's role in his first professional start.
Give them a chance.
Even as the Texans passed New England, it looked like Maye would do just that.
New England head coach Jerod Mayo praised the way Maye controlled the group and read the defense. The quarterback's ceiling flashed, though at times his floor trembled.
The Patriots have a long way to go, but Maye hinted at how far he can take them against the Texans.
“It's definitely encouraging,” Mayo said. “From the point of view of the whole team, we have let him down at the moment. It was his first match and I feel like I let him down.
“We just have to be better.”
Jerod Mayo said Patriots QB Drake Maye was encouraging in his debut. The defense gave up 41 points, down.
“We let him down,” Mayo said. “I feel like I let him down.” pic.twitter.com/iaAfRIS7dk
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 13, 2024
Maye's ceiling and floor ushered in a Patriots style other than Jacoby Brissett
The Patriots' decision to start Maye this week was controversial.
Few questioned the fact that their offense was at odds with veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett. But was the league's worst passing team, second-worst scoring team, and worst pass protection unit really willing to contribute major draft capital?
Decisions like these ruin quarterbacks.
Maye wasn't immune to rookie moments, from his first three catches to sacks that seemed to catch him off guard and a case of lucky feet that resulted in an illegal pass downfield.
“I was definitely a little excited at first,” Maye said.
Slowly he began to realize how he could hold the ball when he threw it. He realized that pass-rushers like Will Anderson Jr. could tip the ball well enough to set up interceptions, and that missed shots or miscommunication on DeMario Douglas' first-quarter takedowns would also literally hit the opponent's hands.
“I missed it a little bit high, and in this league you can't miss it high over the middle,” Maye said.
He connected with Texans rookie safety Caden Bullock on a 29-yard return.
Although two interceptions and two turnovers allowed Houston to score 17 points on turnovers alone, Maye also sparked the Patriots offense in a way he hadn't seen all season.
Maye's initial touchdown pass to Boutte traveled 51.7 air yards, the longest completion by a Patriots QB in the past, according to Next Generation Statistics Three seasons.
His 6-yard touchdown to Hunter Henry seemed to reflect a defense that embraced mobility, which he achieved with a team-high 38 yards rushing. Maye had three first downs on five carries in the absence of Rhamondre Stevenson with a foot injury.
In total, Maye found three different receivers for touchdowns, giving Boutt his first of the season and Douglas his first of his 20-game career.
The quarterback was proud to spot Douglas, who was rushing for a score after intercepting Douglas' earlier field goal. Why not rebound with an explosive second touchdown?
Maye and his players performed additional repetitions every day after training and wanted to postpone them until the day of the match.
“It was really fun on offense at times,” Maye said. “That's what I told the guys in the group at the end: We've got the guys in the group. We just have to play a few more games and play complementary football.
An internal meeting that helped Maye build confidence — and where the Patriots are headed
Maye's creative arm angles and fluidity in mixed drills dating back to training camp impressed the Patriots. But until this week, his rotating cadre of offensive linemen had limited insight into the quarterback's mental acuity.
Did the 22-year-old understand the reasoning behind his moves, or did he simply have the physical ability to excel? How deeply did he understand security?
On Wednesday, Maye's defenders received a crash course. He led their post-training presser and crushed them.
“For a rookie to come in and coach that game, it was impressive,” left tackle Zach Thomas told Yahoo Sports. “He just ran a program that inspired a lot of confidence.”
Three different linemen talked about how Maye handles his centers (the Patriots have already started three games this year), how his linemen will take over some of Houston's pressure and what tasks they will have to counteract the Texans' turnovers.
Left-back Michael Jordan described Maye's presence in the meeting as “assertive” and “confident”, ensuring that Brissett's standard set-up did not waver.
Sidelined center Nick Leverett (ankle) recalled last week when Maye asked Leverett to explain a phone call he told Brissett about. Then Maye realized he knew the answer.
“So as soon as I started saying it, he finished and I was like, 'OK, okay, you can know it,'” Leverett told Yahoo Sports. “As a veteran, I dealt with veteran quarterbacks: Tom (Brady), Jacoby, Baker (Mayfield). Just see how much knowledge he has, it's good.
“For such a young man, he is very smart.”
Perhaps this sharpness contributed to the drop in pressure the Patriots saw compared to the high-pressure Texans, TruMedia noted that New England's pass blockers allowed a pressure of 33.3% after Brissett absorbed pressure at 50 % clip.
Maye knew he still needed to have more success on first and second downs to avoid third-and-long downs that doomed the Patriots to third down three of 13 days. But he also gave the Patriots a season-high 243 passing yards and 291 total yards, and Maye's three touchdown passes in one game dwarfed the two Brissett threw in five appearances.
The Patriots didn't have to look further than game day to imagine best-case scenarios for the rest of Maye's rookie year.
Stroud arrived in Houston last year as a top-three player on a similarly struggling Texas team, missing his debut by throwing for 242 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Soon after, he threw 23 touchdowns and five interceptions as his Offensive Rookie of the Year season lifted Houston from 3-13-1 to the division champion.
Will Maye follow Stroud's path? The Patriots' supporting cast and NFL history challenge that assumption.
However, Stroud's entry into the league shows just how far a rookie can come from his first start to the end of his rookie year, much less the end of his career.
Stroud's advice to Maye: Focus on finishing the game, having a positive attitude, developing your supporting cast, and being disciplined.
“It doesn't happen overnight,” Stroud said. “You're going to have bad days. You will have good days. There are days when you look at yourself like, “Man, I'm the worst quarterback in the world.” But it's always about getting up the next day and moving on.”
During an on-field exchange after the game, Stroud encouraged Maye.
“I told him how much I believed in him,” Stroud said, “and I hoped he would do well in this league.”
