The New England Patriots suffered a 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday but might actually feel as good about it as one team can feel after a defeat. That is thanks to a promising performance delivered by Pats’ rookie Drake Maye, who made his first NFL start.
Maye, selected third overall by New England in this year’s draft, was a backup throughout the first five weeks of the season. Head coach Jerod Mayo and the rest of the coaching staff believed Maye would be better suited sitting behind veteran Jacoby Brissett and making a slower transition to the pros.
However, after Brissett struggled so far in the season, the Pats scraped the original plan and gave the nod to Maye against the Texans, and the former North Carolina product didn’t disappoint.
Maye was unable to help the Patriots to a win over the Super Bowl-contending team but kept the offense as competitive as they were so far in the season. He finished the contest with 60.6% completed passes while throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns. For comparison, the Pats only averaged a league-worst 119.4 passing yards per game and a second-worst 12.4 points per game throughout the first five games, while Brissett only had two passing TDs.
Maye also endured some growing pains, committing three turnovers. He threw two interceptions while also fumbling the ball after a strip sack, with the fumble being recovered by the Texans defense.
After a great introduction by their rookie QB, the Patriots likely feel more optimistic about their future. The 2024 season might be already lost, but if Maye continues to develop and play as he played on Sunday, this team could be on the brink of contention sooner than later.
