FOXBOROUGH – The future is now.
On Sunday, fans will get a look at the most promising rookie to play for the Patriots in decades when Drake Maye starts against the Houston Texans. The No. 3 overall pick’s first NFL start gives the Patriots a sense of excitement.
On Friday, Jerod Mayo said the rookie had a good week of practice, but he also noticed an uptick in his team’s energy level.
“He’s done a good job. I feel like there’s a renewed sense of energy throughout the team. And now it just comes down to Sunday, going out there and executing,” Mayo said. “You can feel it, first of all, before you even see anything. The guys are locked in and ready to go. Those guys are running back to the huddle and ready for the next rep, so it’s encouraging.”
Maye’s first start won’t be an easy one.
The Texans come into Gillette Stadium with one of the top defensive units in the NFL. Houston ranks third in pass defense, fourth in yards allowed, and tied for fourth in sacks per pass attempt.
Here are five things to watch in Maye’s first NFL start:
Maye’s potential
It’s not going to be perfect. Maye will likely struggle at certain points on Sunday. It’s only natural. Houston has a very good defense – one that held Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen to a completion percentage of 30 last weekend. However, when watching this game, we’ll get a glimpse of Maye’s potential.
This game isn’t just about the offense looking better. It’s about seeing what Maye brings to the table as a quarterback. He’s athletic and can run out of the pocket. He also has a big arm. All of that should help the offense. If anything, it would be nice to see the potential play out on Sunday inside Gillette Stadium.
Maye’s athleticism
The Patriots offensive line hasn’t been good this season. The team heads into this game ranked 30th in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass attempt. That’s not great when you’re about to face a defense that has one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. However, Maye’s athleticism should theoretically help the offensive line.
Unlike Jacoby Brissett, Maye can and will make plays with his legs. That was seen in his NFL debut against the New York Jets when he picked up a first down on fourth down after scrambling out of the pocket. It’ll also be interesting to see how offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt dials up the offense around Maye. Will he call for quarterback runs in the red zone? Van Pelt did that in the preseason and it led to a Maye rushing touchdown.
Patriots receivers
The Patriots are currently ranked last in the NFL in passing yards per game (119.4).
It’s been almost impossible to analyze the Patriots receivers due to their passing game being so bad. That should change with Maye under center. The rookie quarterback has a very good arm and should take more shots downfield to his wide receivers.
Maye also has a good relationship with fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk. This change at quarterback should lead to more success in the passing game and that should lead to more success for players like Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, and Polk. Also keep an eye on Kayshon Boutte, who looks like he’s moving up the Patriots receiver depth chart.
Offensive line
Another game for the Patriots means more questions about the team’s offensive line. However, this could be the weekend when the Patriots start the same offensive line for two games in a row for the first time this season.
In the first five games, the Patriots started a different offensive line in every contest. That’s not what you’re looking for – especially considering how important continuity is on the offensive line.
However, the Patriots think they found a better combination with Vederian Lowe (left tackle), Michael Jordan (left guard), Nick Leverett (center), Michael Onwenu (right guard), and Demontrey Jacoby (right tackle). That group started last weekend and should start on Sunday. We’ll see if the results get any better.
Patriots defense
The Patriots defense needs to step up and help their rookie quarterback. The unit has dealt with some big-time injuries this season, so their performance has been up and down. However, they’re coming off a solid performance against the Miami Dolphins, who started a backup quarterback.
It won’t get easier this week. The Texans head into this game with a very good quarterback in C.J. Stroud. He won’t have his No. 1 receiver in Nico Collins, but he’ll still have Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell.
The Texans are averaging 20.4 points per game this season. They have the No. 2 passing offense in the NFL. The Patriots defense needs to step up and hold them to under 20 points to give Maye and the offense a chance.
Prediction: Texans 20, Patriots 17
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