FOXBOROUGH – The Drake Maye watch is on.
On Sunday, the Patriots quarterback dazzled in the first quarter. When things broke down, Maye took off. The No. 3 overall pick had fans inside Gillette Stadium this week on multiple occasions, including a long touchdown run.
The future is bright – even if that feeling didn’t last too long.
Maye’s performance against the New York Jets was cut short after he suffered a concussion in the first quarter. It wouldn’t have been a surprise had the quarterback missed every practice this week and was ruled out on Sunday due to the NFL’s concussion protocol.
However, as the week’s gone on, the Patriots remained hopeful that they’ll have their quarterback.
Maye was a limited practice participant to start this week on Wednesday and progressed through the NFL’s five-step protocol. The last step includes Maye getting medical clearance from an independent neurologist.
If that happens before Sunday, the Patriots will have their young and talented quarterback under center against the Tennessee Titans. If not, Jacoby Brissett will get the start after leading the Patriots to a fourth-quarterback comeback against the Jets.
Here are five things to watch on Sunday:
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Patriots quarterbacks
The top storyline on Sunday will be the Patriots quarterback play. If Maye starts, he’ll do so against one of the top passing defenses in the NFL in a week where he wasn’t a full practice participant. On Wednesday, Maye was only allowed to practice for 30 minutes. He was then limited on Thursday as well. If Brissett starts, it’ll be worth monitoring how the Patriots offense changes and if he can build off his strong finish against the Jets.
Either way, it might not be easy for Patriots quarterbacks. The Titans head into this game with the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL, allowing 151.6 passing yards per game. They’re allowing an average of 15.9 first downs per game, which is also the top mark in the league.
Titans quarterbacks
The Patriots aren’t the only team with uncertainty at the quarterback position. This week, Titans starter Will Levis has been limited due to an injury to his right throwing shoulder. That injury has forced Levis to miss the last two Titans games. Tennessee has been starting quarterback Mason Rudolph in his place. (Fun fact – Rudolph is childhood friends with Maye and his brothers.)
Both Levis and Rudolph have struggled this year. Levis has thrown for 699 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. Rudolph has thrown for 566 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. This is a matchup the Patriots secondary should win.
Patriots wide receivers
The Patriots receivers have done a lot of talking this year. Unfortunately, that hasn’t exactly paid off on the field. Last week, the group had a season-high five dropped passes. Kayshon Boutte and Kendrick Bourne had two while Tyquan Thornton had one drop. This week, the group says they’re refocused and put that tough performance against the Jets behind him.
Considering the Titans have one of the best secondaries in the NFL, this is a tough test for Patriots receivers and the passing game. That’s why the receivers have a chance to make a statement on Sunday. They have a lot of confidence in their abilities, but they’ll need to prove it on the field at some point.
Christian Gonzalez vs. Calvin Ridley
Christian Gonzalez has been outstanding this season. The second-year player is the Patriots No. 1 cornerback and he’s been shutting down some of the best receivers in the NFL. On Sunday, he’ll have a chance to do it again in a matchup with Titans top receiver Calvin Ridley.
This season, Gonzalez has allowed catches on 43% if his targets (15-of-35) for 199 yards with two touchdowns allowed to go with three pass breakups and an interception.
Ridley leads the Titans with 326 receiving yards. The next receiver, Tyler Boyd, has 184 receiving yards. If Gonzalez can shut down Ridley, it’ll severely limit the Titans passing game on Sunday.
Patriots offensive line
This has been a thing to watch all season as the Patriots offensive line has seen a litany of changes through eight weeks. Last weekend, the Patriots started the same offensive line unit for the first time all season. This week, however, there could be more changes.
Left tackle Vederian Lowe has been limited in practice after missing Wednesday’s session with ankle and shoulder injuries. If he can’t play, the Patriots will likely move right tackle Demontrey Jacobs from right tackle to left tackle. There’s also a possibility the Patriots move Michael Onwenu from right guard to right tackle and insert Layden Robinson back at right guard. The Titans have a good defensive line, led by Jeffery Simmons, so this matchup is worth watching.
Prediction: Patriots 27, Titans 13
