FOXBOROUGH – One game into his second season, and Drake Maye has already hit a crossroads.
The Patriots quarterback looked unsettled and unsure of what he was doing during Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Don’t let his 30 completions for 287 yards fool you.
He sailed passes, failing to connect with open receivers. He forced passes, one to Stefon Diggs that was intercepted at a pivotal point in the game.
Even as a runner, Maye didn’t seem right. There was nothing natural about him or his performance.
A lot is riding on Maye making a Year 2 leap, and progressing into the type of quarterback to help bring the Patriots back to prominence.
Only, he looked far from making that jump on Sunday.
Is there too much on his plate? Too much swirling around in his head to be effective?
Mike Vrabel’s answer to that question Monday was telling.
“I think we have to evaluate that. We have to find out, is there something there? Or, we’ve just got to figure out what our guys do best and do that,” Vrabel said. “Because if you do that, then you have to be really good, as opposed to trying to scheme or get into the right situation.
“Again, we just make sure that we’re giving him answers by trying not to give him too much. I think that’s always the balance and the fine line.”
It’s not exactly comforting to hear the head coach admit to assessing if some adjustments were needed to help Maye after just one game. But it is, what it is. Already, there are questions about whether Maye has the bandwidth to handle all of the responsibilities with a Josh McDaniels’ offense.
There were signs of difficulty during the preseason, but nothing as dramatic as Sunday’s outing from Maye.
Ultimately, the Patriots need to figure out if they’re doing more harm, than good, with all they’ve put on the young quarterback. Or if it’s something Maye simply needs to work through and will resolve with time.
It seems fairly obvious they have to help him settle down, and take some of the weight off his shoulders.
If they deem the offense needs to be more Drake-friendly, tailoring it more toward his athletic skillset, then McDaniels needs to make the necessary fixes. He needs to shape the offense toward Maye’s strengths, as opposed to molding Maye to the offense.
And, listening to Vrabel, they will consider what Maye does best, evaluate the problems, and go from there.
They may find out Maye’s hesitancy and lack of comfort is more a product of a shaky offensive line, and lack of talent, along with adapting to the new offense. They may believe Maye will eventually blossom if they stay the course.
Or, they may discover the 2024 third overall pick simply isn’t capable of what’s required in McDaniels offense.
Of course, the Patriots have other problems to fix with the defense, special teams, run game, etc. It’s not all Maye. There’s plenty to go around.
But he’s the leader of the offense, and watching him in the season opener, something’s not right.
If his first read wasn’t there, it was panic time, especially in the second half. Maye wasn’t seeing the field. He wasn’t seeing open receivers down the field.
Instead, he’d take off and run, going a few yards before hitting the deck in a slide – something he’s been coached to do, instead of trying for extra yards. The whole process just looked awkward.
Maye’s fundamentals and mechanics – most notably his footwork – also isn’t up to par. That part is largely on him, and working to correct the physical issues.
During his weekly radio appearance on “WEEI Afternoons,” Maye, however, dismissed the notion of having too much on his plate. He didn’t agree he was juggling too many balls given the new offense, and the expectations for the quarterback in that offense.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Maye said. “At the end of the day, playing quarterback in the NFL can be a lot on your plate no matter what team you play for. … I think I’m ready for it and I think I’ll get more and more comfortable each week as I play in this offense.”
Of course, there was zero chance Maye would acknowledge being overwhelmed by anything. But by saying he’d get more comfortable each week with the offense, he’s tacitly admitting he’s not quite there yet.
While Maye did make some good throws, if the first-read was there, it fell apart if that first option wasn’t there.
“I think in everything that we do, we always want to be competitive and do it the right way,” Vrabel said. “But then, there just can’t be any sort of block that keeps us from just going and playing the game and knowing that it’s not going to look great at times, but it’s going to be making a play.”
Right now, Maye is blocked.
There’s too much flashing through his mind when it comes to the offense. Instead of playing freely, and confidently, Maye is stuck in processing hell.
It’s up to the Patriots to clear the cobwebs.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
