After suffering a concussion in last week’s win over the New York Jets, Drake Maye looked like a sure bet to sit out the game with the Tennessee Titans.
But he cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol, was removed from the Patriot’s injury report, and was ready to do battle with the NFL’s best pass defense.
While the Titans (1-6) are a last-place team, their defense has been pretty good. Along with allowing the NFL’s fewest passing yards per game (151.6), the Titans defense is second in yards allowed per pass (6.2) and fifth in the NFL in completion percentage allowed (61.6).
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So Maye was faced with a tall order.
Would he be able to lead the Patriots to a win, and give them their first back-to-back wins of the season?
Maye, who was making his fourth start, was asked to carry the offense with his arms and legs. A strip sack late in the fourth quarter led to the Titans taking a 17-10 lead with 4:27 to play.
The Patriots couldn’t run, committed too many penalties, and made too many mistakes. Maye was in that pile (pick, fumble) of offenders, but he gave them hope.
Maye had the ball, down seven, with 2:00 to go. He drove them down to the five-yard line using his legs. He had eight seconds to make a play. It got to fourth down. Maye ran around for what seemed like 10 seconds before hitting Rhamondre Stevenson in the end zone to tie the game. He went 11 plays, 50 yards with no timeouts.
Ultimately, the Titans came away with a 20-17 OT win. After Nick Folk kicked a 25-yard field goal, Maye threw a pick on a deep ball that ended the game.
Maye: He was a magic man getting the Patriots to overtime. But it still wasn’t enough.
Maye calmly delivered that game-tying drive.
The Patriots loss the coin flip in overtime. The Titans took over. It looked like they were headed for a touchdown, but the defense didn’t break, forcing the Folk field goal.
Maye took over on the 30, ran 11 yards for a first down on the second play. Then he launched a deep ball for Kayshon Boutte down the middle of the field that was picked off by Armani Hooker, his second pick of the game.
That was the ball game. But it was still a memorable performance by the Patriots rookie quarterback pulling off that miracle score with no time left in regulation.
It didn’t take long for the Maye to show he was none the worse for wear post-concussion. With no one open the first play from scrimmage on the team’s first offensive series, Maye took off for a 26-yard gain. He also didn’t slide with this carry, but he looked fine, showing no trepidation.
The problem for Maye and the Patriots, he was the team’s leading rusher (2 carries, 39 yards) at the half. And, for the game (eight rushes, 95 yards). Basically, the run game was once again stuck in neutral.
Rhamondre Stevenson had seven yards on six carries. That’s about as bad as you can get. Ja’Mycal Hasty has one rush for no gain.
So that didn’t help the cause.
Maye made some plays. He also made a rookie mistake, forcing a ball into coverage that was easily picked off by Armani Hooker on the first play of the second quarter. The Titans weren’t able to convert that to points.
The Patriots trailed 7-3 at the half with Maye completing 12 of 15 passes for 82 yards, and the pick. He was sacked once. Kendrick Bourne (3 catches, 34 yards) was the top receiver at the half, but he also had a costly false start, and ran short of the sticks on a third-and-14. That didn’t help. A Ja’Lynn Polk holding penalty also negated a positive play.
The Patriots got the ball to start the second half. And while it wasn’t pretty, and aided by several Titans penalties, Maye led a 12-play, 70-yard scoring drive, with Rhamondre Stevenson going over from the one.
Maye once again used his legs to get the drive going, with a 23 yard scamper. He also hit Pop Douglas with a perfectly thrown 21-yard pass, with Douglas reeling it in with one hand near the sideline as the Patriots took a 10-7 lead.
That was short-lived with the Titans driving 67 yards on 14 plays, tying the game with a Nick Folk field goal.
They traded scores again, before the Titans scored in overtime.
Maye finished 29 of 40 for 206 yards with one touchdown, and two picks. He was sacked four times. His last throw in OT wasn’t great, but the Patriots wouldn’t have been in the game without him. At the very least, he once again showed the type of promise and ability to get excited about.
