The New England Patriots suffered an embarrassing 32-16 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday. After getting up 10-0 in the first quarter, they were dominated and emasculated over the final three quarters at Wembley Stadium.
“We’re a soft football team across the board,” head coach Jerod Mayo rightly said after watching his defense give up 171 rushing yards on 39 carries. ” … Back to the drawing board.”
There was a bright spot, however, as rookie quarterback Drake Maye played well in his second NFL start. The No. 3 overall pick completed 26 of 37 passes for 276 yards and two touchdowns while taking two sacks and finishing with a 109.7 passer rating.
Maye earned a respectable B-minus grade (63.7) using Pro Football Network’s proprietary QB+ Metric.
“I thought Drake did a good job, especially starting the game off fast,” Mayo said. “He made some good throws; he made some plays with his legs.”
Let’s go over some takeaways from Maye’s performance against the Jaguars.
How Did Drake Maye Fare in His Second Start for the Patriots?
Fast Start
Maye picked up right where he left off last week.
The rookie was excellent on his first drive, completing six of seven passes for 62 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to JaMycal Hasty. Maye also took one sack, scrambled for three yards, and went 3 for 3 on third downs.
The score represented the Patriots’ first opening-drive touchdown since their Week 17 game against the Buffalo Bills last season. However, that was a kickoff return TD by Jalen Reagor; you need to go back to Week 14 of 2023 for the last real opening-drive touchdown.
.@MycHasty dancing to the end zone 🕺
📺: NFLN pic.twitter.com/CzBRrDpqcx
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 20, 2024
No Signs of Injury
Maye popped up on the Week 7 injury report with a knee injury that generated much speculation throughout the week. Patriots listed Maye as a full participant in their first two practices before removing him from the injury report on Friday.
We still don’t know whether Maye suffered the injury during the Week 6 loss to the Houston Texans or Wednesday’s practice. And, before Sunday’s kickoff, head coach Jerod Mayo seemingly refuted a Boston Globe report about Maye undergoing an MRI on Wednesday.
Regardless, Maye didn’t appear limited on Sunday. He moved well and showed no reservations about making plays with his legs.
Dual-Threat Ability
Maye’s athleticism has been as advertised.
He finished with just three rushes for 18 yards, which were tied for the most on the team. But he also used his legs to extend plays after being forced from the pocket. Maye isn’t as responsible with the ball as Jacoby Brissett, but he offsets it with a better ability to make something out of nothing.
Of course, with mobility comes a greater risk of injury, and Maye occasionally plays with a recklessness that could lead to big hits. The Patriots can only hope Maye doesn’t put himself in harm’s way too often.
.@DrakeMaye2 picks up the first on the ground.
📺: NFLN pic.twitter.com/GyMzMZLgYm
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 20, 2024
Errant Throws
Maye’s erratic accuracy also has been as advertised.
In the first half alone, he overthrew Rhamondre Stevenson and DeMario Douglas and missed Kendrick Bourne on a play that would’ve resulted in a first down. Maye also threw behind Kayshon Boutte but was bailed out by a defensive pass interference.
In the second half, Maye threw two passes that should’ve been picked off. They weren’t bad throws as much as they were poor decisions.
Most of Maye’s errant throws are to open receivers on plays that should be near-automatic. Although it’s concerning he’s carried over the sloppy play from his UNC days, you have to believe he’ll clean it up as coaches continue to refine his mechanics.
Pressure Still a Big Issue
Maye was only sacked twice on Sunday, but he took multiple big hits and was pressured throughout. The offensive line wasn’t terrible, but it allowed pressure in key situations and forced Maye to play off-script.
It’s not a big deal for Maye to deal with such pressure two weeks in a row. But if it continues, the accumulation of pressure could result in Maye speeding up, reverting to bad habits, and regressing with his mechanics.
Poise
One of the more impressive aspects of Maye’s debut was his resilience and execution when the Texans had the Patriots’ backs against the wall. And he excelled in a similar situation on Sunday.
New England was left for dead when it trailed 25-10 with 11:10 left in the fourth quarter. Maye responded by orchestrating a nine-play, 94-yard drive that finished with a 22-yard K.J. Osborn touchdown catch on third down.
Maye, who faced pressure on the Osborn TD, also completed a 33-yard pass to Boutte during a drive that lasted two minutes and 48 seconds.
Drake to KJ, a thing of beauty.@KJ_Osborn | @DrakeMaye2
📺: NFLN pic.twitter.com/NyRUx8TPgJ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 20, 2024
Maye’s performance while playing from behind should make the Patriots feel good about the way he’ll play from ahead — whenever he can experience such luxuries.
While still a raw, inexperienced prospect, Maye’s talent, poise, toughness, and maturity give him an undeniably high ceiling. But none of that will matter until the operation around him improves.
