FOXBORO — Patriots quarterback Drake Maye thought he was about to take the sector for his first drive of the season Friday night time, then needed to cease.
His rookie teammate, TreVeyon Henderson, returned the opening kickoff of the Pats’ preseason opener 100 yards for a landing in simply 12 seconds. That sparked an eventual 48-18 win for the Pats, however the further time it gave Maye didn’t settle him down any.
The Patriots’ beginning quarterback misplaced a fumble on the finish of his opening drive, a third-down cross play he tried to increase previous its expiration date. Maye was about to take a sack when he cocked his proper arm to throw and the ball slipped behind him. Regardless of that strain, allowed by rookie offensive linemen Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, coach Mike Vrabel put the fumble squarely on his quarterback.
“That’s a foul resolution,” Vrabel mentioned after Friday’s win. “I feel we’re gonna want higher from him, and I feel he is aware of that, and that’s apparent.”
Maye, in his personal post-game press convention, agreed.
“That’s what coach is speaking about. I’ve received to do my a part of defending the soccer,” he mentioned.
Maye mentioned he was taking part in off intuition, simply six snaps into his first dwell recreation motion since final January’s season finale. He lasted just one collection that day, and has since participated in practices the place he can’t get hit. Confronted with the prospect of a adverse play, Maye tried to flee as an alternative of throwing the ball away, which is what Vrabel would have most popular.
“We simply have to have the ability to discover a approach to do away with the soccer. Or take a sack and punt and play protection,” Vrabel mentioned.
Final season, Maye had 10 interceptions and 9 fumbles over 13 recreation appearances. The second-year sign caller is predicted to make a leap this season underneath Vrabel and new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who has launched designed quarterback runs that final yr’s teaching workers was reluctant to implement for Maye. His solely runs Friday, when he performed simply two collection, have been scrambles, however Maye’s mobility figures to be an element all season lengthy — offered he protects the soccer.
“We have been capable of form of convert and rating operating the soccer. Drake scrambled, proper?” Vrabel mentioned. “Once more, I’m all for him utilizing his skill to run when it’s there. You noticed him slide. You noticed him have the ability to run in the long run zone. Perhaps simply form of how the sport unfolded early.”
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