Patriots
“It actually took everyone yesterday. Particular groups, offense, protection, teaching. So it was cool to come back out with a win.”
Patriots QB Drake Maye made his weekly appearance on “WEEI Afternoons” on Monday, with the second-year signal-caller concerning matters that ranged from New England’s Week 2 victory over the Dolphins at Exhausting Rock Stadium to Mike Vrabel’s viral clip from the fourth quarter.
Listed below are three takeaways from his interview:
Bouncing again with a win
It wasn’t simple, however Maye and the Patriots secured their first win of the 2025 season on Sunday afternoon by defeating the Dolphins, 33-27, at Exhausting Rock Stadium.
With New England’s protection laboring as soon as once more when it got here to slowing down an opposing passing sport (315 passing yards for Tua Tagovailoa), Maye and New England’s offense stored the crew afloat in South Florida.
Maye submitted the perfect efficiency of his younger NFL profession, finishing 19-of-23 throws for 230 yards with two touchdowns and nil turnovers, whereas additionally dashing for 31 yards and one other landing.
Even with New England’s bounce-back exhibiting on offense after a stagnant outing in Week 1 in opposition to the Raiders, Maye credited Sunday’s victory as a complete crew effort — punctuated by a kickoff return touchdown from Antonio Gibson and a game-ending sack from Milton Williams.
“It’s an superior feeling. We wished to get the one final week, however, you already know, it’s a very good feeling to get one on the highway, in opposition to a divisional opponent,” Maye stated. “It’s such an emotional sport, backwards and forwards, so I can’t think about – nicely, I may think about, I used to be within the locker room. Good to get a win. It took everyone. It was cool to see everyone reply and I recognize what coach has introduced this 12 months and to this group as of but.”
“One of many large issues is, we’ve nonetheless acquired to study from it – study from issues you possibly can enhance on, study from errors, study from penalties, study from situational soccer. And take that, and let it assist us down the highway. That’s an enormous factor. “And likewise studying how one can come off a win and get again to work at follow this week.”
Josh McDaniels and New England’s teaching employees known as a much more balanced sport in Week 2, particularly after a season-opening matchup in opposition to Las Vegas the place Maye was known as upon to throw 46 occasions.
With Rhamondre Stevenson (11 dashing makes an attempt, 54 yards) and Antonio Gibson (5 rushes, 27 yards) routinely gaining yardage on the bottom, Maye and the Patriots’ passing sport had extra leeway to maintain Miami’s protection guessing as the sport continued.
“All of it begins with operating the soccer,” Maye stated of New England’s offensive method. “These guys do an excellent job within the run sport. And it’s simply a type of issues — if you begin to run, it opens up the passing sport and the play-action sport.
“The extra they’ve acquired to respect the run, the much less that they will deal with the cross. So I believe it’s at all times an emphasis for us to attempt to get the run sport going early and be capable of play off that.”
Maye was additionally aided by a revamped offensive line that has two rookies taking part in on the left aspect in Will Campbell (left sort out) and Jared Wilson (left guard).
Even with a number of pre-snap penalties from the O-line, Maye was largely in a position to keep away from strain for many of the afternoon PFF listed Campbell with zero pressures allowed over 31 pass-blocking snaps in opposition to Miami.
“These guys are taking part in their butts off — credit score to these guys,” Maye stated of New England’s O-line. “It’s a very good feeling operating on the market with them each week. And I do know they’re taking part in arduous and desirous to run the soccer and desirous to win.”
Brushing apart criticism
Maye’s sturdy exhibiting at Exhausting Rock Stadium marked the top of every week the place the second-year QB acquired loads of flak after an uninspiring exhibiting in opposition to the Raiders in Week 1.
Be it native media questioning whether or not or not Maye had “too much on his plate” in McDaniels’ system and even former Patriots stars like Rob Gronkowski deeming his Game 1 outing as “timid,” Maye was seemingly a conduit of criticism going into Sunday’s matchup in South Florida.
Maye quieted a few of these issues together with his play on the sector in opposition to Miami. However the 23-year-old QB additionally brushed apart discuss of quieting doubters on this market.
“Oh, shoot. We’re not fearful about that,” Maye stated of silencing critics. “That’s a part of taking part in on this league. There’s a bunch of eyes on each crew, and each offense across the league. We didn’t play as much as the usual.
“So I’m simply glad to get within the win column. And I believe it took everyone. It actually took everyone yesterday. Particular groups, offense, protection, teaching. So it was cool to come back out with a win.”
Vrabel’s sideline scramble
Mike Vrabel hasn’t logged a snap in an NFL sport because the 2010 season. However, the 50-year-old Patriots coach didn’t look misplaced on Sunday as soon as Gibson took off for the top zone on his go-ahead kickoff return TD.
In a now-viral second, Vrabel was noticed on New England’s sideline sprinting alongside Gibson because the operating again ducked tackles and broke unfastened for a special-teams landing.
Even when Vrabel was inevitably going to lose the footrace with Gibson, Maye gave credit score to his head coach for initially maintaining within the humid Florida local weather.
“I’m extra impressed he didn’t pull a hammy or one thing,” Maye stated of his head coach. “It was scorching down there, may have began cramping. I believed it was fairly cool. I used to be watching it from a unique angle. As soon as he acquired the sting on the market, I knew he was gone. What a play. And it was humorous to see coach operating down [the sideline].”
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