SAN JOSE, Calif. — Drake Maye and his Patriots coaches don’t anticipate his injured throwing shoulder to restrict him in Tremendous Bowl LX.
The New England quarterback returned to observe Monday at Stanford College after sitting out final Friday’s session with an sickness, alongside together with his shoulder concern. The Patriots weren’t required to launch an damage report after observe, however Maye mentioned he threw a typical allotment of passes.
“I threw an excellent bit,” Maye mentioned at Tremendous Bowl Opening Evening. “I threw as a lot as I might in a standard observe, and I felt nice. I’m trying ahead to getting again on the market on Wednesday and Thursday for observe once more, and Friday, and prepare to get a standard week of prep.”
He added: “I’m feeling good. I’ll be simply high-quality.”
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterbacks coach Ashton Grant each downplayed the damage, which Maye suffered throughout the Patriots’ 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos within the AFC Championship Sport final Sunday.
“I’ve no issues,” Grant mentioned.
Requested whether or not he expects any limitations for his second-year QB, McDaniels replied: “Nope.”
Head coach Mike Vrabel “thought that the ball got here out good” throughout observe.
“I believed it was a crisp observe for Drake and for everyone else,” Vrabel mentioned.
Maye mentioned the prolonged break between championship weekend and Tremendous Bowl Sunday did him effectively.
“I turned a nook touchdown on the flight (to San Francisco on Sunday),” he mentioned. “I felt good from the flight, and throwing on the market right now, I feel it turned the nook, and I actually had little doubt being 100% for the sport. That is the Tremendous Bowl. We get two weeks to arrange for it and do no matter we’ve obtained to do to get it proper. I’ve obtained confidence and really feel good.”
Even when Maye is totally wholesome by Tremendous Bowl Sunday, he’ll face a stiff problem in opposition to the Seattle Seahawks’ elite protection. An MVP-caliber passer throughout the common season, the second-year professional has seen his numbers dip this postseason in opposition to a trio of stingy defensive opponents (Texans, Chargers and Broncos).
Maye has accomplished 55.8% of his passes with 5 turnovers and an 84.0 passer score throughout his first NFL playoff run. Throughout the common season, he led the NFL in each completion share (72.0%) and passer score (113.5), throwing 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 17 video games.
“Figuring out that we get an opportunity and alternative to play one other nice protection — I really feel like that is going to be our fourth (of the playoffs),” Maye mentioned. “And Coach McDaniels warned us: the longer you play within the playoffs, the higher these groups get. The Seahawks, what a protection they’ve. They’re well-coached, they play arduous, they run to the soccer. Simply realizing that (I have to be) defending the soccer, and in some unspecified time in the future, attempt to hit the performs once they’re there. Figuring out that when you may have an opportunity to hit these performs, you’ve obtained to hit them, and that’s what playoff soccer’s about.”
