Patriots
Even with an underwhelming offense in entrance of him, Maye introduced pleasure throughout his rookie season.
Seven months, give or take per week, after the 2024 Patriots season ended with a victory over the Payments and a solution to the query “when is a win actually a loss?” there are minimal causes to revisit something from that year-long tribute to ineptitude.
If something good lingers from a season greatest forgotten, at the least on the offensive facet, it pertains to one individual: rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
After taking over the starting job in Week 6 against the Texans, the No. 3 total choose within the 2024 draft was predictably inconsistent, throwing 10 interceptions in 12 begins, which might be swell if this have been 1976, however not so swell on this period of hyper-efficient passing assaults. He additionally misplaced a pair of fumbles.
Occasional carelessness with the soccer apart, Maye was the whole lot Patriots followers might have hoped for after three seasons of steadily realizing Mac Jones was not the subsequent Chad Pennington, however a born backup whose management expertise have been as uninspiring as his wet-noodle arm.
Positive, Maye was a bit bit reckless (once more: anticipated) and infrequently, quite a lot of enjoyable. His arm energy (notably his contact on deep throws) and mobility (he ran for 421 yards, and is already ninth all-time in dashing amongst Patriots quarterbacks) recommend he might grow to be The Franchise Quarterback. It didn’t harm that Maye has a pure, easy-going charisma, which stood in distinction to Jones’s character, which was about as compelling as an Eggo waffle with out syrup.
Whenever you attempt to summon optimistic recollections from final season – and I believe we agree a full NFL Movies recap of the ’24 Patriots would run roughly so long as a between-innings business break on a NESN Pink Sox broadcast — two Maye highlights come to instantly to thoughts, the sort that make you say, “Oh, this child has received it.”
The primary got here within the Patriots’ Week 9 loss to the Titans, Maye’s fourth begin, and I believe you’re already replaying this one in your thoughts. You understand the circumstances and the beats, however let’s reiterate anyway.
With no time left on the clock, the ball on the Tennessee 5, and the Patriots trailing, 17-10, Maye dropped again, patted the ball, scanned the sector, scanned some extra, bounced left, rolled proper, scanned, scanned, scrambled left, eluded one Titan hell-bent on ending the sport proper then and there, and simply as he received crunched by two others, threw the ball throughout his physique to Rhamondre Stevenson for a landing, forcing time beyond regulation.
The Patriots lost the game, however that play left it feeling like a win within the large image. Maye’s expertise was apparent, and now the form of moxie all profitable quarterbacks should have was beginning to present up.
That cool was evident, too, on a wonderfully timed but virtually informal shovel cross for a landing to DeMario Douglas throughout the Patriots’ Week 15 loss to the Cardinals.
After all, highlights are totally different from achievements. The Patriots gained simply certainly one of Maye’s begins. I’d argue his best achievement was trying competent and normally poised with little or no assist round him.
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper have been dependable tight ends. Receivers Kayshon Boutte and Douglas had occasional promising moments. Antonio Gibson gave it his all. However aside from that? Let’s see. The offensive line was overrun like a busted dam, the most effective working again stored placing the ball on the bottom, the pinnacle coach wasn’t prepared for the job, and the teaching employees was made up largely of retreads and newbies who have been underqualified for his or her duties.
I’m not saying Maye got here into essentially the most hopeless state of affairs in current NFL historical past. That title belongs, maybe completely, to David Carr, who received damaged by the enlargement Texans after being the No. 1 choose within the 2002 draft. Getting sacked 76 instances in a season will change a person.
I’m saying the large disadvantages Maye confronted final season have in all probability been underestimated. And it’s going to be fascinating to see how a lot a leap he can take now that he has an actual assist system.
The improve from Mayo to Mike Vrabel is the largest Patriots head teaching improve since Invoice Parcells changed Dick McPherson. (And you understand what? I’ll hear you on the large improve of going from Pete Carroll — a superb coach now who was approach too happy-happy-joy-joy throughout his three steadily worse years right here — to Invoice Belichick.)
Practically as vital, Vrabel has an skilled, deep, and well-rounded employees, together with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who’s acclaimed right here for his championship collaborations with Tom Brady, but in addition received essentially the most anybody might have out of Cam Newton and his shot shoulder in 2020 and rookie Eggo Jones a 12 months later.
Maye’s supporting forged on offense continues to be a piece in progress, one requiring extra assist in the years forward. However with rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson on the left side of the line, supercharged second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson in the backfield, and veteran Stefon Diggs and third-rounder Kyle Williams becoming a member of the receiving corps, the expertise degree has been upgraded from dismal to . . . effectively, at the least hopeful.
It’s telling that Vrabel has been powerful on Maye in preseason, calling him out for his early fumble in the preseason opener in opposition to the Commanders and acknowledging bluntly when Maye’s efficiency in apply didn’t go fairly to his liking.
Early returns recommend it’s not the relentlessly sarcastic method that finally drove Drew Bledsoe to frustration with Parcells, however a generally sarcastic method delivered constructively and infrequently with humor.
Vrabel, and McDaniels too, can coach Maye in a approach Mayo and Alex Van Pelt couldn’t. It’s yet one more factor Maye must develop into the quarterback his expertise, charisma, and highlights from a season value forgetting, recommend he may be.
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