FOXBORO – Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has a possible answer to calm himself down when he’s feeling too “amped” to start a recreation.
Maye defined away an inaccurate pass in Week 2 of the preseason, when he threw excessive to huge receiver DeMario Douglas, as saying he was “a bit of amped early within the recreation.” The throw ricocheted off Douglas’ fingers and into the arms of a defender, who dropped the ball. Maye additionally fumbled within the Patriots’ first preseason recreation.
The younger quarterback had the identical rationalization after throwing an interception within the second drive of his first profession begin, saying he was “a bit of amped initially, for certain.”
That’s clearly one thing that Maye might want to work out in his second season.
“I believe it’s type of like again in day enjoying basketball type of discover a layup earlier than you begin capturing threes,” Maye mentioned. “I believe simply whether or not it’s run or with the fellows up entrance and the working backs, or possibly a simple completion. However apart from that, I believe it’s simply getting on the market. And I believe that’s a part of it. I believe it’s whether or not it’s going to be type of the jitters or going to be fired up, that’s extra of what it’s, simply to type of calm that. And I believe type of use the fellows round me, as effectively. I believe use the fellows round me to type of really feel, like, hey, in the event that they’re pumped up, I’m gonna get a bit of pumped up. However once I get on the market and type of be cool and calm.”
A reporter instructed that Maye ought to audible right into a learn choice to get being hit out of the best way.
“Yeah, certain that’d be nice,” Maye quipped.
Earlier, Maye mentioned that he will get “jitters” coming into each recreation, however “when you get going within the recreation, I really feel good.”
The concept of settling nerves early in a recreation with a run or quick move is nice in principle however won’t work in precise apply if your complete playbook isn’t out there.
Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked final week if he would love Maye to settle down earlier than video games or if he likes having a quarterback starting a recreation with vitality.
“The persona or no matter they’re feeling, that’s as much as them,” Vrabel mentioned. “I believe that the efficiency and the mentality and the way we need to play the sport needs to be the identical. So, no matter they need to really feel, they’re greater than welcome to really feel.
“We simply have to guarantee that we execute and that we’re taking command of the huddle and that we’re working at a excessive stage. Some guys are going to be extra amped than others as their very own private strategy to the sport.”
And that’s the important thing. If Maye can use vitality or jitters to his benefit, then it’s a plus. However it will possibly’t be used as an excuse for early-game turnovers or misfires.
Final season, Maye really had his highest completion proportion (72.9%) within the first quarter. So, even when he’s amped to start video games, it wasn’t altering his effectivity. He had a 2.9% interception fee within the first quarter final season and a 4.5% interception fee in any other case.
Vrabel is proud of Maye’s growth inside Josh McDaniels’ offense although he acknowledged that issues will progress now that coaching camp is over and the common season is starting.
“I believe it’s persevering with to construct and develop, and now we transition into a brand new part of game-planning and a unique protection and dealing by the present crew and the seems to be that they want in all three phases to type of take the subsequent step right here to begin to win,” Vrabel mentioned. “So, I believe that it’s been good, and now it’ll be the subsequent problem right here, to take the subsequent step of game-planning and understanding how you can put together early within the week and construct because the week goes on.”
Maye mentioned he has some sense of how gameplanning will go beneath McDaniels after making ready for the Commanders, Vikings and Giants this preseason.
However the preparation might be totally ramped up for the Raiders, a crew McDaniels is aware of effectively as their former head coach, this week and subsequent.
“I’m excited simply making an attempt to be all in on the Raiders, and take one week at a time, after which from right here, simply attempt to take the little particulars and observe our guidelines and go on the market and type of be instinctive and play exhausting,” Maye mentioned.
Maye had a stable, if up-and-down, first summer time beneath McDaniels. In two preseason video games, he was 7-of-12 for 58 yards whereas including two speeding makes an attempt for 16 yards and a landing. His fumble got here whereas dropping again and making an attempt to throw the ball away. It as an alternative got here out of his hand backward for a fumble.
Turnovers, no matter once they got here within the recreation, had been a problem for Maye. For probably the most half, he prevented turnover-worthy performs in apply and joint practices, however they remained a problem within the two preseason video games and an intra-squad scrimmage early in coaching camp.
