Drake Maye already knows what he could’ve done better in Patriots preseason opener
FOXBORO — Drake Maye only played one possession in the New England Patriots’ 2024 preseason opener, but the rookie quarterback already knows one play he wishes he had back: the one that sent him off the field.
Facing third-and-10, Maye checked down to running back Kevin Harris in the left flat, and Harris took the catch-and-run for only six yards. Maye’s other four potential targets – receivers Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen Reagor, and JuJu Smith Schuster, and tight end Mitchell Wilcox – all ran routes past the line to gain, presenting Maye with a chance to make a bigger play.
Maye did have pressure coming off the right side, but could’ve stepped up in the pocket to deliver the ball past the sticks. Just one conversion on that play, and we might have a completely different outlook on Maye’s performance and usage in the game.
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Asked about his night and what he could improve, Maye showed good recall to go back to that last third-down play, and the previous conversion that kept his drive alive, in lamenting that he didn’t take a deeper shot down the field.
“Threw a screen, first down moved the chains, but I think on a third down maybe should’ve moved down the field, had some routes on the chains instead of throwing to the flat,” Maye said. “But hey, that’s why you watch film.”
Maye’s one pass attempt beyond 10 yards went a tad high for Jalen Reagor, who couldn’t make the snag over his head. The ball was catchable for a bigger receiver, but not thrown with the level of accuracy you’d like to see from a player with the arm talent of Maye.
It’s a good sign, however, that Maye could call back to the failed third-down conversion without needing a fresh look at the game tape first. Most players will say some variant of “I have to look at the film,” but Maye already knows where he’s going to be looking.
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For fans and media, Maye had a disappointingly low workload in terms of evaluating his game and his progress throughout training camp. So, we’re left to nitpick a handful of plays that didn’t go perfectly. Hopefully, there will be more to dissect in the second week of the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
