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New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Zolak & Bertrand: Should the Patriots not start Drake Maye to avoid becoming the Jets?

Author Tyler Milliken
Aug 25, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is hit by Washington Commanders defensive tackle John Ridgeway III (91) after throwing a pass during the second quarter during a preseason game at Commanders Field. Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports

On Wednesday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, the crew touches on whether the Patriots should keep Drake Maye on the bench, so they can avoid the same cycle of failure as the Jets.

It’s about the toughness of the QB…

Marc Bertrand: 

Oh, don’t be the New York Jets. Don’t be the Jets. Don’t ruin all those quarterbacks. Don’t do what they did all those years by getting guys rattled, if you will, don’t get them rattled. Are you fearful of that? Should the Patriots not start Drake Maye this season because they don’t want to be the New York Jets, because they’re living in fear of being the Jets? No, I don’t think that’s a good reason to do that. I don’t. I think that the mental makeup of the quarterback’s is a big part of this. I know that confidence can be impacted no matter who you are, but sure, if you have a tough quarterback, play the kid. If you have a quarterback who’s not that tough of a quarterback such as Zach Wilson, don’t play the kid. You know what I mean? Is there kind of a difference there? 

Scott Zolak: 

Wasn’t that one of Maye’s strengths coming into the draft? They liked his toughness. They showed multiple videos of him taking hits as he’s throwing. So, if you hit a point where Jacoby’s ceiling is not going to be much more than what you see… he’s made some nice plays through two games, but he also shows that he’s not going to elevate like a top tier guy and elevate other guys around him. So, at some point you’re going to decide when this is, and he’s not killing you right now. Jacoby is not killing you right now. You still have time here with Maye to get him the reps, to get the 30%, to do whatever the hell visual reps you want to do with him and coach him. Talk to him. What’s the interaction like on the sideline? Are you hearing the play? What are you looking at here? What’s the coverage? Give me the coverage. Like there should be a guy in his ear. T.C. McCartney should be with him, quizzing him on some stuff. Just so he doesn’t hang out and watch games on the sideline. 

Listen to the full segment!

Tyler Milliken started out at the Sports Hub as an intern in 2020 for the Zolak & Bertrand program before eventually becoming the associate producer in late 2021. He often joins the baseball conversation on Zolak & Bertrand and is a contributor to The Baseball Hour throughout the season. Along with that, he has been a co-host on DraftKings Name Redacted Podcast with Jared Carrabis for the last two years, where they cover everything going on with the Red Sox. Born and raised in Brockton, he reps the city proudly.

Patriots Ups & Downs: Who stood out in a loss to the Seahawks?

The New England Patriots are 1-1 on the 2024 season after a 23-20 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Here are eight players who stood out in the game, based on their performance on the field…

UP: TE Hunter Henry

The Patriots wasted the best game of Henry’s career. The veteran tight end caught 8-of-12 targets for a career-high 109 yards, including a 35-yard catch-and-run from Jacoby Brissett.

If the Patriots want to impact the game through the air, they’re going to need a meaningful contribution from Henry every single week. He showed on Sunday how much better the offense can look just by getting the ball in his hands.

DOWN: TE Austin Hooper

Hooper isn’t here because of his work on offense, although he was only targeted once for five yards. He’s the first “DOWN” because the Seahawks’ Julian Love blew by him to block a field goal attempt late in the fourth quarter.

The three points would’ve given the Patriots a 23-17 lead in the closing minutes, and possibly helped them close out a win. That was the Patriots’ first major special teams miscue of the season, and it really cost them. Something to clean up for next week.

  • UP: RB Antonio Gibson

    New England Patriots on X (formerly Twitter): "GIBSON GETTING AWAYYY 🏃💨📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/uIRHhirEMJ / X"

    GIBSON GETTING AWAYYY 🏃💨📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/uIRHhirEMJ

    The Patriots offense let Gibson down in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. The veteran running back should have delivered a kill shot of sorts when he broke multiple tackles en route to a 45-yard run that put the Pats well into Seattle territory. Instead, the offense went backward from there and the Seahawks clawed their way back into the game.

    But, Gibson is off the hook for this game. He’s running hard and making dynamic plays with the ball in his hands.

  • DOWN: CB Christian Gonzalez

    Seattle Seahawks on X (formerly Twitter): "WIDE OPEN @dkm14 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rHIeaVSkOL / X"

    WIDE OPEN @dkm14 🤯 pic.twitter.com/rHIeaVSkOL

    Gonzalez covered D.K. Metcalf for most of the game, and in 1-on-1 matchups he allowed three catches for 24 yards on seven targets. But he and Kyle Dugger had what he described as a “miscommunication” when Metcalf blew right through both of them and streaked wide open down the field, as he hauled in an easy 56-yard touchdown catch from Smith.

    Dugger took responsibility for checking into a bad play, but Gonzalez was the one covering Metcalf most of the time, so it’s hard to let the second-year corner off the hook. He can’t give up any plays that big if the Patriots want to win games this season.

  • UP: DE Keion White

    New England Patriots on X (formerly Twitter): "Coming at you from every angle 💪📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/M0r0MhKMWY / X"

    Coming at you from every angle 💪📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/M0r0MhKMWY

    Another strong game for White, who put the loss on his own shoulders after the game in a sign of maturity and leadership. But White was again disruptive up front, finishing with 1.5 sacks, two QB hits, and seven tackles. The Patriots’ problem up front isn’t White, but that they seem to lack impactful secondary pass-rushers aside from him.

  • DOWN: LT Vederian Lowe

    Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

    Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe sacks New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett. (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)

    Pressure off the left edge was a problem all afternoon for the Patriots, and quarterback Jacoby Brissett mostly did a good-enough job to mitigate the damage. That was until he took a 9-yard sack in the fourth quarter on the play before the blocked field goal try. Lowe wasn’t the only player that allowed pressure on that play, but he was the most consistently troublesome offensive lineman out there.

  • UP: P Bryce Baringer

    New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye (13) reacts with New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) in the third quarter of the NFL game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Photo Credit: Albert Cesare/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

    New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye (13) reacts with New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) in the third quarter of the NFL game at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. Photo Credit: Albert Cesare/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

    Baringer is off to a great start this season, one of the few Patriots to string together two strong performances. He averaged 57 yards per punt, with a long of 67, three pinned inside the 20-yard line, and only one touchback in six tries.

  • DOWN: CB Marco Wilson

    Patriots LATAM on X (formerly Twitter): "¿Les pareció DPI de Marco Wilson o era inatrapable?#SEAvsNE pic.twitter.com/y3ZlR1gKPF / X"

    ¿Les pareció DPI de Marco Wilson o era inatrapable?#SEAvsNE pic.twitter.com/y3ZlR1gKPF

    Wilson got flagged for defensive pass interference for the second straight game, mugging the Seahawks’ Tyler Lockett in the end zone on third-and-6, gifting Seattle first-and-goal from the 1-yard line and an easy touchdown run on the next play. One could argue that the pass attempt was not catchable, and therefore not a worthy penalty, but all Wilson needed to do was look back for the ball, and he didn’t do it. Don’t give the officials a reason to throw the flag.

    We didn’t see much of Wilson for the rest of the game. The Patriots may have to consider a new depth chart at cornerback.

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