It sounds like the Drake Maye era is upon us in New England
Based on a new insider report, rookie quarterback Drake Maye could be on the verge of making his Patriots debut.
The suffering may soon be over for New England Patriots fans. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye reportedly has a shot to make his NFL debut in the Pats’ next game.
According to Adam Schefter Monday morning: “A QB change could soon be coming to New England, with rookie first-round pick Drake Maye potentially starting Sunday vs. the Texans.” This comes on the heels of the Patriots losing their fourth straight game, by a 15-10 final, to the Miami Dolphins.
Patriots starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett went 18-of-34 for 160 yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions in the game (a 65.8 passer rating). He did come close to throwing a go-ahead touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, but rookie wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk was ruled out of bounds upon replay review.
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Entering Monday, Brissett ranks 27th in the NFL in passer rating at 77.0. His two passing touchdowns are tied for 29th, and his 536 passing yards are 31st.
Notably, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo appeared to change his tune on his level of commitment to Brissett as the Pats’ starting QB. In prior weeks, Mayo declared Brissett the starter. He was given another chance to do so during his Monday morning video conference with reporters, when asked about considering a change, but instead gave a vague, noncommittal answer.
“What I would say is, I think I’ve been pretty consistent in my messaging, is that every single day, we’re all being evaluated and it’s no different now,” Mayo said. “That’s kind of how I see it.”
Asked about Brissett’s performance on Sunday against the Dolphins, Mayo said it “just wasn’t good enough,” while also remarking that he thought the Patriots played well enough to win the game on defense and special teams.
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The debate may rage on whether it’s wise for the Patriots to insert Maye into their current situation on offense, considering the poor performance of the offensive line and questionable scheming/play-calling by offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. But it appears that they are on the verge of doing it, regardless.
It’s hard to argue at this point that, with Maye, the offense would be any worse.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.