Gasper: It’s a mistake to start Drake Maye vs Texans
Chris Gasper of The Boston Globe joined Felger and Mazz on Friday and gave his thoughts on the New England Patriots starting rookie quarterback Drake Maye against the Houston Texans.
Felger: Is it a mistake or the wrong decision to start Drake Maye at this time?
Chris Gasper: Yeah, it is a mistake I think. And I look at it from this standpoint of what changed between the loss to Miami on Sunday and when they made this decision and it got announced, at least through the media – through Schefter and Rappaport on Tuesday, what changed? They had no practices, so it’s not like itās something you saw in practice. So in other words, if he’s good enough to start this week because he’s your best option and it gives you the best chance to win, then how was he not the best option, the best chance to win two days earlier against Miami? And that’s where this sort of all falls apart logically. They’re deviating from their plan, that’s obvious. I know Jerod didn’t want to admit that when he was asked, I think it was Phil Perry who asked him whether they had to expedite the plan, but it’s pretty clear that they are deviating from the plan for Maye and expediting the plan to start him.
Chris Gasper: And I also look at it, here’s a phrase I know you use sometimes Felger, āhold your waterā. For me, hold your water one more week. Start him against Jacksonville, which is the worst pass defense in the NFL. Itās a team thatās shambolic overall and poorly coached. A team that’s 1-4. It’s over in London, so you’re not dealing with the expectations of the home crowd, which are going to be sky high, but you’re also not dealing with the hostile road crowd. That’s sort of like in restaurant terms a āsoft openingā in terms of starting for Drake Maye. This is very challenging because you’re facing an excellent defense that’s third in the league in pass defense and that’s eighth in sacks that gets after the quarterback that just made Josh Allen, one of the few true franchise quarterbacks in the league, look horrific. He was 9 and 30. And then you have the immediate juxtaposition comparison of C.J. Stroud and the guy you just drafted, because everybody’s going to want your guy to be C.J. Stroud and change the face of the organization immediately, which is what Stroud did. So I can’t think of a worse spot to drop Maye into than this one on Sunday.Ā