Phil Perry: Serious Risk in Patriots Starting Drake Maye
On Thursday’s edition of Toucher & Hardy, Phil Perry who covers the Patriots for NBC Sports Boston, joined the show. While discussing the Patriots’ decision to The future is now in New England: Sources say the #Patriots are planning to start Drake Maye against the #Texans, the first start for the No. 3 overall pick. The future is now in New England: Sources say the #Patriots are planning to start Drake Maye against the #Texans, the first start for the No. 3 overall pick.
Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games, heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/NrQQG65A0r
Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games, heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/NrQQG65A0r
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2024">start rookie quarterback Drake Maye against the Houston Texans, Perry explained that the this decision to start the rookie carries significant risk, but it is still a move that the franchise had to make.The future is now in New England: Sources say the #Patriots are planning to start Drake Maye against the #Texans, the first start for the No. 3 overall pick.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet)
Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games, heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/NrQQG65A0rThe future is now in New England: Sources say the #Patriots are planning to start Drake Maye against the #Texans, the first start for the No. 3 overall pick.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 8, 2024
Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games, heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/NrQQG65A0r
“So To Me, That’s Not An Option...”
Wallach: So what ruined Mac Jones? Offensive coordinator issues, he’s under pressure constantly, turned him from a very good rookie quarterback into a dumpster fire in year two and three. There is certainly a danger that could happen with this kid. I understand you vet him before you draft him, you wonder if he’s mentally capable, etc.. Mac Jones looked good his rookie year. You give him a bad offensive coordinator, and you give him bad skill players around him, and he went south.
Phil Perry: There is no doubt there’s risk to this. I would never argue that.
Wallach: Major.
Phil Perry: Major risk. Serious risk. The other option, based on what you’re describing, is you just don’t play him until you feel the situation’s better. Which isn’t until at least next year, maybe the year after that. So to me, that’s not an option. You do have to play him eventually and maybe you feel this way now. I don’t know how you felt during the draft, and it’s fine if you changed your opinion based on what we’ve seen. But now are you arguing maybe they shouldn’t have taken him at all?
Wallach: No, speaking for myself. I wanted them to take the quarterback.
Toucher: Here’s the deal. I’ll tell you my opinion and addressing all the issues you just said. If I was a Patriots fan, I’d be concerned. He’s playing too early. The knock on him was bad footwork. He had a bad offensive coordinator, and a bad offense his last year in North Carolina. My concern would be that he has a bad offensive coordinator, but that remains to be seen at this point. But Van Pelt’s not familiar with calling plays. He has a bad offensive line. They don’t have any weapons. Any time people aren’t going to get open quickly, he’s going to fall back into those bad habits. So everything that you taught him since the draft goes out the window. I think that if you play him later in the season, the more time you have to ingrain the good habits.
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5 Patriots most impacted by the QB switch to Drake Maye
Pop Douglas
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas (3) warms up before a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Pop Douglas’ lack of involvement in the offense was a big story through the first month of the season. After a breakout rookie year in 2023 Douglas only has two games this year with more than three targets – including the Thursday night game against the Jets when it felt like the team was forcing him the ball rather than having him naturally produce in the larger context of the overall offense.
There were multiple instances over the first five weeks of Brissett missing opportunities with Douglas open. It just never looked like the two got on the same page.
With Maye, Douglas should have more opportunities. Maye is used to throwing to smaller, shifty slot receivers – he played with a very good one in college in current Indianapolis Colt Josh Downs. Maye even compared the two players during training camp this summer.
Playing behind this offensive line, Maye should be looking to get the ball out of his hands quickly. Douglas is the most logical target in that role. It wouldn’t be surprising to see his target share increase with Maye at quarterback, and we’ll see how the two work together. Ideally, this will become a key connection for the Patriots as they build their offense out long-term.
Hunter Henry
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 19: Hunter Henry #85 of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Tight ends, especially veteran tight ends, do usually end up being among the favorite targets of young quarterbacks. They usually run routes that are easy to find and are reliable at catching the ball through contact.
Hunter Henry has been plenty involved in the Patriots’ offense to this point – his 18 targets lead the team along with his 180 receiving yards. Reason stands Maye will look to him early and often as well.
There’s also a leadership element in play when it comes to Henry. With Brissett on the bench, he’ll be the only captain on the field when the Patriots are on offense. There will be more asked out of him leadership-wise as the part of what has suddenly become a very young unit.
Nick Leverett
August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots guard Nick Leverett (51) protects the line against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Henry is the only offensive captain in the lineup because center David Andrews is out for the season due to a shoulder injury. With Andrews out, Nick Leverett is taking over, and made his first start last week.
In this offensive system, the center is tasked with making a lot of the pre-snap calls. With a veteran like Andrews, that seemed fitting. When Andrews went out last week though, some of those responsibilities went back to the veteran quarterback in Brissett.
Now both center and quarterback are younger players. Behind an offensive line that is already struggling in pass protection, Leverett will have a lot on his plate when it comes to helping Maye make sure the protections are set correctly pre-snap.
On top of that, Leverett’s blocking will also be in focus. Interior pressure can rattle any quarterback – especially a young quarterback – more quickly than pressure off the edge. Leverett struggled last week allowing 10 pressures against Miami. He’ll need to be better this week.
Rhamondre Stevenson
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 15: Rhamondre Stevenson #38 of the New England Patriots reacts during the third quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium on September 15, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
The best thing the Patriots can do to take pressure off of Maye? Run the damn ball.
Establishing the run won’t just keep opposing pass rushers off tempo, it also will allow the Patriots to stay on schedule and ahead of the chains. That will help keep Maye out of bad situations in terms of down and distance.
In order to have a truly reliable running game, the Patriots need to be able to rely on their star running back – Rhamondre Stevenson.
After fumbling in each of the Patriots’ first four games Stevenson began Week 5 on the bench. Once he got into the game he responded, carrying the ball 12 times for 89 yards and a touchdown. It was a step in the right direction, and the kind of performance that would be monumentally beneficial for Maye moving forward.
Alex Van Pelt
August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt works on the sideline during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Finally the one non-player on our list – and arguably the one with the most on the line. This is where the test for offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt really begins.
Maye’s mechanics noticeably improved from the time he was drafted to the end of training camp – a testament to the work he did with Van Pelt. But mechanical development is only the beginning of the story. Van Pelt now has to prove he can design and call an offense that makes the most of Maye’s skills.
Through the first month of the season, the Patriots ran a pretty textbook version of Van Pelt’s offense. How he’ll adjust it for Maye may be the biggest question heading into this first game.
One thing to watch for is the shotgun/under center split. Van Pelt traditionally uses more under center looks in order to get the most out of the play action concepts his offense is built on. That’s in contrast to Maye, who spent most of his college career in shotgun. Will the Patriots run more shotgun this week? Using pistol formations could be a way to marry the two concepts together.
Getting Maye’s legs involved will be another element of his game Van Pelt can take advantage of. That doesn’t have to be limited to designed quarterback runs, but should also include rollouts to get Maye away from pressure and throwing on the run.
Maye’s physical development isn’t going anywhere. He and Van Pelt have to be able to work together in-game. If they can’t, it’s not going to be the third-overall pick the team moves on from.
