So the Patriots are starting Drake Maye. And there is so much wrong with this that we don’t know where to begin.
Of course, not a single one of knows how this is going to turn out, and we’re not just talking about Sunday, when Maye will make his first career NFL start. We’re talking about the much longer term. And before we even begin, let’s take Tom Brady completely out of the picture, if for no other reason than the fact that Brady is the greatest player in NFL history, with any franchise, let alone the greatest player in the rags-to-riches (and back to rags?) existence of the New England Patriots.
Here’s the point: nobody knows whether Maye will turn out better than Drew Bledsoe, worse thank Mac Jones or somewhere in between. The range of possibilities is almost too great to fathom. We can all point to a million NFL quarterbacks without any real memory of what it was like when their careers began. We all know the precedents. Patrick Mahomes was dominant from Day 1. Peyton Manning was not. Trying to compare one to the other because no two people and no two scenarios are ever the same, and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is oversimplifying a simple truth: nothing ever perfectly compares to anything, especially in a case like this. The mere fact that events take place at different times makes them imperfect to compare.
Do we do it anyway? Sure. Of course. It’s how we try to understand and rationalize.
And so, what do we make of the Patriots’ decision to start Maye on Sunday against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium? Why now? Good question. And while we couldn’t possibly list every scenario for why the Patriots have reached this stage, let’s try to examine at least a few of the possibilities.
Maye is ready
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 19: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots in action against the New York Jets during their game at MetLife Stadium on September 19, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Of all the possibilities, this would be the most logical and acceptable – but it just doesn’t feel true. Moreover, the Patriots don’t feel ready, either. New England’s problems seem to run so deep that Mahomes himself couldn’t cure their ills. Their offensive line is atrocious. Their offensive talent (an oxymoron?) is lacking. Their coaching is, at best, inexperienced and, at worst, inept. Incredible as it seems, the Patriots have gotten worse since the start of the season, when they actually showed some signs of functionality. In the last three games, the Patriots have scored 26 points. Total. Only the Cleveland Browns have allowed more sacks. No team in the NFL has completed a lower percentage of pass attempts. In Week 3, Maybe made his NFL debut against the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. He went 4-for-8 for 22 yards and was sacked twice. (None of these statistics in any way are meant to reflect on Maye.) If you want to see Maye play this week, fine. Just don’t tell us that you think he – or they – are more prepared based on anything you’ve seen or heard.
At this point, what’s to lose?
Sep 19, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) tackles New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Well, only everything. But if we’re going to get into this particular debate and point of contention, we need to ask additional questions about how you feel about the overall challenge of rebuilding. For example, are you among those who believe the Patriots would be better served to lose more games so as to acquire higher draft picks? If so, you effectively gave up on this season before it began – which is fine. But if that’s the case, why do you now want to give the season meaning by thrusting Maye into it? And before you say that you are prepping Maye for the future, isn’t it possible that introducing him into an unstable, chaotic environment will hurt his development more than help it? (Don’t confuse development with risk of injury. We’re not talking about him getting hit.) Here’s the point: there’s still a lot to lose here – and far more than any games or, for that matter, an entire season. There are quarterbacks who have been adversely affected after being handled poorly. Exhibit A: Sam Darnold, now with the Minnesota Vikings after being drafted by the New York Jets. If you think Darnold needed to fail before he could succeed, fine. But something now suggests that Minnesota and head coach Kevin O’Connell know more about developing a quarterback than the Jets ever will.
The Patriots are desperate
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 06: Tyus Bowser #51 and Da’Shawn Hand #91 of the Miami Dolphins tackle Jacoby Brissett #7 of the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium on October 06, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images)
Well, this much now seems indisputable. They are desperate. The concern is that, as a result, they’ve now become irrational. Again, there are lots of things to examine here. Is head coach Jerod Mayo fearful that his players are letting go of the rope? Are Mayo and his staff (or at least some of them) now turning to Maye to rescue them? If so, that feels like a terribly unfair thing to ask of a young man who, relatively speaking, didn’t play a lot of football in college. Putting the 2024 season and the fate of a coaching staff on Maye’s shoulders is downright dumb. He had too much on his plate to begin with. Here’s another question: are the Patriots all on the same page with this? (It’s hard to imagine they are.) When they hired Mayo and Eliot Wolf atop their football operation, the Patriots preached a collaborative process. But in the event of disagreement, someone ultimately has to have final say. So who’s making the call here? Mayo? Wolf? Ownership? And what self interests may or may not be entering the equation? Wherever you stand on all of this, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. Like anyone else, you may be right and you may be wrong. But before you throw caution to the wing, remember/ Seemingly small decisions sometimes have big consequences.
