The New England Patriots arguably began a new era with their newly drafted quarterback, Drake Maye’s debut as a starter in Week 6. The third-overall pick, however, left much to be desired and struggled in his first game as a pro. Yet, Jerod Mayo has spotted something in the rookie that gives him hope for the future.
Advertisement
Ahead of their Sunday matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London, the head coach shared that Maye played better as the game progressed last week. He is now hoping for a similar trajectory when the Patriots face the Jaguars.
“I would say as the game continued to progress he got better and looking forward to seeing that progress today,” Mayo said in a conversation with NFL Network’s Steve Wyche.
Maybe not spectacular, but Maye definitely had a promising start to his NFL career against Houston. The rookie quarterback amassed three touchdowns, 243 yards, and completed 20 out of 33 passes. However, he was also sacked four times and was intercepted twice.
With that being said, while Patriots fans were optimistic about Maye’s second start this weekend, a concerning update emerged. The quarterback was reported to be suffering from a knee injury and had undergone an MRI for safety. However, Coach Mayo has since cleared the air, denying the MRI report and stating that the 22-year-old QB has been “great.”
As per SavageSports, the head coach addressed the buzz around the rookie and said:
“Yeah, I’m not sure where that report came from… Drake’s been great. Looking forward to him making a bunch of plays today.”
The Patriots’ Week 7 fixture against Jacksonville might turn out to be exactly what Maye needs to establish his place in the league. Against a Jaguars’ weak defense, the rookie gets a chance to showcase his skills and prove his standing as the third overall draft pick. According to the head coach, Maye will get extra help in the game from the running side as well.
The head coach expressed how he has high hopes for the offense, with running back Rhamondre Stevenson active again after being absent from the last game. Talking about Stevenson’s comeback, he said:
“Oh, it could help a lot. You know Rhamondre is ready to go and excited to get them back on the field. But we have a few backs. Those guys up front, they gotta move bodies.”
Sunday’s game at the Wembley Stadium will mark Drake Maye’s first star of his NFL career outside of the US. It will be truly exciting to see if he can help his team score a win after a dreadful streak of five consecutive losses.
