“Players rave about him, even comparing the rookie to a young Josh Allen,” says Pats Pulpit of rookie Drake Maye
The Los Angeles Rams will face the New England Patriots for the first time since 2020 when it was Jared Goff vs. Cam Newton under center. Man, time really flies in the NFL doesn’t it?
New England has endured many changes in the post-Bill Belichick era, namely with a rookie head coach and quarterback that could help reclaim the Patriots’ place among the NFL’s elite. I spoke with Taylor Kyles from SB Nation’s Patriots blog Pats Pulpit to get the scoop on Drake Maye, Jerod Mayo and more ahead of this week’s matchup.
Q – Rookie quarterback Drake Maye has shown flashes through his first five games in the NFL, completing 64% of his passes with a 7-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. What are some of the things Maye has done well and what are the areas he needs to grow?
A – Maye’s arm talent and scrambling ability are the headline grabbers, and rightfully so, but I think his maturity and field vision have been even more impressive. Maye sat behind Jacoby Brissett early this season, which helped round the curve of his development a bit. But since being thrust into action five weeks ago, he’s read defenses well for the most part and shown steady progress. He also held an offensive meeting last week to address a subpar practice performance, and he was caught on a Mic’d Up video rallying teammates and working to become a more vocal leader, which is rare for a 22-year-old.
In terms of improvement, Maye has to do a better job protecting himself and the football. He has a tendency to drift into pressure, sometimes justifiably, and inch up in the pocket unnecessarily, which has led to some big hits. The rookie’s internal clock has been on point for the most part, but he’s also taken multiple sacks that seemed avoidable, including a couple of strip sacks. Turnovers weren’t a glaring issue for Maye in college, but occasionally inconsistent accuracy and decision-making have popped up every week. None of these issues are overly surprising for a rookie, especially one whose positives have far outweighed his negatives. That said, Patriots fans would like to see a clean game from Maye for the first time in his young career.
Q – Like Maye, first-year head coach Jerod Mayo is learning on the job and has experienced his fair share of ups and downs after taking over for the legendary Bill Belichick. How would you assess Mayo on his performance through the first half of the season?
A – It hasn’t been an easy rookie year for Mayo. The Patriots have had several key players miss most games this season, including Christian Barmore and captains David Andrews, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger (who could return this week). The offensive line has also been in constant flux due to injury and inconsistent play.
Mayo hasn’t always helped himself, particularly with some botched quotes to the media, but he clearly has buy-in from the locker room as a former linebacker and de facto coordinator. Players consistently backed Mayo through the team’s six-game losing streak, and they answered the challenge when the head coach said his team played soft in a loss to the Jaguars.
It’s obviously too soon to say whether Mayo is THE guy for New England long-term, but I’d say he’s off to a solid start.
Q – The Patriots came into Sunday’s game against the Bears allowing 24.1 points per game and held the lowly Chicago offense to a field goal. What are the strengths of this unit and what might be some weaknesses that the Rams could exploit?
A – The defense’s strength lies in its secondary, where Christian Gonzalez has looked like a perennial Pro Bowler. Slot corner Marcus Jones has made some costly mistakes as a first-year starter, but he’s sticky in coverage and impactful against the run. Elder statesman Jonathan Jones has taken on more safety duties with Dugger and Peppers out, but he’s still highly competitive man-to-man and another gritty run defender. Veteran Jaylinn Hawkins and young safeties Marte Mapu have been thrust into larger roles than expected, but they’ve exceeded expectations and kept things generally tight on the backend.
The Patriots’ defensive front has been shaky for most of the season, but the group is trending up after a dominant performance in Chicago. Keion White has been one of the league’s most disruptive interior rushers, while edge defender Anfernee Jennings and nose tackle Davon Godchaux are elite run defenders.
If I were the Rams, I’d capitalize Cooper Kupp’s size advantage over Marcus Jones, challenge New England’s ground defense, which could be without linebackers Sione Takitaki and Christian Elliss, and exploit zone coverage with throws to the downfield middle off play action.
Q – New England is a very young team across the board, so who is an underrated player on offense that LA fans should keep an eye out for? What about on defense?
A – Sophomore receiver Kayshon Boutte isn’t setting the world on fire, but he’s emerged for the Patriots’ young receiving corps after being benched for most of last season. He’s been a primary target on deep throws and during end of half situations, particularly with Maye under center. OC Alex Van Pelt also called Boutte the team’s most consistent catcher.
Defensively, Rams fans must be on the lookout for Keion White. He’s still raw in terms of his attack plan and occasional play recognition, but he’s a frightening blend of speed, power, and relentlessness. Expect him to make life tough for Stafford, especially in obvious pass situations.
Q – The Patriots are coming off back-to-back losing seasons — likely a third on the way — and haven’t made the postseason since 2021 with Mac Jones leading the charge. How do you feel about the team’s future with the Mayo and Maye pairing?
A – Based on what we’ve heard from players, it’s hard not to be excited about the future for New England. They believe in Mayo, and while far from perfect, he’s done a solid job of incorporating things Bill Belichick did well, like an emphasis on discipline, toughness, and togetherness, while still being a player’s coach.
Maye is the darling of the Patriots’ locker room. Players rave about him, even comparing the rookie to a young Josh Allen. He makes the team feel like they can win any game, which is an underrated aspect of the quarterback position, and his work ethic and intelligence are off the charts. There is little doubt the Patriots have their new face of the franchise.