FOXBORO – Patriots coach Jerod Mayo says it was part of the plan from the start to limit Drake Maye to a single possession in the team’s first preseason game.
The same goes for Maye’s play in the second and third quarters of Thursday night’s loss to the Eagles. During that time, Maye played 24 snaps on four drives, including two that resulted in scores. He finished the game 6 of 11 for 47 yards, plus four runs for 15 yards and a touchdown.
So what did the newcomer think of his performance?
“I think there are definitely things I can improve on,” Maye said. “I’ve had some good things, some bad plays; missed snaps, that’s inexcusable to me. That being said, sometimes I felt like I was struggling when I could sit there, hold on and try to make a throw. So there’s definitely a lot of things you can learn from. It was good to go out there and get some shots you can learn from.”
“Other than that, the guys fought and played hard. There are a lot of things you can look at, but there’s one thing you can’t question: our effort, and that’s where it all starts.”
Maye’s four-yard touchdown run late in the first half was his undisputed highlight of the night. He was untouched on a zone read play that drew the entire Eagles defense to the middle, allowing Maye to cross on the right side of the goal line and score the game’s first touchdown. Five of the Patriots’ six offensive draft picks were on the field on that play, including receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, offensive linemen Caedan Wallace and Layden Robinson, and seventh-round tight end Jaheim Bell.
Maye took notice of this.
“It was a great moment,” he said. “We spent a lot of time here. In the spring rookie meetings, we were alone. It was definitely cool to have those guys out there. I think the first thing I did was chest bump JP (Ja’Lynn Polk). So it was cool to be there with guys who were in the same place and going through the same things. It was a fun time for us and a moment I’ll never forget.”
In the second half, both of Maye’s drives ended in punts. The Patriots took a three-point lead on their first possession when Baker dropped a pass deep downfield that negated a potential 48-yard gain. Baker later received a defensive pass interference penalty on a third down attempt before Maye suffered a sack on his final snap of the game that ended a six-play drive.
This allowed sixth-round rookie quarterback Joe Milton III to take the reins late in the third quarter and later hand them over to Bailey Zappe, ultimately resulting in a loss.
As for Maye, his performance was not defined by the result or his stats, but by the calm and control he seemed to exude after a slow start to the season last week and an up-and-down training camp so far.
“My job as a quarterback is to keep my cool: stay cool, calm and collected, especially on the sideline,” Maye said. “I tend to throw my helmet or something like that. Moping like that can have a big impact on guys’ moods and set the tone. I try to stay cool and calm, but I probably have to be more excited when good things happen.
“My parents always tell me that I should be happy when something good happens. At the same time, you shouldn’t just ride on the highs and not sink too low.”
Maye and the other Patriots players have Friday off before returning to the practice fields on Saturday.
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