In the offseason, Jacoby Brissett was the Patriots’ presumptive starter, signed as a free agent to serve as an experienced mentor and bridge to the incoming rookie. He has filled that role well since Drake Maye was drafted, and through the first two weeks of the preseason, he continued to occupy the QB1 spot in the rankings.
That is unlikely to change when the Patriots finish their preseason against the Commanders this weekend and all four quarterbacks are expected to get some playing time.
But Brissett’s once solid position atop the rankings has begun to crumble, especially after Mayes’ impressive performance against the Eagles last week.
This prompted Jerod Mayo to say that the Patriots do not have an official starter for the upcoming game and that when he announces this to the media, we will not know who that might be until early next week.
While Maye has certainly made great strides and proven he’s the right man for the job, there are many factors that argue in favor of keeping Brissett at quarterback, most notably the lack of consistency on the offensive line. That doesn’t bode well for a rookie who will have to deal with that in his first career start.
However, an interesting new statistic about the chances of first-time quarterbacks against the Bengals, whom the Patriots face in Week 1 of the regular season, could change the inevitable fate of quarterbacks, at least early in the year.
Pro Football Network and Bengals sportscaster Jay Morrison did a little digging and found an intriguing piece of news that could make the Patriots’ decision on who to make the starting quarterback for the season opener a lot easier, and it also throws Cincinnati’s game plan for their first opponent into disarray.
Morrison found that five of the last six quarterbacks to make their NFL debut against the Bengals since 2002 have won their matchups, meaning Maye has history on his side against the Patriots’ first opponent.
While this may not be the deciding factor for Mayo in his final decision, it could be an aspect he may consider if he wants the team to be competitive from the start.
#Bengals Fans should watch this battle of the New England quarterbacks heading into Week 1.
5 of the last 6 quarterbacks who made their NFL debut against the Bengals have won. And since 2002, they are 7-4. https://t.co/lbgO1asm1s pic.twitter.com/cxSuObWoIt
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) 21 August 2024
The Bengals will inevitably be tough competition for the current Patriots team, as they are perennial Super Bowl contenders with a franchise quarterback surrounded by impressively talented offensive players and top-notch receivers. It will be a tough test for New England’s defense to start the year, and a good benchmark for the offense, as there are a number of brutal matchups.
Mayo and Co. will have to make a difficult decision about who should be the starting quarterback, as both arguments for Brissett and Maye have pros and cons.
However, this is the Patriots’ first game of the year, and while the NFL is an “any Sunday” league, that mantra is even more true in the first month of the season. That could mean Maye has an even better chance of success than if he’s deployed later in the year.
But we have to wait and see.
