It took just three games for Drake Maye to take his first snaps as an NFL player.
The New England Patriots rookie quarterback made his pro debut late in the fourth quarter of Thursday night's Week 3 loss to the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
The outcome was already decided when Maye entered the game with 4:24 left on the clock and the Patriots trailing 24-3. He completed four of eight pass attempts for 22 yards. He also scrambled outside the pocket a couple times and picked up 12 rushing yards. Maye also was hit five times and sacked twice.
"Just wanted to go out there, try to make some plays and have some fun," Maye told reporters in the locker room, as seen on NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Postgame Live. "Felt a little nervous running out there. What a night with the crowd and the atmosphere to get my first game under my belt."
How would Maye assess his limited action?
"Can't take stupid sacks. We're trying to get the ball out, and you can't take sacks in that situation," Maye said. "At the same time, we got some first downs and moved the chains, made some plays with my feet and hit (DeMario Douglas) over the middle. So we got some good things to look at, at the same time."
What was Mayo's message to Maye before he went onto the field?
"Just be smart with the football. Don't do anything stupid," Maye said. "Just get out of the game. And at the same time, just enjoy it. Try to make some plays."
Jacoby Brissett started at quarterback for the third time in as many games this season. He completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for 98 yards. Those numbers aren't amazing, but in his defense, he had almost no time to throw the football. The offensive line played horribly in this game. Brissett was sacked five times and hit 10 times. There wasn't much he could do.
"I don't know," Mayo said. "We talk about it every single week, you're competing for a job. We'll get together as a coaching staff and see where it goes."
The Patriots have a couple extra days to prepare for their Week 4 road game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 29. Despite being 0-2 entering Week 3, the 49ers have one of the league's most talented rosters and an elite defense.
Drake Maye's Debut and What It Means For the Patriots
The Patriots drafted Maye third overall in April out of North Carolina, and he showed a lot of growth throughout training camp and the preseason. He didn't play much in New England's preseason opener, completing two of his three passes for 19 yards. But he saw extended time on the field in the second preseason game, and completed six of his 11 passes for 47 yards while adding a four-yard touchdown run on a nice read option.
In New England's preseason finale, Maye was 13-of-20 for 126 yards and a touchdown pass against the Washington Commanders. He finished his preseason 21-of-34 for 192 yards with one touchdown pass and a touchdown run.
While Brissett beat out Maye to be the team's Week 1 starting quarterback, Mayo confirmed last week that Maye was getting about 30 percent of the reps with New England's starters in practice. Mayo said backups usually only get about five percent of the snaps with starters, but the extended run with the team's starters was part of Maye's development plan.
Now we'll see if that plan is fast-tracked to give the New England offense some life, or if concerns about the offensive line will keep the Maye in a safe place on the sideline.
Will Maye Get Another Chance? Analyzing the Patriots' QB Situation
While fans are ready to see Maye starting for the Patriots, New England's Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers could be an inopportune time to give him his first start.
The Patriots' offensive line has struggled this year, giving up 11 sacks through three games, including seven on Thursday. Maye was in the game for just one drive and was sacked twice. If Maye starts against the 49ers next week, he would likely take a handful of sacks against a strong defensive line, which isn't an ideal situation for a rookie quarterback.
On the other hand, getting Maye under center as soon as possible could be the best thing for his development, and that could factor into Mayo's decision.
It's been a less-than-ideal start to the year for Brissett, who has just 270 passing yards and a touchdown with a 58.8 completion percentage through three games.
Despite not winning the Week 1 starting job, Maye is viewed as the future of the franchise. During the preseason, he showed flashes of having a big and accurate arm. It will be interesting to see what the quarterback situation looks like moving forward. More than likely, Brissett will resume his starting duties in Week 4, but Jerod Mayo may have to consider making a change at some point. If they want to give the rookie a chance, he could make them a more dangerous all-around offensive unit.
Looking Ahead: The Future of the Patriots Quarterback Position
The Patriots are not expected to compete for the playoffs this season. They can afford to take their time with the No. 3 overall pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. However, getting him reps this season would be valuable for his development and his future.
Those reps started tonight and it will be interesting to see when the next action he sees will end up being.
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