How Patriots QB Drake Maye can succeed in starting role

Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye had a stellar debut on Sunday, throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-21 loss to the Houston Texans. 

Maye’s promising performance almost certainly means he will remain the Patriots starter for the next several weeks. Since Maye is playing behind a dreadful offensive line and throwing to a lackluster group of receivers, finding consistent success during the rest of his rookie season will be a tall task. 

Here’s what Maye can do to maximize his success in 2024:

Use athleticism to overcome dismal pass protection

Across the first six weeks of the NFL season, the Patriots’ offensive line has been plagued with issues. Three players on New England’s Week 1 starting offensive line — tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, center David Andrews and guard Layden Robinson — were not available last Sunday, resulting in Maye taking four sacks and facing consistent pressure. 

With a tall stature (6-foot-4) and a reliable scrambling ability, Maye has what it takes to extend plays when the pocket breaks down. Since the Patriots’ pass protection is extremely unreliable, Maye must rely on his athleticism to evade defenders and keep the offense moving forward.  

Maye used his legs in several moments on Sunday, but to have the offense reach its full potential, the rookie may have to scramble and improvise even more. 

Lean on veteran leadership

Although Maye is considered a promising prospect, he is expected to make some careless mistakes on the field throughout his first season, as most rookie quarterbacks do. 

With backup QB Jacoby Brissett on the roster, Maye has unlimited access to a valuable leader who can function as a mentor. Having Brissett’s insight may mitigate growing pains during Maye’s transition to starting QB. 

Per Maye, Brissett has been useful as a leader so far. On Oct. 9, Maye referred to Brissett as “a great mentor and a great friend.” By continuing to utilize Brissett’s nine seasons of experience, Maye will grow and improve at QB.  

Separate individual and team performance

The Patriots are a rebuilding team with one of the least talented rosters in the NFL. That means that even if Maye plays well in a game, there is a high chance the Patriots will lose due to poor performances from other key players. 

In light of this, Maye needs to primarily care about how he is individually playing rather than attaching himself to the game’s outcome. For example, Maye should be encouraged by Sunday’s game — which the team lost by 20 points — since he led three touchdown drives, and not dwell on the fact that it was a blowout loss.

Obviously, in future seasons when the Patriots roster is more competitive, Maye should ditch this mindset. Currently, however, Maye should not be too saddened by the losses which could potentially damage his confidence for more important seasons in the future.