On Sunday, the Patriots lost their seventh game of the season, falling to the Tennessee Titans 20-17 in overtime at Nissan Stadium.
Despite quarterback Drake Maye’s team falling to 2-7 on the season, there was a lot to like about the rookie’s performance in Week 9, which included a game-tying 50-yard final drive in regulation that ended with Maye making the play of the season for the Patriots.
Describing this play won’t do it justice, so just give it a watch if you haven’t seen it:
On top of that late game magic, Maye was also individually responsible for 301 of the team’s 316 yards gained on offense - with 95 on the ground and 206 in the air.
The team needed a playmaker, and that’s what he was on Sunday.
But with the good also came the bad, as Maye lost a fumble in the fourth quarter on a strip sack that five plays later resulted in a touchdown for Tennessee.
On top of that, he threw two picks, one of which ending the game with 2:17 left in overtime. Maye forced the ball deep downfield to receiver Kayshon Boutte, who was double covered. The ball was underthrown, and picked by safety Amani Hooker (who also caught Maye’s first pick earlier in the game).
On Monday, Maye told the WEEI Afternoon Show that he’s learning from these mistakes, but won’t let them ultimately change the type of player he is, unafraid to take risks to make big plays.
“Yeah, I think just store in those mistakes and learn from them,” said Maye. “And hopefully not be a repeat offender of these mistakes. I think that’s the biggest thing that Coach [Jerod] Mayo preaches, is not being a ‘repeat mistake guy.’ And that’s what I’m trying to do back there in these games.
“These plays turned out to be huge for the outcome of the game. Like you said, multiple times in that first drive, taking a sack outside of field goal range, making the field goal further for Joey [Slye], makes it tough. The interception on third down, we got a chance to put them inside the 10, and maybe flip the field, and, you know, we’ll get the ball back.
“So little things like that that go a long way into impacting the game, I think you’re learning that and realizing, ‘Hey, you know, not every play needs to be a home run.’”
“Is there a fine line there, though?” asked WEEI’s Andy Hart. “Staying aggressive and not being afraid - you know, not throwing everything away unless the guy’s wide open. You know what I mean? Like, still being a playmaker?”
“I think there definitely is,” said Maye. “I think that side of me, I’m not gonna lose ever. I think that’s hard, you know, to take away the playmaker and the aggressiveness of me. So just being smarter with when not to be. I think that’s the biggest thing.”
Maye will get another chance to show personal growth in Week 10, as his team goes on the road to take on the Chicago Bears (4-4).
Chicago also has a rookie quarterback under center, as 2024 number one overall pick Caleb Williams mans the huddle for the Bears.