On Wednesday, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo met with the media in person for the first time since his team’s Week 10 victory on the road in Chicago, which moved New England’s record to 3-7 on the season.
One of the major stories coming out of Sunday’s 19-3 win was the continued development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who moved to 2-3 on the season since taking over as the starting quarterback ahead of his team’s Week 6 game against Houston.
Maye’s first career win against the Jets was somewhat fraudulent, as the rookie exited that Week 8 game towards the beginning of the second quarter with a concussion. Veteran Jacoby Brissett came into the game in relief and secured the win, but it’s technically still a “Maye win” since he took the first snap on offense.
Sunday not only marked Maye’s first start-to-finish victory as a pro, but also marked another week where the rookie flashed the big play ability needed to become a franchise quarterback in the NFL.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Caleb Williams #18 of the Chicago Bears and Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots embrace after the game at Soldier Field on November 10, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.Quinn Harris/Getty Images
Mayo said on Wednesday that no one deserves more credit for his starting QB’s success than offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt.
“Yeah, [Van Pelt’s] been huge,” said the first-year head coach. “I say, look, there's no one in this organization that deserves more credit as far as what Drake has been able to do on the football field than Alex Van Pelt.
“When we interviewed Alex, I would say when we interviewed all of the coaches that are here, one of the prerequisites or requirements was a guy who was level-headed, a guy who believes in working together, and a guy who doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. That's Alex, and I appreciate that.”
For as much criticism as this fanbase and local media has lobbed at Van Pelt for the lack of success this offense has had in 2024, there’s no denying the positive impact he has had on the North Carolina product, who was seen by draft prognosticators as more of a project QB than the rest of the top prospects in his class.
Stagnant, unoriginal play calling aside, Maye has shown time and again that his feel for the game is getting better every single week.
Sure, some of that is just natural ability. But we all know that can only take you so far in the NFL.
It’s Maye’s partnership with Van Pelt that has led to the incremental improvements through firve career starts.
Oct 13, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) on the sidelines with New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt during the second half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium.Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images
“Yeah, [Van Pelt’s] been huge,” Maye told the media on Wednesday, echoing Mayo’s opening comments on Van Pelt verbatim. “I think he’s just a confidence booster for a quarterback. You love playing for an offensive coordinator like AVP. He’s positive, and also at the same time, he’ll coach you hard.
“He’s done it - he’s played quarterback in this league and at a high level, so he knows what needs to be done and the tasks. He knows it’s a tall task as well, which is pretty – him and T.C. [McCartney] both kind of have the quarterback minds, and Coach [Ben] McAdoo. So, those three all know what it’s like, how hard it is to play quarterback in this league and give a lot of leeway, but at the same time, know what needs to be done.”
With Van Pelt leading the charge, this three-headed QB braintrust is who Maye credits his steady improvement to.
When asked on Wednesday if he feels like he’s “better” than he was when he was drafted third overall on April 28th of this year, Maye said, “I think I’m working toward that.”
“I think that’s more of a perspective thing,” said Maye. “I wouldn’t say – for me, I’m just trying to build on every day. I think that’s more of a thing for the outside crowd to say. I think I’ve come a long way within the system, learning the system, knowing what to do, knowing where guys line up, getting in and out of run checks and pass things.
“So, I think I wouldn't say better, I'd just say more comfortable. I think a lot of stuff is coming to tie together. I think I'm still a lot of the same player. The same plays that I've made in college I’m making today. So, I think just building on, getting more comfortable in this offense and just growing as a young adult.”
Comfortability is key for a young quarterback in this league, and we’ll see if Maye can keep that mindset rolling as his Patriots host the Los Angeles Rams (4-5) in Week 11.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 10: Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots reacts after his team defeated the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on November 10, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.Quinn Harris/Getty Images
At the moment, L.A. is a 4.5-point road favorite, which is down a full point since the line opened on Sunday at both BetMGM and FanDuel.
Either bettors liked what they saw from Maye against the Bears, were disenchanted by what they saw from the Rams against the Dolphins on Monday Night Football, or some combination of both.
I’ll be curious to see if that line continues to move as we creep closer to kickoff.
