The Drake Maye Era has been slowly loading in New England, and on Sunday we finally saw the rookie start a game for the Patriots, coming in Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett was benched after a 1-4 start in favor of the No. 3 overall pick.
Head coach Jerod Mayo informed the quarterback room and the rest of the team that there would be a switch at quarterback this week. This offseason, there was a competition between Brissett and Maye, with the ultimate decision going down to who they felt was ready to help the team win now.
In his announcement regarding the change, Mayo said Maye gives the Patriots the best chance to win now and in the future.
The Patriots offense looked better with Maye at some points, but the bar wasn't very high for this squad. Turnovers were a problem, and they were never able to get ahead against the now 5-1 Texans in their 41-21 defeat.
The first-round pick finished 20 of 33 passing for 243 yards -- significantly more than Brissett had in any game -- to go along with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He finished with more yards than opposing quarterback and defending NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud (192 yards) and the same number of passing touchdowns, but had one more interception and took more hits.
The revolving door that is the Patriots offense line, with multiple combinations already this season, going against the strong Texans defense didn't help Maye's case. The second-lowest scoring offense in the league did find the end zone more times than they have in any game this season, but each time it got momentum, something took the wind out of its sails immediately after, usually coming by way of a turnover.
Let's dive into how Maye's first game as a starting quarterback looked:
First half
With the Patriots in their red throwbacks at home, Maye took the field but didn't see any immediate success, going three-and-out in his first drive as a starter. The second drive also ended after three plays, but this time it was because of an interception.
The Patriots offense finally got their spark right before halftime when Maye recorded the first touchdown of his career. He connected with Kayshon Boutte on a 40-yard reception to make it 14-7 with just seconds left in the second quarter.
Heading into the half, Maye was 8 of 14 passing for 105 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Second half
The beginning of the second half didn't go as well as the end of the first half, as Maye was strip-sacked.
The Texans had excellent field position at the New England 10-yard line and turned the turnover into a touchdown, extending their lead to 21-7.
Maye and Co. again cut into the lead with his second touchdown of the day, tying the number of passing touchdowns Brissett had through the first five games. The second score of the day came by way of a six-yard pass to tight end Hunter Henry.
Unfortunately, the Patriots were unable to keep up the momentum. The very next time Maye had the ball in his hands, he threw an interception, marking the fourth New England turnover. Texans safety Eric Murray picked off the pass intended for Patriots running back Antonio Gibson, and Houston turned the turnover into a touchdown shortly thereafter.
Later, Maye recorded his third touchdown, passing Brissett for passing touchdowns throws this season, when he found DeMario Douglas for 35 yards. It marked the wide receiver's first touchdown catch of his career.
Maye vs. Brissett
Here's a look at how Maye's first-career start compared to Brissett's first five games of the season
| Opponent | Win or Loss | Completion percentage | Yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions | Sacks taken | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 (Brissett) | Bengals | W | 62.5% | 121 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Week 2 (Brissett) | Seahawks | L | 55.6% | 149 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Week 3 (Brissett) | Jets | L | 66.7% | 98 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Week 4 (Brissett) | 49ers | L | 59.4% | 168 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Week 5 (Brissett) | Dolphins | L | 52.9% | 160 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Week 6 (Maye) | Texans | L | 60.6% | 243 | 3 | 2 | 4 |