Drake Maye is proving quickly that the New England Patriots have their franchise quarterback.
There’s just one thing he’s got to be careful about.
Maye had a moment during Sunday’s dominant win over the Tennessee Titans that had Pats fans scared.
On a third-quarter run, Maye opted not to slide and was then tackled hard. His head banged onto the turf, and he missed three plays while being checked out in the blue medical tent.
“It was a reminder of something coaches have stressed to him: His greatest value to the team is his health, and while his running ability is a great asset, it needs to be used judiciously,” ESPN’s Mike Reiss writes.
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Maye also missed time at the end of the 2024 season when getting dinged up while running. It’s definitely a tricky thing.
Some QBs are better than others at knowing how to avoid big contact while on the move. Maye doesn’t seem to have quite mastered that yet.
It doesn’t mean Maye can’t run, but as Reiss writes, caution is certainly warranted here.
Because when Maye throws lately, he’s also been supremely good.
He was 21-for-23 passing on Sunday, the first game of 90% or better completion percentage in Patriots history, and yes, this is the franchise that employed Tom Brady. So that’s quite the first.
Defenses have to respect Maye’s running, which does create more throwing lanes, so it’s a fine balance.
If Maye can strike that balance consistently, the Patriots will continue to be very tough to beat.
