Maye played a solid game over 24 snaps and four drives in the Patriots’ 14-13 loss to the Eagles. His final stat line (6-of-11 for 47 yards, plus 15 rushing yards and a touchdown) belies the fact his longest completion was screen pass JaMycal Hasty zipped 23 yards against a busted coverage. And it omits Javon Baker lost what should have been a 48-yard catch in the third quarter, a bomb Maye effortlessly dropped with GPS precision.
Maybe it was the carefree scramble on his second play from scrimmage.
Or simply playing in another preseason game.
Or maybe it was motivation he mustered from getting embarrassed in a two-minute drill that closed Tuesday’s joint practice, when he took three sacks in four plays and the Eagles pecked him to death.
Whatever it was, for one night, Drake Maye shook the quarterback cobwebs that have slowed him this summer.
He looked ready.
Calm, cool and in control.
Like a gunslinger playing on instincts instead of by the book and a prospect worthy of the No. 3 overall pick, who may one day carry the franchise. Like the kid from North Carolina again.
For spurts, anyway.
Maye played a solid game over 24 snaps and four drives in the Patriots’ 14-13 loss to the Eagles. His final stat line (6-of-11 for 47 yards, plus 15 rushing yards and a touchdown) belies the fact his longest completion was screen pass JaMycal Hasty zipped 23 yards against a busted coverage. And it omits Javon Baker lost what should have been a 48-yard catch in the third quarter, a bomb Maye effortlessly dropped with GPS precision.
On that same play, Maye demonstrated expert pocket presence, sliding away from interior pressure while keeping his eyes downfield, then stepping up to fire away. The Patriots’ starting left tackle and left guard helped build Maye’s pocket; a rarity this summer. Maye has only worked with the team’s starting offensive line in the preseason – never once in 14 training camp practices – and it’s no accident he led back-to-back scoring drives behind multiple starting linemen.
