For Patriots Rookie Drake Maye, Protecting The Football Tops The To-Do List
The play is never really over for Drake Maye.
The New England Patriots rookie showed that on the final snap of regulation at Nissan Stadium, dancing around a sea of Tennessee Titans for 11.82 seconds before finally lobbing the football up to running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the end zone to force overtime.
But sometimes, the play should be over even when an NFL quarterback doesn't want it to be. The No. 3 overall pick in April's draft class is learning that on the job.
"I've got to protect the football. That's the biggest thing," Maye told reporters during his Wednesday press conference at Gillette Stadium. "I think there's times where my decision-making, whether it's ball security in the pocket and knowing when that timer goes off in my head, little things like that. Other than that, just taking the right play I think is the biggest thing."
Through four career starts under center for the Patriots, Maye has had a hand in off-platform, dual-threat highlights. He's also had a hand in six turnovers. The 22-year-old's latest lessons in ball security arrived during what became a 20-17 loss in extra minutes last Sunday.
They became a pair of interceptions for safety Amani Hooker as well as a sack and forced fumble for defensive end Arden Key that perennial All-Pro Jeffery Simmons recovered.
"Taking an incompletion, that last first down knowing the situation, or that third down around midfield, the first interception I threw," Maye said. "I think sometimes the punt is not the worst thing there. Or, maybe you go try to make a play, check down and get a broken tackle and pick up the first. Kind of knowing the situation, what's the best play for this football team, instead of kind of being as aggressive in certain situations."
Maye accounted for 95 of New England's 110 rushing yards against Tennessee after being cleared from the league's concussion protocol on the eve of the 1 p.m. ET kickoff. A long of 26 was among them on the offense's opening drive. It marked the third time in franchise history that a quarterback had reached at least 90 yards on the ground in a game, and the first time since Steve Grogan eclipsed the century mark on Oct. 18, 1976, according to Patriots.com .
He added 206 yards through the air.
"I think you're growing that and storing these situations kind of in my memory bank for times when, 'Hey, I did this last time, maybe try a different thing,'" added Maye. "Or, maybe try to be more conservative, knowing when to attack these football teams, because I'm going to be aggressive. I'm that kind of quarterback."
This fall, the improvisational North Carolina product has scrambled his way to 209 yards and a touchdown across 21 carries. And he's done so while also going 82-of-125 passing for 770 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Maye's most recent pick would end up being the final play in Nashville before his side fell to 2-7. A first-and-10 downfield shot that was intended for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte sealed it with 2:17 left in overtime.
But instincts are a part of his development.
"Obviously, I'm a passer first," Maye said. "I want to be a passer in this league. You've got to be a passer in this league to be successful. I'm trying to find these guys. When they're dropping seven and rushing four, and there's some rush lanes, and the Titans had a defensive mentality to sit back in zone and everybody's looking at me, I'm like, 'Yeah, I'm going to go make a play.' So, I think there's different times. Times in man, we've got guys running away that you can make some scramble plays. But, yeah, I'm trying to be a passer first and help these guys pick up the first downs."
