If you watched the New England Patriots get demolished by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, you're probably in one of two camps.
The first camp would argue it's time to bench starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett -- who tallied just 168 passing yards and threw a pick-6 in the 30-13 defeat -- and insert Drake Maye. The Patriots' offense literally can't look any worse (they rank dead-last in passing yards per game and 31st in points scored), so why not see what the rookie can do?
The other camp would argue that starting Maye in front of this patchwork offensive line would be malpractice; New England has allowed the NFL's highest QB pressure rate (47.4 percent) and given up 13 sacks in its last two games while starting four different offensive tackles in four contests. It's hard to imagine Maye would fare much better than Brissett, and there's an obvious risk of hindering his long-term development.
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On a new episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast following the team's latest defeat, Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran explained why he's in the latter camp, and why this team needs to stick to its original plan -- for better or worse.
🔊 Patriots Talk Podcast: Would going to Drake Maye be a panic move by the Patriots? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
"We can critique Brissett for not getting the ball out on time, but I don't think that he's preventing them from winning yet," Curran said. "In other words, I don't think that the Patriots coaching staff can look at him and say, 'You're killing us out there,' and as a result, I don't think they're gonna go to Drake Maye yet.
"If they gave Brissett an opportunity behind a healthy offensive line and he was not able to perform, then I'd say, 'Yeah, get him out.' But just to get Drake Maye in there for a new look, for some more athleticism, for some runaround appeal? I don't know if that's a good enough reason to shelve this plan that you have genuflected at since March."
Head coach Jerod Mayo, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and de facto general manager Eliot Wolf insisted throughout the offseason that they'd be deliberate in developing Maye, and that they were comfortable with the veteran Brissett leading the offense for the foreseeable future.
What they may have underestimated was just how bad the offensive line would look. But Curran believes that shouldn't move them off course.
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"You say you have a plan; well, now that you see how bad it can look ... now that you see how horrible the preparation was on the offensive line and a continuation of the horrible personnel decisions and lack of urgency shown on that offensive line that's gone on for really years and years and years in the personnel department ... wouldn't it be a panic decision to just say, 'Well, get Maye in there, it can't look any worse'?
"The reason Maye is sitting is (because) you wanted him to develop in an organized fashion. ... The Patriots have not approached things in an organized fashion.
"So, to just panic and throw up your hands and say, 'Let's put Drake Maye in there now' when you didn't plan on putting him out there until he was ready and the team was ready would feel like a panic move. But that is the difficulty of sticking to a plan when you're bleeding out."
Maye himself appears to be approaching readiness; several Patriots players told our Phil Perry they've been impressed with the No. 3 overall pick in practice. But it's clear the team isn't ready to support Maye, specifically on the offensive line. And for that reason, Curran believes it'll be Brissett under center once again next Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.