If you predicted Week 6 as the week Drake Maye would take over as the New England Patriots' starting quarterback, please step up and claim your prize.
The Patriots plan to start their No. 3 overall draft pick this Sunday when they welcome the Houston Texans to Gillette Stadium, Patriots Insider Phil Perry has confirmed. NFL Media's Ian Rapoport was the first to report the news.
Per source, the Patriots will be starting Drake Maye on Sunday against the Texans. @RapSheet first on it.
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) October 8, 2024
Patriots planned on playing Maye at some point this year. They want to know what they have in him prior to his second season. Jerod Mayo determines the time is now.
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The switch to Maye comes amid a four-game losing skid in which the Patriots' offense has struggled mightily with Brissett at the helm. The veteran signal-caller has only two touchdowns with an average of 139.2 passing yards through five games this season. He has been sacked 17 times, tied for the third most among all NFL QBs.
New England's porous offensive line understandably left many hesitant to throw Maye into the fire. However, the rookie has reportedly made tremendous strides in his development over the last few weeks, making him the most sensible option to lead a Patriots offense in desperate need of a spark.
The reality of the Drake Maye situation: He became the team's best option at QB. Momentum's been pushing in this direction for a few weeks. His footwork and knowledge of defenses has grown consistently. His work vs. the blitz has jumped recently.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 8, 2024
This didn't happen overnight.
Maye made his official NFL debut in garbage time during the Patriots' Week 4 loss to the New York Jets. The third overall pick out of North Carolina completed four of his eight passes for 22 yards and was sacked twice.
Even if Maye experiences growing pains in his first start, it's hard to believe the Pats offense could look any worse than it has in recent weeks. At this point, he offers the most upside against C.J. Stroud and the high-powered Texans offense coming off a big win over the Buffalo Bills.
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Houston enters Sunday's matchup leading the AFC South with a 4-1 record. New England will look to earn its first win since its upset victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in its season opener.
Maye and the Patriots will take on the Texans at 1 p.m. ET Sunday in Foxboro.
