It's not often that a 41-21 loss can be deemed as a step forward, but that would be an accurate description of the New England Patriots' Week 6 game against the Houston Texans.
That's because rookie quarterback Drake Maye made his first career start and played well. It wasn't a perfect performance by any means, but the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft completed 20-of-33 pass attempts for 243 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Patriots don't need to win a ton of games for this season to be considered a success. What they need is to develop Maye and help him become a franchise quarterback.
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Maye showed a lot of potential against a very good Texans defense. He made a lot of great throws, including a 40-yard touchdown strike to wideout Kayshon Boutte, and he also showed off his athleticism with a team-leading 38 rushing yards.
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The toughest part of the Patriots' schedule is over. In fact, New England's remaining schedule is third-easiest in the league, per Tankathon. It's very unlikely that the Patriots will make the playoffs after a 1-5 start, but the easy upcoming schedule does give Maye plenty of opportunities to make meaningful improvement and get the team's offense headed in the right direction.
How did Maye's first start impact where the Patriots stand in the league hierarchy entering Week 7? Here's a roundup of expert NFL power rankings.
Pro Football Talk: No. 31
"We knew the Patriots would eventually slip, but few expected this kind of slide." -- Mike Florio
ESPN: No. 32
"Maye's debut starting performance Sunday included a beautiful 40-yard touchdown pass that stood out in part due to its rarity. Since 2020, the Patriots have had just two passing touchdowns of 35 or more air yards -- one from Cam Newton and another from Mac Jones. Maye accomplishing the feat in his first career start, which included three touchdowns and a lost fumble, gives the Patriots something to build on." -- Mike Reiss
NFL.com: No. 31
"It's a funny thing, but even with his three turnovers against the Texans, Drake Maye did provide a little glimmer of what could be in his first NFL start. Watching Maye lead a two-minute drill to make it a 14-7 game at halftime was very encouraging. His beautiful deep ball to Kayshon Boutte made for a memorable first TD pass and catch, respectively, for both. Maye also navigated heavy pressure well a few times with his legs, including prior to a 30-yard completion to Hunter Henry. The turnovers are a reality of where Maye is in his development, but what didn't help was the protection up front. The Patriots were already thin along the O-line, starting Ben Brown three days after he arrived from the Raiders' practice squad, before they lost Vederian Lowe. Maye was put in a tough spot and played fairly well, all things considered." -- Eric Edholm
FOX Sports: No. 31
"That's why you start the rookie. Granted, the concerns about playing Drake Maye against Houston's ferocious pass rush were well-founded, considering the way the Texans knocked him around. But Maye gave the Patriots a spark and a level of explosiveness we just weren't seeing before." -- David Helman
USA TODAY Sports: No. 30
"They've got a guy with whom they're building something special – Bryce Baringer with a league-best streak of 23 consecutive games with a punt of at least 50 yards. Oh, and rookie QB Drake Maye showed promising flashes in his starting debut – uneven as you'd expect it to be." -- Nate Davis
The Athletic: No. 29
"Ostensibly one of the reasons New England waited until Week 6 to start the rookie quarterback was a concern for his safety, and he was sacked four times Sunday, three by Will Anderson. But Maye is a big boy (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and doesn’t appear fragile. Sacks notwithstanding, he made the Patriots much more watchable. Maye passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns. Former starter Jacoby Brissett threw two touchdowns in Weeks 1-5. Maye also led New England in rushing (38 yards). New England still lost its fifth straight, but at least it was less painful." -- Josh Kendall
CBS Sports: No. 31
"They aren't going anywhere, but they did the right thing by playing Drake Maye, who played a solid game in his first start. It's his season to use for personal growth now." -- Pete Prisco
Sporting News: No. 29
"The Patriots got a nice spark from Drake Maye in a losing — but much livelier — outing against the Texans at home. That was a good start toward his accelerated development." -- Vinnie Iyer
Bleacher Report: No. 32
"Patriots coach Jerod Mayo wasn't wrong when he said that rookie QB Drake Maye gives his team its best chance to win. Unfortunately, New England's "best chance" is unlikely to actually involve many victories this season. Maye showed plenty of promise in his first start, but he's still saddled with an underwhelming supporting cast and a bad offensive line. It's not a situation any quarterback—rookie or otherwise—should envy. The good news is that New England has the rest of the season to prepare Maye for 2025." -- Kristopher Knox