Drake Maye showed flashes of greatness in his first career start for the Patriots on Sunday. After a sloppy start, the rookie signal-caller successfully ran a two-minute drill capped off by his first passing touchdown to end the first half of New England’s Week 6 loss to the Houston Texans.
With the Patriots trailing 14-0, Maye and the offense took the field at their own 16-yard line with 53 seconds left in the half. The rookie looked poised in the pocket and connected with Kayshon Boutte on a 40-yard reception to get New England on the board with just seconds left in the first half.
“I think pressed up. I think we’ve got to give it gas, give him a chance,” Maye told reporters after the loss, per team-provided transcript. “That was kind of my thought process; give him a chance. I thought kind of the Texans were kind of squatting us a little bit. They came out and challenged us and played in man, so tried to let one ride and give Boutte a chance. He made a nice play and it was pretty cool. I think both of our first touchdowns so pretty cool moment.
“I felt like this group, we can push the ball down the field and make plays in the passing game, so we’ve just got to keep repping it and see what you like, and I’ve got to make the throws. That’s the bottom line — make better throws.”
Maye admitted he was amped up before his first start for the Patriots, and the two-minute drill actually helped him get more comfortable under center.
“I think the two-minute time is a great time for a quarterback to kind of get some passes and get some plays that we’re comfortable with under my belt,” Maye said. “It was a lot easier in two-minute than in practice when the guys actually come back there and tackle me in the back. Able to make some plays.”
Boutte actually approached the Patriots coaching staff about getting the ball deep prior to the play and it obviously paid off. Maye didn’t take all the credit for the Patriots’ success on offense and said the receiving corps helped make the plays.
“Boutte made a great play, and those guys, I think (DeMario Douglas) down the sideline, that’s a great play on his part, and just get the guys the ball, and that’s the biggest thing I’ve got to do. I think get them the ball and let them make plays,” Maye said. “You saw Hunter (Henry) on a flat route early on. We’re backed up, make a guy miss, get a first down, little things like that. Try to get the ball out of my hands and get it to those guys. I make a lot of money getting paid to get first downs.”