At first glance, New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo’s decision to start Drake Maye against the best defense in the NFL appears to be opposing quarterback completion percentage and quarterback pressure without starting to get the team back running back, with its sixth offensive line in six weeks and a new center signed midweek (never mind the fact that New England lost three more offensive linemen over the course of the game) felt like more than just malpractice. It felt like a panic maneuver for a new head coach feeling the political pressure of a lost season and the terrible emotional toll on the locker room that comes with protecting the future of one kid over the other players in the locker room.

And while that may or may not have been the impetus for his ultimate decision, Mayo can put Week 6 behind him and claim he knew Maye was ready for the moment – ​​because the rookie absolutely was. And ultimately, if you believe owner Robert Kraft’s story about a series of observations he had about Mayo’s interpersonal skills over the years and why that would make him a great head coach, the idea that Mayo knew this wouldn’t be the absolute sinkhole disaster that the rest of us have committed should go a long way toward ensuring that the post-Bill Belichick Patriots’ biggest decision can be called a success for now.

This is a delicate situation, given all the mounting evidence about the benefits of incumbent quarterbacks and the undeniable evidence that they are being outplayed. is ruinous. We exist in a data-driven NFL that is better and more optimized than ever, but within those margins still lies the observational skills of a coach. Nurturing a running back who shows clear juice in private sideline moments during clear passing downs. Kicking during an obvious go-for-it situation as the quarterback exhibits characteristic symptoms of panic during off-field conversations during the game. And in this case, playing Maye in a situation where many of us begged him not to.

It’s much easier for us to sit here and say that Jacoby Brissett should be clubbed like a yard marker on the driving range for the remainder of the season for the betterment of the Patriots beyond 2024. In fact, I wrote about the great job that Brissett did. in exactly that role after New England got steamrolled by the New York Jets for a few weeks ago on Thursday night football. It’s harder to identify the exact moment when a player like Maye seems ready and prepared enough to handle a completely lopsided scenario without a public meltdown. When a player looks ready enough to run sensible routes against the right coverage, take calculated shots against man coverage and scramble for his life not because he can’t understand what’s happening in front of him, but because the defense is for so’ n protection has provided. opportunities based on how they line up.

Maye finished 20 of 33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and one fumble. New England lost 41-21 to the Houston Texans, but it was the best statistical performance by a Patriots quarterback this season in terms of touchdowns, yards and quarterback rating (88.3). Maye performed better in terms of EPA per game and total EPA (-0.11 per game, -5 total) than Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams against the same defense. And one of Maye’s choices was one of the best incredible and nonsensical defensive actions we’re going to see the whole season; a confluence of several acts of God that we are unlikely to see repeated.

Maye’s touchdown pass to Kayshon Bouttewhich one traveled through the air for more than half a football fieldwas the longest passing play in terms of air yards by a Patriots quarterback since 2022.

If this This is what losing by 20 points looks like, it’s inherently more valuable than Maye not collecting any reps at all. Don’t build chemistry. Not being able to look at all the other people with pock marks on their helmets, tears in their uniforms and bruises on their bodies and nod knowingly.

Was Maye torn to pieces à la Leo DiCaprio? The RevenantMayo would have worn that too. If this had been the start of a slide to nowhere for the No. 3 pick, it would have been because Mayo acted out of fear and not the knowledge that got him the job in the first place. It’s important to consider these matchup stories – which provide valuable footage as building blocks for Maye’s rise versus hopeless footage that would turn him into Akili Smith – in conjunction with the fact that Mayo is replacing one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history , when he decides how big this all was.

The Patriots were demolished on Sunday, but Maye wasn’t the reason why. He was sacked four times, but not beaten. He was singled out twice, but not stunned. As the quarterback of one of the worst teams in the NFL, that’s a resounding victory. The same can be said of the coach who made the decision.