As usually happens, Week 1 of the NFL season led to some hot takes. But more often than not, teams aren't as good or as bad as they looked in the first game of the campaign, which is now, more than ever, just an extension of the preseason.
Someone should let Drake Maye's haters know that. They didn't give him any slack after his disappointing performance against the Seattle Seahawks, with 'overrated' and 'schedule' trending on social media and in group chats.
Most of the time, players have to do too much to silence the doubters. In this case, it's the opposite. If May wants to get back on track, prove the critics wrong, and—much more importantly—win the game, he just has to focus on the little, simple things.
Drake Maye needs to get back to basics to beat the Steelers
Drake Maye's physical tools and god-given traits to play the quarterback position are evident. He has the size, arm strength, and mobility. He's a tough man who has already shown he can layer throws and make almost every pass in the book.
We know that. Everybody knows that.
Now it's time to take a step back so he can take two big leaps forward. The Seahawks clearly got in his head, and that Super Bowl loss was lingering from the moment he stepped on the gridiron in Week 1. He has to get out of his own way, wipe the slate clean, and just move on.
Maye's Hero-Ball tendencies got him in trouble way too many times in the opener. That doesn't happen often, but just like with so many great quarterbacks before him, trying to do too much often brings out the worst version of him.
Josh McDaniels is a master of getting his quarterbacks into a rhythm. Scripted touches, a quick checkdown here and there, and the eventual deep shot to keep defenders guessing. That's what he needs Maye to do: not force the ball into tight coverage when defenders bait him into poor decisions.
This isn't a skill competition. It's not about who can throw the deepest pass, make the flashiest move, or have a legacy game people will remember for ages. Even if the Patriots humiliated the Seahawks in Week 1, nothing Maye could do would've changed the outcome of February's heartbreak.
You can't win the Super Bowl in Week 2, but you can lose confidence there. Struggles tend to snowball, and Maye just needs to regain his confidence by stringing together a couple of good drives.
The Steelers' defense may not be much of a threat
The Patriots' next opponent is tailor-made for a Week 2 bounce-back. The Atlanta Falcons kept the Pittsburgh Steelers on their toes with some screen passes and quick hitters, barely taking deep shots.
With all due respect to Cooper Rush, he's nowhere close to Drake Maye in, well, any aspect of the game. He still managed to keep the chains in motion against an aging Steelers defense that's no longer what it used to be.
Joey Porter Jr. is most likely gone; veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins struggled in coverage, and Jalen Ramsey isn't the player he used to be. Even without A.J. Brown, Asante Samuel Jr., a projected backup before the Porter drama, poses the only real threat here.
That said, the Steelers' pass rush will test the Patriots' new-look offense, and again, patience and poise will be crucial for Maye. He doesn't need to escape the pocket at the first sign of pressure, not even with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith there. He just needs to go through his progressions, trust his read, and avoid negative plays.
This game can be as complex or as simple as the guys on the field want it to be. Sometimes, avoiding a negative play is more positive than trying to make something out of nothing.
Drake Maye deserves the benefit of the doubt after a Week 1 flop
Maye didn't need much time to show the Patriots that he was the right guy. Knowing he'd always be compared to the greatest quarterback ever, he sought to honor Tom Brady by demonstrating strong leadership and an impeccable work ethic.
Playing quarterback for the Patriots comes with a heavy cross to bear, and with 31 fan bases praying for his downfall, Maye will have to take another page out of No. 12's book by focusing solely on the task at hand and the next play.
When at his best, Maye has looked like a superstar in the making. He certainly won't be the first player to struggle against the Seahawks' stellar defense, nor the first young player who needs to slow down, take a step back, and think before acting.
Anyone can have a bad game or a tough stretch. It's not the falling; it's getting back up that defines the all-time greats.
This is a ruthless business, and recency bias can make or break a player's reputation in the blink of an eye. The good part is that as quickly as they tear a star apart, they're usually just as quick to put them back on a pedestal.
Just keep it simple, Drake. You'll be fine.
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