Drake Maye has impressed in his first three starts with the New England Patriots but it has not been all positive. Maye was knocked out of his second career start against the New York Jets after a helmet-to-helmet hit that some how was not called a penalty by the game officials.
Maye did not return as he was in concussion protocol with Jacoby Brissett assuming charge of the ship. Brissett kept the Patriots from crashing, leading the team to its second victory of the season in Week 8. However, this did not change the starting dynamic in New England, with fans quickly shifting their attention to Maye's future.
The Patriots have a winnable game in Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans that is even more promising if Maye suits up. With no concrete designation for the rookie quarterback from the team, every Patriots fan has the same question.
Is Drake Maye playing today in Patriots-Titans?
Internal optimism around Maye suiting for the Pats against the Titans turned into a reality prior to Sunday. Maye was officially removed from concussion protocol on Sunday and will suit up for the Pats against the Titans.
Maye has continued the trend of rookie quarterbacks playing at a high level in the NFL in 2024. The passing offense instantly saw a jolt in his first career start as Maye finished with three touchdowns and 243 yards against the Houston Texans.
Against the Jacksonville Jaguars In London, Maye found the endzone twice on 26-37 passing for 267 yards with 18 rushing yards. Maye only attempted six passes, completing three, before being knocked out of the Jets game last wee.
The more snaps Maye can get under his belt in 2024 the better it will be for the Patriots moving forward. Nobody is expecting this year's team to make any noise but it is an important season nonetheless. Maye building confidence and building a rapport with his receivers will directly influence how impactful he can be in both the short and long term.
It is good to see that Maye will be able to get these important reps and build rapport with his young receivers without it being a long-term health risk. Now the Patriots' focus has to turn to protecting Maye better, even if that might be easier said than done.