CHICAGO — The New England Patriots’ first observe of the week, the one the place they set up the sport plan for the approaching opponent, went terribly. It was Wednesday, 4 days earlier than a matchup right here towards the Bears, and the Patriots couldn’t do something proper offensively.
Quarterback Drake Maye fumbled a snap. The offensive line bungled a safety it had been discussing. Penalties slowed issues down.
“We had some psychological errors,” Maye mentioned.
Afterward, Maye fumed. He weighed what to do. He has solely been the group’s beginning quarterback for a month and is just 22 years previous. However on the similar time, he’s the quarterback, and there’s a gravitas that comes with that place on this recreation.
Since taking on because the beginning quarterback of this franchise, Maye has reached out to extra teammates individually. He’s taken to texting them varied cut-ups from observe at evening, both performs the place he’s searching for them to do one thing in a different way or to applaud one thing they’d achieved.
“Then you definitely really feel like, ‘I do know Drake, and he cares about me.’ That’s how I’m approaching it,” Maye mentioned Sunday.
However then Wednesday’s awful observe occurred, and he felt one thing greater was wanted. So Maye requested offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt if he might communicate to the entire unit, and Van Pelt greenlit the thought.
The speech that adopted and Maye’s play in a 19-3 street win over the Bears, one which was simply the group’s greatest all-around efficiency of the season, helped solidify one thing that’s changing into apparent: The Patriots, now 3-7, have gotten Maye’s group.
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Patriots, Drake Maye knock off Bears, Caleb Williams 19-3: Takeaways
That may sound like — and even may be — a small factor. But it surely’s an necessary one for a franchise needing an id post-Invoice Belichick and for a fan base and group needing optimism after coming into this recreation with solely six wins in its final 27 video games.
Maye’s numbers Sunday had been pedestrian (15-of-25 passing for 185 yards, one landing and one interception), however the rookie quarterback has introduced pleasure and given followers a purpose to comply with this group within the early days of its rebuild.
Moreover, Maye appears to have earned this management position, which is very noteworthy in distinction to Caleb Williams and the Bears offense, which has struggled mightily in latest weeks after handing the No. 1 choose the reins this offseason. Whereas the Bears now appear destined for extra change and questions on whether or not they’ll squander one other extremely drafted quarterback, Maye got here right into a far much less enviable state of affairs roster-wise and has displayed progress and enchancment whereas acknowledging issues are removed from good.
The 1️⃣ & the three️⃣#NEvsCHI | #NEPats pic.twitter.com/kkXDDlkCV2
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 10, 2024
Maye’s setup was vastly totally different from that of Williams or No. 2 choose Jayden Daniels. The Patriots didn’t need him to start out early on, and though Maye outplayed Jacoby Brissett within the preseason and coaching camp, they left Maye on the bench to start out the season.
It put the rookie in a little bit of a bizarre spot. Everybody knew he was the quarterback of the long run, drafted with the third choose. However he was a backup and needed to attempt to toe that line of taking part in a secondary position whereas realizing the burden of a rebuild would finally sit on his shoulders.
It was an analogous tightrope stroll when he turned the starter. How do you are saying your management fashion and go in a unique path with out coming off such as you’re discounting what Brissett did? How can a 22-year-old recent out of faculty command the respect of 30-year-olds with households at house?
There was a pure feeling-out course of. Maye began with these texts to teammates whereas he watched video of practices in his residence close to Gillette Stadium.
Then Wednesday occurred. A nasty observe in a protracted, irritating season.
So Maye needed to say one thing. He stood in entrance of the group in considered one of its auditorium assembly rooms. He informed his teammates what they’d achieved wasn’t adequate. Their normal was larger, their targets loftier.
“Everyone cherished it, man,” mentioned rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk, who took a step in the best path Sunday with a 2-yard landing reception. “We want that from our beginning quarterback.”
Drake Maye to Ja’Lynn Polk for the rookie to rookie TD connection #NEPats
📺: #NEvsCHI on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/rallRsqNss— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
To be clear, nobody painted this as some Herb Brooks-style “Miracle on Ice” speech. Maye is the youngest man on the group. It’s nerve-wracking to speak in entrance of your friends. There have been certainly some pauses and mumbles. His coronary heart was probably pounding. However what was extra necessary than the precise message was what that message meant, the younger quarterback taking cost of the franchise.
“I don’t understand how he did it. I couldn’t do this,” receiver Demario Douglas mentioned with fun. “As a quarterback, I suppose he ought to be capable of. But when it had been me, I’d get nervous and begin sweating.”
Possibly much more necessary than the message or what it meant was that the group responded. Douglas mentioned the next practices had been a few of their better of the season. Then the sport arrived, and the Patriots put collectively their greatest efficiency of the 12 months, even when it got here towards a Bears group that’s clearly reeling.
No, Maye wasn’t good on today. There’ll nonetheless be studying moments and rookie errors, like his first-quarter interception. However there may even be spectacular moments to construct on, like his 24-yard strike to Austin Hooper, the way in which he orchestrated the Patriots’ end-of-half scoring drive and the way in which he moved by means of the pocket, a stark distinction to Williams, who was sacked 9 occasions by a resurgent New England protection. There have been constructive moments, even when his stat line isn’t going to wow most observers.
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The Patriots are nonetheless very early on this rebuild. In some ways, they’re nonetheless attending to know Maye and are keen to provide him a light-hearted arduous time.
“His accent is a bit sturdy and I can’t perceive some phrases, however he’s a very good speaker,” Michigan native Mike Onwenu joked about Maye’s North Carolina drawl.
This Patriots season has felt at occasions like a misplaced one, a crucial grind earlier than the promise of higher days when free company and draft picks add expertise to a roster in want of it.
However there are little moments alongside the way in which that plant the seeds of the longer-term success the Patriots are hoping for. This week yielded one other when their quarterback stood earlier than them and referred to as out the group, and so they all backed it up with their greatest recreation but, providing a easy fact about the place they’re headed.
The Patriots have gotten Maye’s group.
(Picture: Michael Reaves / Getty Pictures)
