Drake Maye's 1st Start: Breaking Down Good & Bad

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye made his first career start in Sunday's 41-21 defeat to the Houston Texans. The results were extremely encouraging, all things considered. It was a positive first showing for Maye.

Maye completed 20-of-33 passing attempts for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. The dual-threat Maye added 38 rushing yards and another score via five scrambles to his offensive totals, and he also lost a fumble. He became the first QB since at least 1950 to throw three-plus touchdown passes and lead his team in rushing yards in his first NFL start. The former North Carolina standout looked like a starting-caliber quarterback versus one of the league's top defenses.

Maye's first career touchdown pass was a 40-yard dime to sophomore wide receiver Kayshon Boutte. Trailing 14-0 with 16 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Maye took a shotgun snap from near midfield and immediately identified Boutte facing single coverage deep down the boundary. It was a big-time, confident throw from a clean pocket.

Maye's touchdown pass to Boutte traveled 51.7 yards in the air, according to Next Gen Stats. It was the longest completion by a Patriots quarterback over the previous three campaigns. Its completion probability was just 26.7%, and Boutte had just 0.8 yards of separation.

Maye's second touchdown went to veteran tight end Hunter Henry. The game was already out of hand, but these reps were crucial to Maye's development. He showcased outstanding poise and decision-making to locate his reliable target from a play-action concept.

Maye's final touchdown went to sophomore wideout DeMario Douglas. The rookie signal-caller stood tall in a collapsing pocket and hit Douglas across the middle on a 3rd-and-5.

There were mistakes sprinkled throughout Maye's debut performance. Maye's first interception was an overthrow from a clean pocket on third down. Three turnovers are obviously unacceptable, but his natural playmaking ability and willingness to test tight windows added a layer of excitement to a struggling Patriots offense.

Maye's three touchdowns were more than the Patriots' total touchdown passes (2) in the previous five contests. Credit the entire offense as well, particularly a makeshift offensive line that appeared outmatched by the Texans' defensive line on paper. Maye averaged 2.98 seconds per throw, per NGS, the sixth-slowest among all starting quarterbacks across Week 6 heading into Monday Night Football.

Maye's quarterback rating of 88.3 was very respectable. The No. 3 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft had an Expected Points Added (EPA) per play of -0.11, according to data collected by RBSDM. His total EPA was -5, which appropriately represents the rollercoaster he endured. Maye’s average depth of target (aDoT) was a fairly high 7.6, showing zero hesitance to throw the ball down the field.

The Patriots were patient with Maye's development throughout the early portion of the campaign. Head coach Jerod Mayo finally threw him to the wolves against a very good Texans defense. Maye passed Sunday's test with flying colors, displaying franchise quarterback potential.