It could have been etched into the chronicles of New England Patriots lore as The Scramble — a frantic 12-second sequence that catapulted Drake Maye into the limelight.
However, it has instead underscored a glimpse of what could come in the future, hinting at the possibility that Maye may one day evolve into a franchise quarterback while the Patriots (2-7) gradually assemble a supporting cast around him.
“Drake is just phenomenal. He keeps showing it week in and week out,” stated wide receiver Kendrick Bourne after Maye helped New England push the game into overtime, though his late interception ultimately sealed a 20-17 defeat to Tennessee.
“We have to continue supporting him, providing solid blocking, making catches, and running quality routes so we can unlock his full potential,” Bourne added. “Having someone like that motivates us to give our all as a unit, and that is the goal — for everyone to put their best foot forward because he is certainly doing so.”
Selected as the third overall pick in the recent draft, Maye spent the initial five games as a backup to Jacoby Brissett before taking over as the starting quarterback. Unfortunately, he suffered setbacks early, losing his first two starts and later departing his third with a concussion. Brissett stepped in to secure a win against the New York Jets, halting a six-game losing streak.
Maye cleared concussion protocols to compete against the Titans on Sunday, showcasing a mixed bag of performance that ultimately culminated in a clutch play from the Tennessee 5-yard line with only four seconds left, trailing 17-10.
In a remarkable display, Maye took the snap from the shotgun, shifting positions rapidly while evading defenders. He evaded several tackles and finally, as he was brought down, he managed to float a pass into the end zone where Rhamondre Stevenson made the catch just as time expired.
However, the excitement took a turn when Maye was intercepted in overtime, leading to New England’s seventh loss in their last eight games.
“I thought I had found a way to win at the end of the fourth but just came up short,” admitted the rookie from North Carolina, who threw for 209 yards on 29 of 41 passes, both of which set career highs. “Kudos to the offensive line; those five guys up front protected well for a full 12 seconds. That’s impressive.”
One aspect that seemed to work in Maye’s favor was his running game. He rushed eight times for a stunning 95 yards, marking a personal best that ranks as the third-highest rushing yardage by a quarterback in the team’s history, with Steve Grogan being the last to exceed that with 103 yards back in 1975. Out of his runs, five resulted in gains of over 10 yards, and six resulted in first downs. During the third quarter, Maye ran for 5 yards on a third-and-5 play that was nullified by a holding penalty. Once the play was reversed, he galloped for 22 yards to earn the first down anyway.
Conversely, the rest of the running game faced challenges. Outside of Maye’s impressive contributions, the Patriots managed a mere 15 yards on 12 carries. Their attempts to revitalize the attack with screen passes proved ineffective as well.
“You never really want your quarterback to be the leading rusher,” commented coach Jerod Mayo, who has had to shuffle through eight different offensive line combinations across nine games. “It fundamentally needs to start from the front.”
In terms of special teams, cornerback Marcus Jones has been making waves. Following a notable 62-yard punt return against the Jets the prior week, he showcased his skills again with a 44-yard return in the second quarter against the Titans.
However, ball security has been a major concern. Despite Jones’ impressive return, Maye quickly threw one of his two interceptions just three plays afterward. He also fumbled during the game, yet the most critical turnover was his interception in overtime — a risky 48-yard throw into a crowd of defenders, when the Patriots were in prime position to either tie the game with a field goal or win it with a touchdown.
“That was just a poor judgment call,” he reflected. “That’s one I’d like to have back, especially in a situation that close to a potential tying score. We were on our own 40; sometimes the best option is to throw the ball away. It was a regrettable decision on my part.”
On the injury front, safety Marte Mapu suffered a neck injury early in the game but managed to return later in the second quarter. Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. sustained an injury toward the end of the third quarter after having registered a sack earlier. Defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy was seen limping off the field with 4:40 remaining in the contest.
A key takeaway from this game is that the Patriots are currently in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
Looking ahead, the Patriots will head to Chicago on Sunday for a matchup featuring the top two picks from this year’s draft.