The Draw Play

Remember 3 years ago, when Aaron Rodgers ran out of the tunnel with a flag to honor a tragedy he probably thinks the government orchestrated, and then instantly died 4 plays later? Then the Zach Wilson led Jets would go on to beat the Bills anyway? I never expected to get a sequel!

5 plays into the season opener Super Bowl rematch and the champs took a fierce blow to the hip. Sam Darnold’s hip, specifically. Drew Lock came in, the crowd died, and the Patriots felt like they had just been gifted another delivery from the almighty schedule. The first 3 quarters of the game were a dull slog with the Pats and Maye nursing a small lead against a tough Seattle D and non-functional Seattle O.

Then Drake Maye uncorked the bottle of stupid.

Look I’m gonna say this right now to get it out of the way: it’s week 1, Seattle has one of the best defenses in the league and they already took the Patriots to hell 6 months ago. There is no reason to panic about Maye whatsoever. He’ll probably be fine, though I assume struggle a bit more this year after he plays some actual teams. Last year was a lot of good luck on top of good play.

But good golly he sure made everyone who almost voted him MVP last year wince and look away! Maye’s best throw all night was a clunker to AJ Brown that Brown simply used to get the patented “Underthrow DPI” that everyone hates. Then Brown got a high ankle sprain and Maye was left trying to make Romeo Doubs happen. It did not happen. Doubs had a Kadarious Toney-Esque opener and you had to laugh because like a week ago the Pats traded away Kayshon Boutte and now they are stuck with this.

Romeo Droups aside, Maye would throw 3 picks in the 4th and all 3 were disastrous decisions. On pick one he had the perfect pocket to launch a floater into double coverage that got tipped. That was the GOOD one. He at least got it to Doubs, who couldn’t come down with it. On the second one he again has a clean pocket and somehow doesn’t see the defender heading right for his flight path, and Julian Love easily steps in front of the pass.

But he saved his best for the coup de grâce. Inside easy field goal range the Patriots are set up to either win or head to overtime. This is when you play conservatively and smart. Run the play, if you see a wide chance you go for it, but otherwise throw the ball away and survive for the kick. Drake Maye yolo’s the fuck out instead and panics in a clean pocket, only to hurl another underthrown floater off his backfoot to a covered Mack Hollins and Josh Jobe makes a fantastic toe tap pick to ice the game.

Maye has had gunslinger brainfarts since his rookie year. His hero ball works against bad teams, but you can’t do this and get away with it against competent defenses. There was simply no excuse for that throw. I give it 4 weeks of this before AJ Brown is tweeting vague disgruntled threats at nobody again.