Jerod Mayo chose the right time to launch Drake Maye

On the face of it, New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo's decision to use Drake Maye against the NFL's best defense by adjusting quarterback completion rate and quarterback pressure rate, without the team's starting running back, with his sixth offensive line in six weeks and a new center signed midweek (regardless of the fact that New England lost). three more offensive linemen throughout the game) felt more than just a misbehavior. It felt like a scare move for a new head coach, feeling the political pressure of a lost season and the terrible emotional toll on the locker room that came with putting a child's future above that of the other players in the locker room.

And while that may or may not have been the catalyst for his final decision, Mayo can come away from Week 6 claiming he knew Maye was ready for the moment – because the rookie absolutely was. And ultimately, if you believe the story spun by owner Robert Kraft about a series of observations he made over the years about Mayo's interpersonal skills and why that would make him a great head coach, the idea is that Mayo knew that this wouldn't be the case, ultimately not the case The absolute sinkhole disaster the rest of us committed should go a long way toward declaring the post-Bill Belichick Patriots' biggest decision a success for now.

This is a tricky situation, considering there is growing evidence of the benefits of sitting quarterbacks and there is indisputable evidence of playing them too fast is ruinous. We live in a data-driven NFL that is better and more optimized than ever before, but within those limits still lie a coach's observational skills. Feeding a running back who shows obvious energy in private, sideline moments during obvious passing maneuvers. Kicked during an obvious exit situation because the quarterback exhibits typical symptoms of panic when talking off the field during the game. And in this case, the role of Maye in a situation where many of us would have asked him not to.

It's much easier for us to sit here and say that Jacoby Brissett should be hit like a yard marker on the driving range for the rest of the season for the good of the Patriots beyond 2024. In fact, I wrote about what a great job Brissett did in that very role after New England was traded to the New York Jets a few weeks ago before on Thursday Night Football. It's harder to pinpoint the exact moment when a player like Maye appears ready and prepared enough to handle a completely one-sided scenario without a public meltdown. When a player appears ready enough to hit the sensible routes against the right coverage, he will take calculated shots against man coverage and fight for his life not because he can't understand what's happening in front of him, but because the defense has made sure of it Chance, depending on how they have positioned themselves.

Maye finished 20 of 33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions and a fumble. New England lost 41-21 to the Houston Texans, but it was the best statistical performance by a Patriots quarterback this season in touchdowns, yards and quarterback rating (88.3). Maye performed better in EPA per play and overall EPA (-0.11 per play, -5 overall) than Trevor Lawrence and Caleb Williams against the same defense. And one of Maye's picks was one of the best incredible and senseless defensive plays we'll see throughout the season; a convergence of multiple acts of God that we are unlikely to see repeated.

Mayes Touchdown pass to Kayshon Bouttewhich has traveled more than half a football field in the skywas the longest pass play by a Patriots quarterback in terms of air yards since 2022.

If The This is what a loss by 20 points looks like. That's inherently more valuable than Maye not getting any reps at all. Don't build chemistry. Not being able to look at all the other people with pockmarks on their helmets, rips in their uniforms, and bruises on their bodies and nod knowingly.

Would Maye have been torn to pieces à la Leo DiCaprio? The revenantMayo would have worn this too. If this had been the start of a fall from grace for the No.3, it would have been because Mayo had acted out of fear rather than the knowledge that got him the job in the first place. It's important to consider these matchup narratives – which provide valuable snaps as building blocks for Maye's rise, as opposed to hopeless snaps that would turn him into Akili Smith – in line with the fact that Mayo has one of the greatest head coaches in in NFL history when it comes to deciding What a big deal this all was.

The Patriots were demolished on Sunday, but Maye wasn't the reason why. He was fired four times but not beaten. He was picked twice but wasn't upset. As the quarterback of one of the worst teams in the NFL, this is a stunning victory. The same goes for the coach who made the decision.