He ran and ran and ran around to buy enough time to give his team the chance to tie the game, so Drake Maye isn’t bothered the New England Patriots didn’t go for two after his fourth-quarter heroics against the Tennessee Titans in Week 9.
The third-overall pick brought the Patriots to within a point after completing an improbable touchdown pass under pressure to running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Their connection made the score 17-16 Titans with no ticks on the clock, so a successful two-point conversion would have meant a win for the Pats. Head coach Jerod Mayo instead opted to have Joey Slye kick the extra point, essentially playing for overtime and what turned out to be a 20-17 defeat.
Maye was asked if he tried to convince Mayo to go for broke, but the rookie passer conceded, “I was just trying to catch my breath. I couldn’t even think about it. I think just looking back on it, it’s easy to say — we’re out there that long, on such a high-intensity drive, I think it’s hard to go for 2. I think it’s easy to look back and say that now. Our defense is fresh and coming out in overtime trying to get a stop. They did a good job of running the football today,” per ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
The reference to how effective the Titans were running the ball pinpoints the true reason the Patriots lost this game. They simply couldn’t contain running back Tony Pollard, who ran for 128 yards and took the tough carries in overtime to position former Pats kicker Nick Folk to account for what proved to be the decisive three points.
Folk’s 25-yard field goal was enough because Maye committed a critical turnover after the kick. To his credit, the first-year signal-caller didn’t duck responsibility for his clutch mistake.
Drake Maye Took Responsibility
Any hope the Patriots had of keeping the game alive in overtime ended when Maye overthrew Kayshon Boutte. The errant pass landed in the grateful hands of Tennessee safety Amani Hooker.
Maye called the pick “Just a dumb decision. Sometimes the best play is to throw it away,” per Reiss.
The admission he should have thrown it away spoke to the central conflict within Maye’s game. He’s a natural gunslinger, a bold, decisive quarterback who’s always going to trust his arm talent.
This type of passer is going to be boom or bust, but the great ones are more boom than bust. For every risk Maye takes that backfires, his gambling style will occasionally pay dividends.
Like when he forced the ball to Stevenson in the end zone while taking a hit. The moment of “magic” summed up why the Patriots are backing Maye to turn the franchise around.
The trick is going to be balancing Maye’s bravado with smart game management. It’s what Bill Belichick did for years while Tom Brady’s greatness developed.
Now it’s Mayo’s turn, and the inexperienced coach got it right in Nashville.
Patriots Made Right Call vs. Titans
The then 2-6 Patriots didn’t have much to lose going for two, but proper game management is about playing the percentages and building good habits. It’s a big-picture view Mayo got right when he chose the tie and overtime over one last play and the potential of a walk-off win.
Yes, Maye could have conjured another something special to earn the W, but letting his players regroup and refresh was the right call by Mayo. Especially since it meant dragging the naturally deflated Titans into another quarter of football.
Mayo’s a defensive coach by nature as a former middle linebacker. He’s going to err on the side of caution more often than not, but no matter.
That mix of a conservative play-caller and a special talent at football’s most important position served the Patriots well with Belichick and Brady. Mayo and Maye likely won’t ever get close to those heights, but the Pats are right to rebuild with the same formula.
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