How Patriots Rookie Drake Maye Fared in NFL Debut vs. Jets

The No. 3 draft pick stepped in for the final drive of the Patriots' 24–3 loss to New York.

Maye rushed two times for 12 yards on the final drive of the game. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With the game out of hand Thursday night at MetLife Stadium, the New England Patriots turned to their future face of the franchise.

Quarterback Drake Maye made his NFL debut on the final drive of the Patriots' 24–3 loss to the New York Jets, subbing in for starter Jacoby Brissett after the offense struggled to get much going all night.

Stepping onto the field with 4:24 remaining, Maye conducted a 16-play, 46-yard drive that stalled at the Jets' 7-yard line as the game clock expired after a sack. The Patriots converted on three fourth-down opportunities on that drive with a five-yard rush by Antonio Gibson, an 11-yard scramble by Maye and a 15-yard pass from the rookie to Demario Douglas.

Drake Maye wasn't expecting the snap but he connects with Pop Douglas to convert 4th and long anyway pic.twitter.com/9qoLm5c6EG

— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) September 20, 2024

In all, Maye threw for 22 yards on 4-of-8 passing while scrambling twice for 12 yards. He was sacked twice on that drive, unable to avoid the Jets' pass rush that brought down Brissett five times.

Did Maye do enough to claim the starting role moving forward?

"I don't know. We talk about it every single week, you're competing for a job," Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said after the game. "We'll get together as a coaching staff."

The Patriots, now 1–2 on the year, will regroup and begin preparing for their Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium.

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