Drake Maye Could Be Patriots 'Fatal Flaw'

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye could be the team's fatal flaw.

Sep 29, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during warmups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are clearly not anything close to being a contender this season. Through five weeks, they hold a 1-4 record and have lost four straight games.

Jerod Mayo had enough of the losing and the team looking dead in the water. Heading into Week 6, he has made the switch to rookie Drake Maye at the quarterback position. Jacoby Brissett was benched in favor of the No. 3 overall pick.

Maye making his starting debut this week has brought a lot of excitement to the fans. He is the new face of the franchise and the Patriots are hopeful that he will be just that for many years to come.

That being said, one writer believes that Maye starting so early could end up being a major problem.

Colum Dell of Yardbarker has stated that setting Maye up for failure could end up being New England's "fatal flaw" this season.

"It's hard to imagine Maye having much success behind New England's offensive line in his first start, especially since he's facing a Texans defense that has racked up the ninth-most sacks this season (15). The Patriots should've waited to insert Maye into the starting lineup until later in the season or given him the opportunity to prepare for Houston by letting him start last week's game against the undermanned Dolphins. Instead, New England risks hurting Maye's confidence and development."

While Dell's direction of thinking does make sense, there is also the other side to look at.

Giving Maye reps so early in his career could give him confidence and help his development. He is a very confident player and is seasoned for his age as well. It will take more to shake him up than many other rookie quarterbacks that play early.

There is no question that the Patriots' offensive line has been bad. No one will argue against that statement.

However, Maye has a very good arm and great football IQ. He might very well be able to overcome the shortcomings of the team. That is what good quarterbacks do.

All of that being said, it will be interesting to see how the rookie quarterback fares throughout the rest of the season. Hopefully, this move ends up paying off for Mayo and New England.

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