Copyright MassLive
FOXBOROUGH - Drake Maye has been sacked more than any other starting NFL quarterback, save one. He’s also been hit a ton throughout the course of nine games. Who’s responsible for all the punishment he’s taken, all the times he’s been sacked? Maye said this week there’s only one person to blame. Himself. It’s not on the offensive line. It’s not on the rookie running back struggling with blitz pickup. Maye points a finger in his direction every time he’s asked about fixing the current sack problem. “A lot of the sacks I have taken have been my fault, holding the football,” Maye said Wednesday. “I want to credit those guys for what they’ve done in blitz pickup games, how hard they work watching film, watching the third-down cut-ups, what they do blitz-wise. That’s just my mindset. Just get it out, and know there’s less people covered if they’re blitzing. And just trying to be better.” Maye is partially right. Quite a few of the sacks have been the result of him holding the ball a little too long trying to make a play. It’s the constant internal struggle he has when the walls crumble around him. Make the safe play, live for another down, or try and use his athleticism to hit a big play. Given his talent, and his competitiveness, the tendency for him is to do the latter. But he understands the cost of doing business that way. He understands he needs to pick his spots a little better, knowing he can still make an occasional play, and throw a dagger or two into the heart of the defense. “I don’t think it’s hard. Facing the consequences is harder,” Maye said. “It’s knowing when to tuck it if I’m getting wrapped up, or captured in the pocket.” By the same token, Maye isn’t going to give up doing what he does best. He just has to find a happy medium. “It’s standing in there as long as I can to try and find guys open,” he said, “that’s what I’m going to try to do, and continue to try to do. Extend plays when I can.” Meaning, he’s not going to completely shy away from using his legs because he knows it makes it tougher on the defense. That’s part of Maye’s special sauce. “At the end of the day, it’s just sticking to the point of the play,” Maye said, “and if something breaks down, just keep playing like myself.” Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels doubled-down on that notion, saying Thursday it was just a matter of Maye finding the “sweet spot” between the two options. McDaniels wants Maye to protect himself and the ball better, but he also doesn’t want his talented young quarterback to squelch his ability to make plays off schedule. The fact that Maye has been accountable for his part the boatload of sacks and shifts the focus and blame to himself is certainly commendable. It’s proof that his leadership skills are also growing along with his performance on the field. During the course of the same press conference, Maye also chalked up Kyle Williams’ ineffectiveness to him needing to make better passes. He also pointed out how often he’s missed Pop Douglas, who should have more receptions. “He’s been open a lot on film,” Maye said of his slot receiver. While he’s still a young pup at 23, Maye gets it. Not only has his quarterback play morphed into an elite level, so has his ability to lead. Accountability goes a long way. Maye is astute enough to realize that. “We have a guy that’s being self-less, who puts a lot on his shoulders,” veteran right tackle Morgan Moses said. “That’s the qualities you look for in a leader, someone who looks within himself first. He’s always accountable for the things that go wrong, and the things he thinks he can do better.” Center Garrett Bradbury, who like Moses has been singing Maye’s praises for months, isn’t surprised to see Maye take the hits and bullets for whatever goes wrong with the offense. That’s who he is. That’s what he’s become in a short time in New England. “I think it shows maturity. I’ve always said, if you take the blame, then you have the control to fix it,” Bradbury said. “Obviously, not everything is his fault, but he’s a smart guy. He’s honest, works hard and says all the right things.” With another blitz-heavy team on tap in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, it’ll be interesting to see if Maye can find that perfect balance. And remain healthy in the process.
