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New York Times
a day ago
- Business
- New York Times
Drake Maye film review: What the Patriots QB can do to improve in Year 2
Drake Maye stepped into a difficult situation last season and the No. 3 pick of the 2024 draft elevated an anemic Patriots offense. New England had one of the worst offensive lines and receiving corps in the league, so the rookie quarterback finding success in that environment was a minor miracle. This season brings a reset for Maye, with the Patriots hiring a new play caller with a productive track record (as an offensive coordinator, not head coach) in Josh McDaniels and upgrading the talent around their QB through the draft. After watching the film from Maye's rookie season, here are five questions he and the Patriots have to answer to take the next step. Advertisement In most of McDaniels' career as a play caller, the Patriots didn't throw the ball downfield a ton but focused on quick to intermediate passing. Tom Brady masterfully executed McDaniels' offense, frustrating defenses as New England dinked-and-dunked the ball downfield and hit the occasional shot when the defense grew impatient. However, McDaniels has shown the ability to adapt his philosophy to suit the talent on his roster. For example, when the Patriots acquired Randy Moss in 2007, Brady had the highest average air yards per attempt (AY/A) of his career (9.42). The Patriots were calling deep option routes for Moss that they didn't have in the playbook before. As the Raiders' head coach, after McDaniels and company acquired All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, quarterback Derek Carr had the highest AY/A (9.2) of his career. I imagine McDaniels will want to call a more vertical offense for Maye to take advantage of his arm talent, but to do that, someone has to step up as a consistent deep threat. That's why they drafted receiver Kyle Williams in the third round. He'll have to quickly learn McDaniels' offense, which has been notoriously difficult for young receivers. Diagram from the Patriots' 2016 playbook McDaniels also catered to other quarterbacks, including Cam Newton, and ran a creative option offense that was hampered by Newton's injuries at that late point in his career. With Maye's athleticism and the lack of proven weapons, I wouldn't be surprised if McDaniels installed a small option package for him. McDaniels is a sharp offensive coordinator who will create one of the more interesting schemes around his uniquely talented quarterback. The scheme won't matter unless Maye can learn it. Though McDaniel will tweak his scheme, it will likely remain complicated, which contrasts with the league-wide trend of making things as simple as possible for quarterbacks. To be as adaptable and multi-layered as McDaniels wants, the offense must be complicated. An onus is on the quarterback to handle the verbiage, pre-snap adjustments and option routes. It's not easy on quarterbacks, which is why coaches from this system prefer players with experience in it. Advertisement McDaniels' pre-snap operation is as intricate as any other in the league. For example, if the quarterback says 'molasses,' it means he has two play calls but will use a 'dummy' count to get the defense to show its hand to see if the quarterback has to 'kill' the first call to get into the second call. It's a useful tool but one of many that Maye will have to learn and master. Maye had trouble executing and threw four interceptions in an organized team activity (OTA) practice — not that it's anything to panic about, but it shows that his head is understandably overloaded a bit at this point. Maye's mobility was a difference-maker for an offense that couldn't block last season, but there were times when he could have avoided pressure or sacks by throwing with a tick more anticipation. 2:00 remaining in the fourth quarter, second-and-6 For example, on this play against the Rams, the defense rotated into Cover 1 (man-to-man with one deep safety and a robber). Maye had his first read open on a dig route but waited until after his receiver's break to start his throwing motion. The protection broke down quickly but Maye had an opportunity to get the throw off if he had released the ball a half-second earlier. Of course, this could be more of a trust issue against man coverage between Maye and his receiver. Maye did a better job of throwing with anticipation later in the season, particularly against zone coverage. 2:22 remaining in the second quarter, second-and-15 Here, the Colts rotated into a Cover 3 zone (three deep, four underneath). Maye read the coverage and looked off the weakside, underneath defender to open space for his in-breaker to the right. Before his receiver cleared the underarm defender and ran into the first window, Maye had already let go of the ball. The window would have closed if Maye had waited. Without anticipation, this ball would not have been completed, even with the RPMs Maye has on his bullet passes. The Patriots faced the second-highest rate of Cover 1 blitzes in the league because teams didn't respect their receivers and wanted to keep Maye bottled up in the pocket with an extra rusher. 4:30 remaining in the third quarter, second-and-7 The Patriots had a play-action concept with a dig route on this play against the Bills. The defense crowded the box and played man coverage. A blitzer got past the line of scrimmage as Maye was executing the play fake. Running back Antonio Gibson should have aborted the fake and blocked the blitzer, but he saw it too late and seemed to freeze. Pass protection was one of the reasons the Patriots drafted running back TreVeyon Henderson in the second round this year. Maye had to escape to the right, away from the break of the dig. Still, Maye was able to make a miraculous pass for the first down, throwing against the grain. Throws like this are why Maye was drafted so high, but you don't want to have to ask him to make plays like this against the blitz too often. McDaniels' system will give him more answers schematically but the Patriots must be able to block, and receivers must be able to beat man coverage more consistently. Advertisement Last season, Henry was targeted on 23.4 percent of the Patriots' third-down passes, ranking fourth among tight ends, right below Travis Kelce. Hunter is a fine player and developed a strong rapport with Maye last season, but he isn't nearly good enough to warrant that sort of usage. 4:25 remaining in the second quarter, second-and-7 Here, Henry had an out route against man coverage. Henry was bumped and didn't create a lot of separation but Maye knew he could throw the tight end open and trusted him to make the play. Maye threw a perfectly placed pass over the defender and Henry hauled it in. It was clear Maye's comfort level with Henry far exceeded his comfort level with any other receiver. In Maye's last full game of the season, Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter did a good job of taking Henry away, throwing Maye and Patriots offense out of whack. 6:35 remaining in the third quarter, third-and-2 On this play, the Chargers initially gave the Patriots a man coverage look with no one on top of Henry to bait Maye to look in his direction. After the snap, the defense dropped into a Cover 2 zone and linebacker Troy Dye (No. 43) sprinted from the other side of the formation to get underneath Henry. With Henry bracketed with an underneath defender and a safety over the top, Maye had to look elsewhere. However, the spacing on the play was poor, with three receivers bunched too closely. No one was open and the rush scheme created a free rusher who eventually chased Maye down. Who else can the Patriots lean on next season on third downs? Presumably, it'll be free-agent addition Stefon Diggs, but the data isn't kind to receivers coming off of an ACL injury. Diggs is also 31 and was already seen as a player no longer in his prime. And a video of Diggs appearing to hand out an unknown pink substance to a group of women at a party on a boat has become a potential issue, so we'll see whether that leads to a suspension. Advertisement If Diggs isn't the playmaker the Patriots thought they were getting and Williams needs some time to develop, Kendrick Bourne might be a go-to player for Maye in high-leverage situations. Bourne will be a year removed from an ACL injury that kept him out for most of last season and he's always been a sharp route runner with reliable hands. Maye's play last season should have Patriots fans optimistic and the young pieces they added in the draft are exciting, but this is a very young offense that has to learn a difficult offensive system. It could take some time to get going this season but after a year marred by dysfunction, the makings of a bright future appear to be in place for New England.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs WR Jalen Royals reveals the wideouts he watches most in the NFL
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Utah State wide receiver Jalen Royals in the fourth round with the 133rd pick in last weekend's draft, adding a dynamic playmaking receiver for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. On Saturday, he spoke with reporters at rookie camp and shared his mindset for the weekend and players he admired watching in the NFL. "I try to watch everybody. (Rams WR) Davante Adams, (Eagles WR) A.J. Brown, the big receivers," said Royals, "You try to piggyback off what they do and try to implement that into my game." Advertisement During the 2024 season, Royals was named second-team All-Mountain West. He led Utah State with 55 receptions, 834 receiving yards, and tallied six touchdowns while starting seven games. He listed some of the top receivers in the game today, but understands the hard work ahead of him starting this weekend at Rookie camp. "Just taking it one step at a time, taking it day-by-day," said Royals, "I know it's the first day, but just trying to come in and work and take it step-by-step." Royals has garnered comparisons to starting receiver Rashee Rice for their similar play, as he hopes to mirror his production on the field in 2025. This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs WR Jalen Royals reveals the wideouts he watches most in the NFL
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Rams WR Tutu Atwell finally primed for a breakout year? One NFL analyst thinks so
Tutu Atwell may not have put up huge numbers for the Los Angeles Rams in the last four years, but the team still rewarded him with a one-year deal worth $10 million this offseason – a contract that's fully guaranteed, too. Sean McVay has a vision for the small but speedy receiver, committing to him for at least one more season in L.A. He's coming off his best year yet in 2024, catching 42 passes for 562 yards, both of which were career-highs. Advertisement Heading into 2025, Atwell has a clear path to playing time behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. He's penciled in as the No. 3 receiver on the depth chart, which in McVay's 11 personnel-heavy offense means a lot of playing time. It could put Atwell in position for the breakout year everyone's been waiting for. CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso picked Atwell as one of five players in the NFL who are in a contract year and primed for a breakout, sharing high praise for the Rams receiver. Every coach on the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree wants a small burner to threaten vertically -- and even on jet sweeps -- within the offense -- the Rams didn't make Atwell a top 60 pick four years ago for no reason. The overwhelming majority of attention will be paid to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and rightfully so. That'll leave Atwell as a beneficiary of minimal over-the-top safety help, which is bad news for defenses given his 4.39 speed. In his final year of his rookie deal, Atwell will move into more of a prominent role in the Rams' 11 personnel-heavy attack and continue his upward trajectory as a niche asset who'll perfectly complement Los Angeles' uber-efficient superstar receivers not known for their pure speed. Trapasso noted improvements in Atwell's catch rate (51.4% to 59.1% to 68.9% since 2022) and yards per route run (2.24 in 2024) as reasons he's on track for a bigger year in 2025. It helps that much of the attention on offense will be paid to Nacua and Adams, leaving Atwell in one-on-one situations more often than not. With his speed, Atwell doesn't need to be a high-volume receiver to rack up the yards. He runs a lot of downfield routes where if he gets behind the defense, he could be gone for 50 yards and a score. Advertisement As the No. 3 receiver, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to set a career-high in yards this season. Follow Rams Wire on X, Facebook and Threads for more coverage! This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams WR Tutu Atwell highlighted as breakout candidate in 2025
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How this Ex-NFL WR thinks Davante Adams will change Rams' passing offense
Signing Davante Adams this offseason was the second-biggest move by the Rams after the retention of quarterback Matthew Stafford. In Adams, the Rams added a playmaker they haven't truly seen in the offense for a long time. While Cooper Kupp was great and Puka Nacua is an ascending star, neither has had the consistency that Adams has throughout his career. He is a do-it-all pass-catcher who former NFL receiver Pierre Garçon says will become a "security blanket" in the Rams offense. Advertisement "It gives them a security blanket. Third down, they're going to go to him. Early and often, they're going to get the ball in his hands so that he can make an impact in the game," Garçon said. "It's not going to be hard for those guys to get on the same page — Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and [head coach] Sean McVay because it's all going to basically be one-on-one, and what can they draw up to have fun and score touchdowns?" Adams has been a prolific pass-catcher in his 11-year career. He's caught 957 total receptions in 164 games with 11,844 receiving yards and 103 touchdowns. While Adams is 32 and will be 33 by the end of the season, he proved to be productive even in adverse situations after going from the Las Vegas Raiders to the New York Jets and putting up another 1,000 yards despite missing three games. Now, he gets arguably the best quarterback he's played for in Stafford with one of the best offensive minds in McVay calling his plays. Adams will be more than a security blanket, though. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Here's one way Davante Adams could change Rams' passing offense
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Quentin Lake thinks Rams' 2025 offense will be 'reminiscent of Greatest Show on Turf'
It'd be safe to say the Los Angeles Rams' offense underachieved in 2024. With Puka Nacua, Cooper Kupp and Kyren Williams surrounding Matthew Stafford, it was supposed to be a big year on that side of the ball. The Rams finished the year ranked 20th in points scored and 15th in total yards, a far cry from 2023 when they were eighth and seventh, respectively. Advertisement Heading into the 2025 season, a bounce-back is expected. Davante Adams joins Nacua to give the Rams a fantastic wide receiver duo, while Terrance Ferguson steps in at tight end to provide another pass-catching threat. Kupp isn't there anymore but Tutu Atwell, Nacua, Williams and Blake Corum are all still in the mix. Quentin Lake has high expectations for that group, making a bold statement while on NFL Network recently. In raving about Adams and what he brings to the offense, Lake said the Rams could be reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf era when St. Louis led the league in scoring and yards three years in a row. 'He's a fantastic player. He's been doing it year in and year out, and you can kind of tell he's adding value not only what he does as a player, but as a mentor to the younger guys, too,' Lake said of Adams. 'Teaching these guys how to attack defensive leverages, what to do at the top of the routes. I still think he's one of the best route-runners in the NFL and there's a reason Sean McVay was very adamant about getting him. He just kind of unlocks things in the offense and obviously, we've got our future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford over there. I expect big things because you got Puka on one end, Davante on the other, Tutu Atwell does a fantastic job, too. So we have all the weapons we need, and then Kyren in the backfield. It's going to be reminiscent of the Greatest Show on Turf. I hope we bring that back this year.' As talented as the Rams are on paper, no one should expect them to replicate the production from that 1999-2001 era when everything looked so easy offensively. Nacua and Adams should put up big numbers and Atwell could be poised for a breakout as the No. 3 receiver, but the Greatest Show on Turf had three Hall of Famers at quarterback, running back and wide receiver in Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk and Isaac Bruce. Advertisement Torry Holt isn't a Hall of Famer (yet) but he's an all-time great who should be enshrined in Canton already. Lake's confidence is admirable and encouraging, but he might need to take his expectations down just one notch. This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' Quentin Lake says LA offense will be like Greatest Show on Turf
