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Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Drake Maye talks ‘pressure' of being in Tom Brady's shadow, Mike Vrabel's culture, and more on WEEI
Embracing Vrabel's message The Patriots might have scored a 'That's a bad decision and I think we're going to need better from him and I think he knows that and I think that's obvious,' Vrabel said. The Stream WASvsNE on — NFL (@NFL) Speaking on WEEI, Maye acknowledged that Vrabel is setting a high standard as the team tries to right the ship after back-to-back four-win seasons. Advertisement 'Just intensity. Bringing it everyday. Leaving your ego at the door and then from there bring it onto the field and finishing through the whistle,' Maye said. 'Doing the little things right. And I think that's just trying to help us on the field. When the little things — details and technique — come into play, that's what he's trying to establish.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Speaking on WEEI earlier on Monday, Vrabel again stressed that Maye will have to be held to a higher standard this season if the Patriots are going to make major strides in 2025 and beyond. 'The expectation is that he's leading this football team,' Advertisement 'I mean, sometimes the performance isn't going to be extraordinary, but the leadership and the demeanor has to be. And I think he's learning that. I love the fact that he's willing to learn and push and try to do those things to where he's demanding of everybody and making sure that everybody's on the same page.' Maye concurred with Vrabel's comments about his expectations as one of the leaders of a rebuilding New England roster. 'He hit it off the tee,' Maye said. 'Just bring it every day. No days off. When the team of the offense feels like you're kind of lagging around, it's my job to bring them up.' Beyond his fumble, Maye logged two drives, completing 3-of-5 passes for 12 yards, while also rushing for 16 yards on two carries with a touchdown. 'Felt good to get out there, kind of get the communication with coach in the headset, getting out of the huddle, really move the ball,' Maye said. 'Instead of out here in practice, just kind of having us line up and running plays. . . . But no, I thought the fans showed out — what a night to celebrate Number 12 [Tom Brady]. And then we got the win.' Playing in Brady's shadow Brady's presence was felt on Friday in Foxborough, as the Patriots welcomed back the legendary QB for the unveiling of a Even though Maye is not the direct successor to Brady in New England, there are lofty expectations placed on every signal-caller for the Patriots tasked with leading the franchise in the post-Brady era. Advertisement But, Maye doesn't believe he's put at a disadvantage when it comes to playing for a franchise that boasted one of the all-time greats in NFL history. 'Yeah, I wouldn't say pressure,' Maye said. 'I think it's just appreciation for what he did, what he did here, how he played the position, how he loved to win and wanted to win, and how they did win. I think that's the biggest part.' A younger O-line Beyond Maye's continued development, the Patriots are going to need a revamped offensive line to keep Maye off the turf and out of danger if the team is going to climb up the standings in 2025. It's going to require several youngsters thriving at football's highest level, as the left side of New England's O-line might feature two rookies with Will Campbell at tackle and Jared Wilson at guard. So far, Maye likes what he sees from the two rookies — even if all parties involved might need to deal with some growing pains over the course of this season. 'Jared was committed to North Carolina back in the day out of high school. He's from North Carolina. So I knew him back in high school. He flipped to Georgia, which I don't blame him,' Maye said. 'But I knew him already. And me and Will — we're going through the same thing. Top-five pick, coming to Boston from the south. Different accents. I think that's just going through it. 'The spot Will's in is kind of the best thing for me and him to be able to relate and communicate and talk. And I think both those guys up front put the work in. . . . Proud of what those guys have done. I think they're learning.' Advertisement A crowded wideout room The early consensus in Foxborough is that players like Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, rookie Kyle Williams, and Kayshon Boutte have carved out roles on the Patriots' Week 1 roster. But, there are still several intriguing wideouts still trying to avoid roster cuts, with players like Javon Baker and . 📺: WBZ — New England Patriots (@Patriots) It remains to be seen how New England's crowded receiver corps thins itself out. But, Maye believes it's a good problem to have when it comes to the abundance of targets that he's working with during camp. 'I think they're battling,' Maye said. 'You got seven, eight guys that bring it every day in that whole room. [Wide receivers] coach Todd [Downing] is doing a great job of challenging them and having to be in the right spots and having different plays, different concepts. 'They are learning them well and asking me questions . . . and asking [offensive coordinator Josh] McDaniels, who's a legend with it. So I think just keep on communicating. That's the biggest thing. And I think how it plays out, the guys who keep on being in the right spot, making plays and are blocking in the run game will be out there.' Conor Ryan can be reached at
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Studs and duds from Patriots 48-18 preseason win over Commanders
.@EftonChism making it work on 4th down 💸@Bwool8 | #NEPats📺: WBZ The New England Patriots came out swinging in their preseason opener against the Washington Commanders on Friday night. It felt like a regular season game for the Patriots. This was the first showing of the new-look team under coach Mike Vrabel. They wanted to come out on game night and make a statement, and they did so emphatically at the expense of the Commanders in a 48-18 victory. While the Commanders opted to rest most of their projected starters, the Patriots decided to play many of their starters in the game. Some only played for a couple of drives, so there wasn't enough football from everyone to make a clear distinction between a stud or dud performance. Who stood out in the Patriots' preseason opener against the Commanders? Here are the studs and duds from Friday's game. STUD: WR Efton Chism III Efton Chism III has become a fan favorite at training camp. What's not to like about an undrafted rookie who seemingly eats catches for breakfast? He was at it again in Friday's preseason opener with a team-high six catches for 50 yards and one touchdown. It was a strong effort in his bid to make the 53-man roster. STUD: RB TreVeyon Henderson TreVeyon Henderson scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball in the NFL. The rookie second-round pick exploded for a 100-yard touchdown run on the first kickoff of the game. He finished the game with one carry for 18 yards and three receptions for 12 yards. In his debut, Henderson has already proven himself to be the most explosive player on the Patriots' offense. THE FIRST TIME HE TOUCHED THE BALL IN THE NFL!!!!@TreVeyonH4 | @NFL📺: WBZ STUD: CB D.J. James All D.J. James seems to do is make plays. The second-year cornerback was at it again in the preseason opener by snagging an interception and setting the Patriots up on a shortened field to add to their 14-point lead in the first quarter. He finished the game with three tackles, one pass deflection and one interception. DJ James picks it off for the @Patriots!Stream WASvsNE on @NFLPlus STUD: ST coach Jeremy Springer Special teams were the only bright spot for the Patriots last season. That's why Jeremy Springer managed to land a job on Mike Vrabel's coaching staff, while nearly everyone else was ousted. The unit had a big game against the Commanders with TreVeyon Henderson's 100-yard touchdown return, and veteran running back Antonio Gibson had a return for 62 yards. The blocking on both kickoffs was superb. Springer deserves a lot of credit for his unit staying disciplined and making big plays. STUD: WR Javon Baker It would have been easier for Javon Baker to throw his hands up and be mad at the world that his rookie season didn't go according to plan. However, he has continued to dig deep and willingly accept whatever role is asked of him, including contributing on special teams. Baker played on special teams against the Commanders and made two tackles in the game. With cornerback Marcellas Dial Jr. out for the season, Baker could have a real path to making the roster if he can step into the role as a receiver/special teams contributor. Mike Vrabel was encouraged by Javon Baker, who had two special teams tackles tonight STUD: K John Parker Romo John Parker Romo has a mountain to climb to beat rookie sixth-round draft pick Andres Borregales for the starting kicker job, but he is beginning to make believers out of fans with his incredible kicking performances. He booted a 57-yard field goal through the uprights in Friday's game against the Commanders. It was a statement kick that showed he's capable of climbing whatever mountain he needs to climb to compete with Borregales. DUD: QB Joshua Dobbs Drake Maye could have easily landed in this category as well after fumbling the ball in the first quarter, but he only played on two series and went 3-for-5 passing for 12 yards and one rushing touchdown. So there isn't a lot there to judge his performance. Meanwhile, veteran quarterback Joshua Dobbs struggled with inaccurate throws throughout the game. He missed an easy touchdown throw to rookie Kyle Williams and came up short on multiple throws downfield. After a solid joint practice, this was far from Dobbs' best performance on the field. Kyle Williams absolutely BBQ'd his man off the line for a walk-in TD, but Josh Dobbs missed him STUD: DT Milton Williams Milton Williams, the Patriots' big-ticket free agent acquisition, looked like a mauler on the defensive front. On one sequence, he pressured the quarterback up the middle to force an early throw, and then he followed that play up with a tackle for a loss on a third down. Williams and Christian Barmore together are going to be tough for opposing teams to deal with this season. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.
