FOXBORO — The New England Patriots will not be replacing rookie quarterback Drake Maye with Jacoby Brissett for the time being. Head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed that Brissett will continue as the starter until he decides otherwise.
“Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he’s not the quarterback,” Mayo stated during a video conference with reporters on Friday morning. “Last night, he showed a lot of toughness and grit despite some breakdowns in protection. As a team and coaching staff, we need to perform better.”
Brissett faced significant pressure during New England’s 24-3 defeat to the Jets on Thursday night, being sacked five times and only managing to throw for 98 yards. This ongoing struggle has been a consistent issue for the Patriots in the first three weeks of the season, where the offensive line has struggled to protect their quarterback. With the game outcome already determined in the fourth quarter, Mayo opted to allow Maye to finish the game, which allowed him some on-field experience.
Though Maye managed to lead the team to the red zone, his drive ended with a sack on his last play, as he was pressured twice and hit three times during his 16 snaps. After reviewing the game film with his coaching staff, Mayo confirmed that Brissett remains the starting quarterback. He noted that Maye is receiving around 30 percent of the first-team snaps in practice, which is atypical for a backup quarterback.
However, Mayo stated that Maye’s practice time would not increase ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. “Right now, it’s still the same status quo,” he remarked. “Jacoby is still our starting quarterback, and we must be ready to support him. It involves all 11 players on offense, so that’s not something we’re considering at this time.”
Mayo added, “Our main focus is to get to 2-2. Everything is always under evaluation, but just to clarify, Jacoby is still our starting quarterback until I decide otherwise.”
Regarding Maye’s performance, which was mixed, he completed four of eight passes for 22 yards and rushed for 12 yards. His initial pass was nearly intercepted, but he also connected with DeMario Douglas for a 15-yard gain that put the Patriots in scoring position. In a preceding play, he achieved a first down on an 11-yard run during a fourth-and-8 situation.
Mayo acknowledged Maye’s potential, saying, “He has athleticism and can make all the throws. Coming off the bench is always tough, especially for a quarterback, but he handled himself well and tried to construct a drive. It’s something to build off, and it was a good opportunity for him to gain some live reps.”
Despite Maye’s experience, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt believes the ideal plan for his development is to keep him on the sidelines for now. “I think he can learn a lot by watching, and that’s where I stand,” Van Pelt commented. “Jacoby is our starter, and as Coach said, until that changes, we need to prepare him to win against the 49ers.”