Mike Reiss
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Maye's day: The Patriots' 2025 season bought off to a disappointing begin, with quarterback Drake Maye & Co. sputtering within the second half in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders. How Maye and the workforce reply in Sunday's sport in opposition to the host Miami Dolphins (1 p.m. ET, CBS) will additional reveal what sort of squad coach Mike Vrabel has
Arguably one of the necessary and complicated questions surrounding the workforce is: What's a good expectation for Maye at this level?
Maye completed 30-of-46 for 287 yards with one landing and one interception within the Week 1 loss to the Raiders, which established a profession excessive for completions and yards. However by most accounts, together with from Maye himself, it wasn't his ‘A' sport. What appeared to hassle him most was a handful of throws he believed he ought to have accomplished.
“Significantly ones the place I really feel like I had guys open,” he mentioned. “Accuracy is likely one of the greatest issues at quarterback, so being correct is what I take delight in, and you'll't miss open guys.”
It occurred on the third offensive play when he airmailed receiver DeMario “Pop” Douglas on the sideline. He later was off the mark to Douglas ultimately zone, in addition to to tight finish Hunter Henry, who was sitting in a gaping gap in a zone on the primary offensive play after Maye's lone interception when he was hit as he threw. These have been balanced in opposition to some high-level performs through which he displayed poise within the pocket — to Henry and receivers Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs — in a reminder of the promise that led Maye to be chosen with the No. 3 decide within the 2024 draft.
The mixed-bag efficiency ignited a debate concerning the 23-year-old Maye and if he had an excessive amount of on his plate, which head coach Mike Vrabel did not instantly extinguish when requested.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels appeared shocked it was some extent of dialogue.
“You need to perceive it is his first sport in our system,” McDaniels mentioned. “I assumed he made quite a lot of good performs, quite a lot of good choices. I am centered, actually, on the method of him getting higher on daily basis as a result of I feel the view of it's it must be a long-term imaginative and prescient of the place this man goes to be. He'll be a extremely good participant.”
One NFL common supervisor mentioned final week that it reminded him, partly, of a few of the early-career dialog surrounding Buffalo Payments quarterback Josh Allen. It's straightforward to neglect, however Allen had some rising pains that included finishing simply 52.8% and 58.8% of his passes in his first two seasons. The GM wasn't evaluating Maye to Allen however as a substitute acknowledging that it typically takes time for quarterbacks to develop and hit their peak.
When requested what areas he believed Maye wanted to focus most on, McDaniels mentioned: “I am the worldwide view with him. … The largest factor for me, he is a younger quarterback. He is studying by means of all these experiences. He is the precise man. We will have a possibility to proceed to develop and enhance and get higher.”
Seventh-year middle Garrett Bradbury, who's in his first season in New England, stays considered one of Maye's greatest boosters.
“I have been actually round two quarterbacks, Kirk Cousins and Sam Darnold, and people weren't younger guys. So I am impressed. His character, I feel he can join with everybody within the locker room. Soccer apart, he is a enjoyable man to be round. Aggressive. Humorousness. Soccer facet, he works his butt off,” Bradbury mentioned.
“So it was sort of talked about, [the] ‘we would like outcomes, outcomes, outcomes' [culture] — he is aware of that, particularly at that place at this stage. He signed up for that when he began taking part in quarterback. I feel one thing he does not lack is self-awareness, when it comes to what his job is, what he expects of himself. However on the similar time, you are not going to have all of it discovered. As quickly as you suppose you do, you are lifeless, getting handed up.”
Bradbury added that considered one of his favourite components of the NFL season is enduring the highs and lows with teammates and he credited Maye for “firing the boys up” in Wednesday's apply.
“It is the each day grind. I like doing it with not solely guys you want, however you need to go to warfare with,” he mentioned.
2. JMac's view: Former Patriots defensive again Jason McCourty, who additionally spent one season with the Dolphins, is a part of the CBS crew broadcasting Sunday's sport alongside Andrew Catalon (play-by-play), Charles Davis (evaluation) and AJ Ross (sideline).
His high storylines after Week 1 movie assessment: “How the Patriots determine to defend this Miami offense. Final week, they performed quite a lot of man and blitzed [Raiders quarterback] Geno Smith. In case you have a look at how Vrabel's Titans groups attacked, it was very totally different — they did not blitz as a lot and performed with two excessive safeties nearly all of the sport. Offensively, how do they get explosive performs? Will we see extra of [TreVeyon] Henderson? Is Diggs the subsequent possibility that is going to indicate up behind Boutte?”
3. ‘X' performs: The Patriots' protection allowed 9 performs of 20 yards or extra within the season-opening loss, which during the last week had coaches and gamers repeating the phrase “X performs” — a shortened soccer reference for “explosives.”
Safeties coach Scott Booker mentioned that has been a key goal coming into Sunday's sport in opposition to the Dolphins' timing-based offense that may rating rapidly with its pace.
“You are not going win quite a lot of video games giving up 9 ‘X' performs in a sport. It wasn't like there was one particular factor, it was extra of a end result of perhaps only one man not doing his job, or perhaps one man misplaced,” Booker mentioned. “So what we tried to do that week was tighten it up; that as a training employees we have been clear on what we need to do, and I really feel like the fellows responded nicely.”
4. Vertical Boutte: Boutte's 9 targets within the season opener have been a profession excessive, and in response to ESPN Analysis, 24 of his 40 routes have been vertical.
That's an space the Dolphins have been susceptible of their 33-8 season-opening loss to the Colts, as Indianapolis receivers have been 5-of-6 for 113 yards and a landing on vertical routes in opposition to a secondary that features former New England cornerback Jack Jones.
“I feel individuals fail to understand that at one time limit I used to be a first-round decide.”
WR Kayshon Boutte, on Monday to @_KhariThompson, after totaling 6 receptions for 103 yards in a high particular person efficiency within the Patriots' season-opening loss pic.twitter.com/vceL5arBs1
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 8, 2025
5. LSU's Campbell: In case you discover some purple and gold beneath Patriots first-round decide Will Campbell's jersey, these are his shoulder pads from Louisiana State. Campbell, the No. 4 decide who performed each snap at left deal with in his NFL debut, says it is all about consolation.
Likewise, Boutte nonetheless has his purple and gold shoulder pads from LSU in his locker however now not wears them in his third NFL season as a result of he is discovered much less bulkier shoulder pads he now prefers.
6. Gonzo's standing: The query many are asking: “What's going on with Christian Gonzalez?”
The second-team All-Professional cornerback injured his hamstring July 28, hasn't practiced since and has been dominated out Sunday for the second week in a row. Vrabel usually avoids speaking about accidents, however at one level earlier this month started to trace that issues have not progressed as hoped earlier than catching himself.
Vrabel praised Gonzalez for being engaged, which included being on each street journeys within the preseason and watching the season opener on the sideline, and likewise mentioned he appears for 3 issues earlier than a participant returns: Can he do the job with confidence, defend himself and keep away from making it any worse.
7. Henry's rise: Henry (4 catches, 66 yards within the opener) wants 5 receiving yards to cross Benjamin Watson into fourth place amongst tight ends in Patriots historical past (2,271) and 5 receptions to cross Russ Francis into fourth place (203).
The manufacturing displays his consistency since becoming a member of New England as a free agent in March 2021 — he is performed in 65 of a doable 69 regular-season video games — and likewise the chemistry he is constructed with Maye on and off the sector.
Maye referred to Henry as “considered one of my finest associates on the workforce” and somebody whose love of the sport stands out.
8. Pees' affect: Booker's presence as safeties coach serves up a reminder of how former Patriots defensive coordinator Dean Pees' impression continues to be felt across the Patriots.
Pees, in fact, coached Vrabel in New England (2004 to 2008) and later served as Vrabel's defensive coordinator with the Titans. However earlier than that, whereas serving as Kent State head coach, Pees recruited Booker to the varsity in 1999 and later employed him there as a graduate assistant. Booker, 44, referred to as the 74-year-old Pees — who's retired and not too long ago visited Patriots apply — an necessary function mannequin in his life.
9. Borregales' debut: Rookie kicker Andy Borregales returns to Arduous Rock Stadium this weekend, a spot he is conversant in from his profession on the College of Miami (which performs there).
Borregales' NFL profession bought off to a shaky begin final Sunday when he missed a 40-yard subject aim within the second quarter, however he made subject objectives of 35 and 44 yards within the second half and likewise had an additional level.
Particular groups coach Jeremy Springer traced the miss to foot placement, whereas noting how he responded to the adversity by making his subsequent two makes an attempt. “I feel with him, it is can we get the consistency. He is working at it, doing an excellent job,” Springer mentioned.
10. Do you know? Miami's Tua Tagovailoa is 7-0 all time in opposition to the Patriots, and with a win Sunday, will be part of John Elway (Broncos) because the second quarterback to win every of his first eight video games in opposition to New England.
