The New England Patriots have been tough to watch on both sides of the ball at points this season, but their offense has been especially putrid.
With that knowledge, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo announced that the team is benching quarterback Jacoby Brissett this week against the Houston Texans and replacing him with third-overall pick Drake Maye.
New England hopes that Maye's play will help spark the offense and jump-start a successful career for the rookie with the franchise.
On Wednesday, Maye took questions from the media during the starting quarterback's weekly press conference and spoke a lot about his new role.
Here's everything he had to say:
On his new role:
"Yeah, I think it's a great opportunity. It’s something you dream of, getting your first start in the NFL. I'm really excited to get out there with the guys, take advantage of having the full week to get prepared and try to put my best foot forward to help the team win."
On his comfort level:
"Yeah, now we're in week six. I had five games of sitting on the sideline hearing the play calls, preparing for the game, preparing for a Thursday night game versus preparing for a Sunday afternoon game. I feel like we've balanced a lot of different things throughout the week, how to prepare, and just trying to tag along from Jacoby [Brissett], a veteran in this league who does a great job. I’ve learned so much from him and seeing how he goes about practice. That's been the best thing of watching Jacoby and watching how he handles the whole nine yards, whether it's preparing, handling teammates, handling y'all. He's been great, and a great mentor."
On his level of input in the offense:
"I think the biggest thing is me playing on time, playing in rhythm, and trusting the guys around me. I think the game plan is not going to change. I think obviously you got a rookie quarterback going out there, but at the same time, what we do on offense is what we do on offense. So, not trying to give too many hints towards game plan. We got a game to play Sunday, but just looking forward to it.
"Yeah, that happens every week. AVP [Alex Van Pelt] comes to us at the end of the week, and he came to Jacoby the first five weeks, seeing what he liked and hey, ‘this is my favorite third down or my favorite drop back.’ We do that every week."
On how he'll process things in his first start:
"Yeah, I think early on, just try to take what they give me, and find completions. I think that's the biggest thing for a young quarterback going in there. Then from there, just don't try to hunt up off-platform, off-play, off-schedule throws. I think just feel it out and play football.
"I think the biggest thing sometimes is you try to get outside the pocket when you don't need to, and little things like that. So just play within the pocket, trust my feet, and go out there and play.
On where he feels he's grown the most:
"Yeah, I think, really, what comes with learning the NFL quarterback, and what comes with the title. Handling leadership, learning from Jacoby, what he's done, he's a great leader. He's one of our biggest leaders on the team. The verbiage of calling the huddles, I just had my first walk-through and felt pretty good with the verbiage there. Other than that, I'm excited for these guys. I think it's an opportunity against a good football team to go out there and prove people wrong."
On the message from Brissett:
"Jacoby, he's the ideal teammate, the ideal guy to be in the room with as a quarterback. I think the biggest thing is you hate it for him. I think Jacoby fought his butt off, got up every time he was getting hit. Not only that, he just kept that mindset of, ‘Hey, it's going to be the next play. Got this drive coming.’ Seeing him on the sideline, it was the positive vibes he kept and brought to this team and will still bring to this team. He's a great mentor, a great friend, and I was trying to do everything I can to help him, and I'm sure he'll do the same."
On what he learned on the sidelines:
"Yeah, down the sideline, you get more of a view of the defensive structure, trying to see techniques up front from the defensive line, trying to see safeties, and trying to see back-end stuff. At the same time, you get the back view of what the quarterback's thinking. I try to do that, or try to stand behind Jacoby. I think that was my mindset, trying to get a feel of playing back there behind him, what it would be like, and you don't get a great view as you do in practice standing right behind him. I'm just trying to replicate that and play the game while I'm on the sideline."
On what he learned emulating other starters as scout-team QB:
"Yeah, I think the timing they play with, and the routes. I think our defensive coaches speak on that, the rhythm, the timing of ‘hey, this ball is thrown before the look-in,’ anticipation, and throwing guys open. I think that's the biggest thing that I've tried to take in the new scout team. Trying to throw guys open, and throw a ball that I may not have had in my life before if I see something. I think that's the biggest thing. On the scout team, we've repped some pretty good quarterbacks and some fun offenses to throw the football in on scout. It's been cool to see how similar the offenses are, some stuff that we have, and some stuff they do differently. It's been pretty cool."
On if he felt this was coming:
"Really, I was just trying to prepare and try to stay ready every week. I think that's the thing about this league. You never know when your number is going to get called, so try to stay ready. Like I said earlier, Jacoby, I think he did all he could. I think he battled his butt off and was a great leader. I think the biggest thing is it's a winning league. We're sitting here at one and four, and I think those guys around here want to win."
On what he expects from himself in his first start:
"Yeah, I think I'll go out there and try to make some plays. I think the biggest thing, I was telling some of those guys, it's probably going to be a little nervous at the beginning. I think once we settle down, we have a chance to move the football and just have fun out there. It goes back to having fun going out there. That's what this game is about. Don't make it too big, or the spotlight too big. Just go out there with those guys that we've been battling for three months since training camp, go out there and try to make some plays."
On how it will feel to play his first game at home:
"Yeah, I think a few of my brothers and my parents will be here, but nothing in particular. I think it'll be pretty sweet in the red throwbacks. I think that'll be pretty cool to get out there in my first start, and especially in front of these fans. I think Patriots fans are the best fans in the league, and I'm looking forward to playing at Gillette in front of them."
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