Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - PATRIOTS POSTCAST: Drake Maye Impresses In NFL Debut, But Patriots Get Throttled By Houston Texans

Episode Date: October 13, 2024

There is finally some hope in New England. No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye looked really impressive in his first NFL start, but the Patriots defense looked just dreadful once again, as they lose to the Houston Texans 41-21. They obviously won't win many games, but the Pats seem to have something with Maye, who threw for nearly 250 yards and 3 touchdown passes, more than Jacoby Brissett threw for in 5 games. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Hillsdale College All of Hillsdale’s courses are self-paced so that you can start whenever, and tune in wherever. Plus, you can go deeper with readings, quizzes, discussions - or just enjoy the lectures. Go right now to hillsdale.edu/lockedon to enroll. There’s no cost, and it’s easy to get started. Zbiotics Go to zbiotics.com/LOCKEDONNFL to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use LOCKEDONNFL at checkout. PrizePicks Download the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game. Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms Apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Place your first FIVE DOLLAR bet and you’ll get started with TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in BONUS BETS - guaranteed ! Visit FANDUEL.COM to get started. LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNFL. Terms and conditions apply. BetterHelp This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month. Robinhood The new gold standard is here with Robinhood Gold. Sign up at robinhood.com/gold Terms apply, for product specific disclosures visit robinhood.com/gold. Investing involves risk. Rate may change. Gold membership is offered by Robinhood Gold, LLC. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9

the Patriots lose in the present. That's nothing new, but they might've won in the future. This is the locked on Patriots postcast. You are locked on Patriots postcast part of locked on sports, Boston on the locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Welcome to another edition of the Locked On Sports Boston Patriots Postcast

brought to you by LinkedIn. I am your host, Kim Stewart. Patriots, of course, we lose again. We've lost five in a row. 41-21. They are downed by the Houston Texans in Foxborough. First win ever for Houston in Foxborough. I don't know if you guys caught that on the broadcast.

Houston's a much better team than them, so that's to be expected. But, of course, the story was Drake May's debut and what you can take from that. And if there is actually hope in Foxborough with number 10 at quarterback, we're going to talk about the debut. We're going to talk a little bit about this Patriots defense and the revelation that I had about it today. And Jalen Polk,

he was supposed to be your other impact rookie. Where the heck is he, man? One catch today. We'll go over what's been going on with him as well. All coming up on this lockdown sports, Boston Patriots postcast. But of course, the story.

You're not surprised by the loss. We were building up all week, though, that it is Drake May's time, his first start in the NFL. You've heard Mike DeBate doing a great job with Locked On Patriots, talking about it all week. And honestly, I was very impressed. Very impressed by Drake May today. You do have something there in terms of hope for Patriots fans. And he actually looked a little bit better than I thought he was going to. I thought coming into this game that you weren't going to see much different from Drake May and that Patriots offense,

from what you saw the Patriots offense under Jacoby Brissett the first few weeks. I mean, I think obviously he has more upside and more arm talent than Jacoby Brissett, but when you look around them, it's like, how do you expect this to be any better? And I got to give it to Drake May. He made it look better. 18-27, 233, three touchdown passes, a couple of picks too. Only one of them was his fault. But he goes for more touchdown passes in game one than Jacoby Brissett did all of the first five weeks. In fact, it took him three quarters to surpass Jacoby Brissett's game high in, in passing yards and touchdown passes. And he didn't even need the fourth quarter to get there.

Excuse me, 20 of 33 for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions. That's a pretty damn good debut right there. That's kind of what you were expecting. If you were like taking the upside of Drake May being the number three overall pick. I think that's about the best you could ask for. I was expecting it to take a little bit longer to come to fruition. But what you saw today was a Patriots offense that can move the ball, that can score points, that can get into the end zone. And they have a lot of deficiencies around that offense,

but you see how much can be changed by having a better, more athletic quarterback out there. And Drake May did it a couple of times with his legs, but mostly it was with his arm. I thought he settled into the game really nicely. He had that pick on the second drive. That one was his fault. It was overthrown, a bad interception. But after

that, he really eased into the game. He didn't need to use any safety blankets. He found the open man, that first touchdown pass, my God. The entire six state region of New England could not believe their eyes on that 40 yard touchdown pass to Keishon Butte right before the half. In fact, you could even say it was a star is born moment for both guys, but more likely Drake Bay, right? And what impressed me so much, even about that and before that, is the fact that they got the ball back with about a little over a minute left. They ran it to Jermichael Hasty on the first play,

and the fans started booing because it's like, seriously, you're going to give this up? And Trent Green on the broadcast actually said something, good analysis. He said, if they're going to do this, the Texans should just call their timeouts and get the ball in good field position right before the half. They're not going to have much time, but force them to do something.

And then the Patriots started going. And at any point this year, they have not trusted Jacoby Brissett in a two-minute offense. We talked about this a few weeks ago in the postcast, actually. It was the last game, the last home game against Miami. They went a run and then two incomplete passes, and Miami didn't have to use any of their timeouts, got the ball back right before halftime at midfield.

They have not trusted a true two-minute drill for this offense the whole season, but in start number one for Drake May, they did, and it paid instant dividends. And then a huge play was the pass before. There was an illegal hands-to-the-face after completion, or on top of the completion, there was illegal hands to the face penalty on the Texans. That was a humongous play because there were 16 seconds left in the half and the Brits had two timeouts. Okay. So because of that penalty, they did not have to use the first time out. And now with two at your disposal, you can take a shot down the

field. That's exactly what they did. They found a one-on-one matchup on the boundary that absolutely should have favored the Texans 11 times out of 10, right? Derek Stingley on Keyshawn Butte one-on-one, but Butte makes a nice play to get around him and Drake May drops it in the bucket. You couldn't have placed it any better 40 yards out. And the star is born and he throws two more touchdown passes as well that I it was a great announcer jinx in there the Patriots are the 32nd ranked offense in the red zone in the entire league pretty obvious they're the 32nd ranked offense in the league yeah they're probably pretty bad in the red zone first and goal first goal to go situation for Drake May of his career with the Patriots. And it's a touchdown to Hunter Henry.

Like it took them, it took them 42 minutes to get into the red zone. But I think if you watch that, you would say any deficiencies the Patriots had on offense, this game was not Drake May's fault, not Drake May's fault. Maybe that's given me giving him too much wiggle room in week number one, because we all want him to be good. But there was nothing out there that I saw that was like, man, that's Drake Mays' fault. The first pick was bad.

The fumble was not great. He should have some more awareness there, but he's got a guy bearing down on him on his blind side after like a second and a half. The Patriots now have one, I repeat, one offensive lineman who started week one for them in this game today. Just a single one, and he's playing out of position. And Mike Onwenu, so it just goes from bad to worse.

And then most of the game, your left tackle is a guy you signed this week. I hate sounding like a broken record. It's the worst offensive line in the league and one of the worst I've ever seen watching football for 20 years. But that just shows you how bad this situation is, how stacked up it is against Drake May. And again, the targets, like who does he have?

He didn't even have Ramondre Stevenson today. He'd work with Antonio Gibson and Jamichael Hasty. He has to work with Austin Hooper, who tries like hell to make a play and makes it worse. He has that one play where he stays off the ground. It would have been a one- or two-yard completion. Gets two more yards and then can't help himself. Has to fumble the ball, which spots the Texans in short field

and gives them, I think, two plays later, they're in the end zone. But I can't blame this on Drake May. He doesn't have a lot around him. And I thought he looked really impressive today, as evidenced by three touchdowns, which is more than they had all year. Coming into this one, you have something there. There is hope for the Patriots in the form of Drake May. It's not going to come

around instantly. It was better this week than I thought it was going to be, but I don't know if he starts winning games for you till towards the end of this season, but it is such a step up from what you had in Jacoby Brissett. And I still didn't think this was a great Alex Van Pelt game, especially when you had to replace your left tackle in there. I mean, the Texans were getting the quarterback a ton and still, still there is no quick play playbook for, for Alex Van Pelt. There aren't a lot of plays where it's designed to get the ball out of the quarterback's hands quickly. And I'm just amazed by that. You knew what personnel you had an offensive line coming into the season. You knew you didn't have a guy with a gun of an arm and Jacoby Brissett.

And even though you do have that with Drake May, you've got to get the ball out quickly. That's been the successful, the hallmark of a successful Patriots offense forever and the hallmark of the best quarterbacks in the league. And still they just think, well, no, our guy will just do seven step drops. We'll get the protection and get it out there. Um, but Drake may chef's kiss today, almost as good as you could have imagined, uh, for this kind of offense behind this offensive line and the fact that they were down two touchdowns before his second pass attempt of the game. I think he was put in a hole. He did not shrink to the occasion. He came back, he faced that adversity and looked better each time down the field. I think you have a lot in Drake May. You don't have a lot on the defensive side of the

ball, which has become more surprising by the week. We'll go through that coming up next on the Locked On Sports Boston Patriots postcast. But first, today's episode is brought to you by LinkedIn. I'm talking to you, Alex Van Pelt, because when you're hiring for your small business, you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role. That's why you got to check out LinkedIn. It's not like any other job board. It helps you hire professionals that you can't find anywhere

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and use that code locked on to get 10% off your first month. Another not so glowing performance from this Patriots defense, which really sold us a bag of goods coming into this season. And look, they were an excellent defense last year as well. They have faced some injuries. You traded Judon. You're not going to have Barr more this year. You've had some more debilitating injuries like Juwan Bentley. Kyle Duggar was back today. Jabril Peppers is probably not coming back anytime soon. And from what we know right now, for good reason. But once again, this Patriots defense, you can go up and down the field on these guys, man.

If you have a halfway competent quarterback, you don't even need to run the ball against them. And what's surprising to me is Christian Gonzalez has been so good this season. Didn't have his best day today, but not as bad as it might've looked to the naked eye. He did get beat on a touchdown, just to find digs, by the way. Oh, good Lord. There have been a lot of bad Patriots games over the last five years, but thank God it is not two games a year against Stefan Diggs. The dude just loves playing the Patriots. He kills them, man. And specifically since, obviously, since he went to Buffalo, he has just been destroying the Patriots every time, every time. In fact, in the last five seasons, that kind of window that we're talking about,

he has dominated them. Six catches today, four, six, seven, seven, seven, four, nine, six touchdowns. He has got nine touchdowns, nine touchdowns against them in the last five years, including three of them in that one game against Buffalo, the Patriots against Buffalo back in that awful 2020 season. He just destroys the Patriots. But anyway, I say that Christian Gonzalez has been really good all year, even though it was his best game today.

He's been one of the best corners in the league. He's established himself as that, and he still hasn't even played a full season of football. And so when you take that into account, you've got to wonder how freaking bad is the rest of this secondary because you could just dink and dunk all day on him. Just go right down the field in the passing game. No need to run the ball.

So how bad is the rest of this defense that it happens to them week after week after week? CJ Stroud, good quarterback. Houston Texans, good team. Don't get me wrong, but gave up 27 in the second half. It's the most points the Texans have ever scored in a road game ever. This is season 23 and they have never scored more than 40 points on the road until today, until you face the Patriots. There has not been a team that's worse at home than the Patriots the last few seasons. They hate doing it. They hate playing at home. I don't really get it. It was never like a real raucous environment the way Arrowhead gets

when it gets going or whatever. Name your stadium. But they were always so comfortable and good at home. They were impossible to beat at home. They did pretty well on the road too. But to defend your home field the way the Patriots have the last few seasons is downright embarrassing. It's Pop Warner type

stuff. I mean, just terrible. It looks like at times they're, I'm not going to say it. I'm not going to say they're a special needs team. You can cut that conclusion yourself. They look terrible out there again in coverage. And the first three third down opportunities for the Texans, they got first downs every time because the Patriots committed penalties. Now I will note on that first four point play of the game where it was third and goal from the five, it was an incomplete pass to the back of the end zone. They called a pass interference on Marte Mapu, who was guarding someone who the ball was not thrown to and was clearly jamming within five yards. They bring Gene Steratore on, the rules expert, the former ref who will defend the refs to the death.

He's a total union guy, as you should expect. And even in that one, he said, yeah, I don't know. I don't know where the pass interference is here. It's within five yards. It's not a catchable ball because he's not the intended target. So I'm not sure why it's a pass interference on that guy. So that, that swings it to four points to the Texans advantage. And then on the final touchdown,

the long touchdown run, he would have been out at the one or was out at the one. Like you could clearly see there's no field between the guys cleat and where, where the white chalk is. And Sarah tour again comes on and goes, yeah, they got this one wrong. How bad does the officiating have to be that Gene Steratore is calling it out twice? And they didn't even bring him on after that totally brutal, blatant,

missed face mask call to start the third quarter. So I don't know that it makes a difference in the game, but that takes at least one touchdown off the board, possibly a second. That does kind of make this game closer if they make the pretty obvious calls, but the Patriots defense did not put them in a position where they deserve to win today.

It was the first time in three weeks that the Patriots have not been doubled up on total yardage. So round of applause there. They only gave up 368 yards, but again, the last two weeks and you take away the game winning knee by the dolphins, they get doubled up on yardage both times. The real problem with this game obviously was the turnovers. First one that's on Drake May sailed that ball fumble. You can go either way with it. Second interception is a total fluke.

It's batted, and then a linebacker absolutely mosses a blocker to get the pick, and Austin Hooper's stupid fumble. So two of the touchdowns come when you spot them the ball inside the 35-yard line. You're not going to win anything doing that. It was 4-1 in the turnover battle. And to me, that's a huge difference in the game. It's maybe not the only difference, but how can you tell when you lose by three touchdowns? But in terms of the numbers, it looked a little closer today than it has in recent weeks,

which is something for the Patriots to hang their hat on. I mentioned the Texans converted their first three third downs. They only do one of their next eight after that. And the Patriots, unfortunately, were not better at three for 13. But you ran roughly the same amount of plays. It wasn't a total domination in yardage, yards per play. It wasn't a humongous difference, yard and a half difference in favor of the Texans.

It really comes down to turnovers and probably the fact that the Patriots only got in the red zone once. But you look at the drops, the boneheaded plays, the miscommunications, they're still there. Specifically, the drops are still there. And I didn't expect the Patriots to go out and win this game today, but their defense did not do them any favors. And so, weirdly, the way Drake May played today,

are we about to see a flip in the next couple weeks where their offense does give them something, maybe keeps them in games the way Drake May played, and their defense does not. It was the exact opposite last year. It was the exact opposite the first two or three weeks, and it has not been that way the last three, and that's how you get to five losses in a row. But now the way Drake May played, it looks like a winnable game next week.

That's all I'm going to say. We're going to take a look at where this game turned specifically into the Texans favor. And where's the other rookie? We got to see one great offensive rookie on display. Where was the other one that's coming up on the lockdown sports, Boston Patriots postcast. Today's postcast is brought to you by FanDuel. I'm looking at you, NFL fans. You can start this season with a big return on FanDuel, America's number one sports book.

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and at least have that to their advantage. Once again, Fanduel.com. That's Fanduel.com. Fanduel, America's number one sports book. All right, we got to do the turntables here, where things turned for the Texans in this one. And to me, it's the first couple of plays of that third quarter. I mean, you've got the awesome 40-yard touchdown pass to Keishon Butte right going into half. You finally see something from this offense, from Drake May, and you're right in the football game.

It's 14-7. As bad as you were playing on offense, specifically the first couple of drives, and then on defense the whole time, it's only 14 to seven. And then first play from scrimmage third quarter, I don't know how you missed that face mask. I mean, everyone in the stadium saw it. Everyone in America saw that face mask

except the officials apparently. They don't throw a flag. And then the next play is a strip sack on, on Drake may. And two plays later, the Texans are in the end zone. It's 21 to seven. It's a massively different ball game. The Patriots don't get it within 14 points again.

So it's, it's really there where it turns in the Texans favor. They rattle off 13 straight after that and win it 41 to 21. That's where the tables turned for me. Um, and if you want to talk about a performance that could have been better, uh, it's gotta be Jalen Polk, man. I mean, we look at, we look at Polk as being a guy who should be Drake may one of his top targets. Cause he's supposed to be wide receiver one. These guys come into the league together.

This is all you can ask for. First round pick, quarterback, second round pick, receiver, and you're rebuilding your offense there, except for the fact that Jalen Polk has not showed up so far this season. Straight up. I don't know how you could say this has been a success so far. I'm not calling him a bust because we're halfway, not even halfway through season number one,

but he has not shown up for a guy who started every game one catch today on the last play of the game one catch for four yards on four targets 10 catches on 25 targets this year oof that's Nikhil Harry 10 catches on 25 targets and you look at the PFF. I mean, the first couple of games, no one was getting more open than Jalen Polk apparently. And Jacoby Brissett couldn't find him a bum quarterback. What are you going to do last few weeks? He's had the worst separation in the league last week. He had the worst separation rate in the entire NFL among qualifying receivers. And so it's like, well, which one is it? Is he getting open or is he not? Is it a game by game basis? And now you had a quarterback who was spreading around the football shoot. He threw a 40 yard touchdown pass to Keishon Butte and he can't get Jalen

Polk the ball because Jalen Polk's not getting open. Is he the player that got open more better than almost anyone the first few weeks and still wasn't getting catches? Or is he the player who hasn't gotten open at all the last few weeks and is still not getting catches? That's supposed to be the matchup right now. That's supposed to be the combination. That's supposed to be the one-two punch, Drake May and Jalen Polk. Drake May, at the first time of asking, here he is, league, he's here. Jalen Polk, nowhere to be be found put him on a milk carton and that's really too bad because you can't play your other receiver that you drafted this year Javon Baker you can't play Taekwon Thornton because he can't get open you didn't think Keishon Butte could get open that's why he didn't dress hardly any last year and yet he's much better at getting open to Jalen

Polk your second round pick who had as many catches as Austin Hooper and Jermichael Hasty today. Not much to say from Kendrick Bourne. Hunter Henry had one big play, and this is going to show just how much this team can't get open. Pop Douglas is the only one who can get open. Six catches on nine targets, 92 yards, and a touchdown, 35-yard touchdown. He is the only one on this team that can get open.

And his touchdown was a great play by he and May. I don't know what May did to clear out the middle of that field where the linebackers were, but there was nothing in the middle of the field. And that was the hot route, first option, Demario Douglas slant touchdown. Jalen Polkk though, nowhere to be found. My boss, the locked on podcast networks, Zach Blackerby at the game in a Jalen Polk Jersey. So I am blaming that one on him. He bought it today. I believe I am blaming that one firmly on Zach Blackerby. Uh, by the way, one note to end it with the Red Sox made us so miserable

this year as they have the last five years, the same thing with the Patriots. So Alex Spear, who covers the red Sox just has to go out and drop this stat on us. And he said, Drake may joins this list of NFL rookies with three plus TD passes in their first career star. Holler at me. When you hear a good quarterback's name,

we'll love us. Trevor Lawrence, Marcus Mariota, Matt McGloin, Josh Freeman, Tony Banks, Todd Maranovich, Ed Rupert, Kevin Sweeney, Dan Marino, Jackie Lee, MC Reynolds. One, one good quarterback. Trevor Lawrence can't say that. Will Levis, obviously not. One good quarterback, Dan Marino,

threw for three plus touchdowns in his first career game. Why do you have to do that to us? You know, the Red Sox made us miserable enough. Don't bring that into our lives. We finally have some hope. And here we have people, the Boston media, saying, nope, it's not hope. He's actually going to suck if you base it off this list. Come on, man.

The Patriots have something here. And I know we thought they had something with Mac Jones those first couple of games and through most of that first season. But this was different. Mac Jones was impressive because he was protecting the ball. He was checking down, making the smart choice, and throwing the ball away when he needed to. Drake May did that. He checked down when he needed to. He threw the ball away when he needed to. And also showed you that he could be a plus player,

not just not a negative player. You know what I mean? He's also hitting open guys. He's throwing touchdown passes. That's where you see some of the intelligence that made Mac Jones so impressive early in his career with the arm talent that held Mac Jones back. Because Drake May has it, Mac Jones never did.

It's becoming more and more of a necessity in this league, which sounds weird, but there was a time where you could just be a game manager who could dink and dunk and you'd be fine at quarterback in the NFL. It's not really the case anymore. You need to have both. And Drake May showed flashes of both today. Can't wait to get up early before nine o'clock central time next week to watch him do it in London. That's going to wrap things up for the Locked On Sports Boston Patriots postcast.

Let me know what you thought about Drake May and this Patriots performance. Do they have a star in Drake May? Drop that down in the comments below, or be sure to tweet at me at real cam Stewart, your host of the locked on sports, Boston Patriots postcast. Thank you so much for making this locked on network. Your first listen today and every day tune in tomorrow.

Mike debate. We'll have it all breaking broken down on the lockdown Patriots podcast to show you exactly where Drake May did right, where he did wrong in this game. But I want to hear from you guys, both on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. We'll be up bright and early next week. Listen to Mike debate till then, and then we'll get you after Patriots Jags next week in London. We'll be right here on the Locked On Sports Boston Patriots Postcast.