New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is thankful for the adversity he faced in his first career start against the Houston Texans on Sunday.
The North Carolina product threw for 243 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He moved the ball downfield and threw for more touchdown passes in one game than the Patriots had all season.
That being said, those turnovers were a learning moment for the rookie. He established a strong connection with wide receiver DeMario Douglas.
However, one throw to Douglas stood out to him in particular, as it led to his first interception. That play, along with the other turnovers, gave him a chance to deal with some real adversity right out of the gates.
“The best thing I did was handle some adversity,” Maye said when appearing on WEEI, as transcribed by NESN.com’s Tim Crowley. “Coming out on that second drive with Pop (DeMario Douglas) over the middle and missed him over the middle.
“It was something I beat myself up about on the sideline. Feel like I need to make those throws. … Other than that, handle some adversity. Put together a scoring drive at the end of the half. Kind of coming out with some juice at the start of the second half.”
Maye has certainly shown flashes of why he was the No. 3 overall draft pick by leading the Patriots offense down the field on multiple drives. His 40-yard touchdown throw to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte before halftime was an example of that.
It’s going to be exciting to watch him grow throughout the season.
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