The New England Patriots (1-4) will be hosting the Houston Texans (4-1) in their throwback uniform game on Sunday. Perhaps the red uniforms will offer some extra juice for a Patriots team that has looked lost in the last four seasons.
This week, it is important to understand where both of these teams are at through the first five games of the season. The Texans are a playoff contender with hopes of a Super Bowl appearance, while the Patriots are just hoping to build momentum for the future with their young team.
As we do every week, we’re going to take a look at the one player who could swing the game in favor of the Patriots with a great performance.
This week’s x-factor is the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who is set to make his NFL debut.
It’s no secret the team needs a spark, and Maye could provide exactly that. Granted, he’ll be making his debut against a very good Texans team that wrote the recent blueprint on rebuilding a team the right way. They even share some similarities to the current Patriots.
If Maye has an electrifying performance at the most important position on the field, it is obvious that it could affect the outcome for the Patriots. But what is more important is that it signals a sign of hope for the players and fans so invested in the organization.
A lot of people are wondering what the plan was that coach Jerod Mayo kept mentioning, and it may never come out what that truly was, nor does it matter.
The plan is simple moving forward: build and develop around Maye. The team is only going as far as their quarterback will take them in this league. That includes building the offense around him and allowing him to be a franchise cornerstone and an important piece in the building.
For those questioning the timing, there is never a good time to start a young quarterback. When you’re a bad team, you’re bad for a reason. The Patriots are not going to be waiting around for Joe Thomas to walk through the door before Maye takes a snap.
If he isn’t capable now, then he might never be.
This is a great test going up against a young quarterback, a solid defense and overall, the organizational philosophy many are trying to replicate across the NFL in their rebuilds.
If anything this is a litmus test, and we will learn a lot from this matchup. It’s time to play Maye, and the new era starts on Sunday.
