Patriots' Josh McDaniels reveals hidden Drake Maye obstacle entering 2026 season

Patriots’ Josh McDaniels reveals hidden Drake Maye obstacle entering 2026 season appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Quarterbacks who contend for MVP awards and compete in a Super Bowl in just their second NFL season are not generally considered flashes in the pan. They command universal respect and are immediately catapulted toward the top of player rankings. But their preeminent status is not considered permanent. The true greats at the position are able to evolve to their surroundings and maintain excellent form. This is the current challenge facing New England Patriots QB Drake Maye.

The MVP runner-up combusted in the fourth quarter of last Wednesday’s 13-10 season-opening loss versus the Seattle Seahawks. He forced the ball into dangerous windows and opted to play hero ball rather than just extending the game. Call it recklessness, misguided confidence or just a brain freeze, but this gifted third-year talent looked like a rookie who was trying to find his footing during crucial moments.

Accomplished offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels believes that new obstacles were bound to emerge since teams had no prior knowledge of what Maye could achieve in this offensive system. Now that there is film that highlights the best of what No. 10 can offer, good defenses will be extra alert. The Patriots have to react accordingly to this potential league-wide adjustment.

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“When you have a year like you did last year, there’s going to be a response to that,” McDaniels said, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “We will do different things. It will require us to be disciplined.”

Ideally, Drake Maye would have handled the added adversity without lowering his level of play so significantly in crunch time, but superstars obviously have bad nights, and that can be especially true when they are battling the reigning Super Bowl champions.

The No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft has proven that he can perform at an elite standard, completing 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns last season. Now, Maye must show that he can adapt to the defense’s preparation and continue to play winning football.

The next chance to pass that test will come on Sunday versus the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.

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