Maye Plans to Take Shots Down the Field in AFC Championship Game Against Denver Broncos.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is prepared to put his arm out and take shots down the field, despite facing a formidable defense from the Denver Broncos.
For the third consecutive week, Maye will face an imposing opponent, after successfully overcoming a stingy Chargers defense on January 11th and a suffocating pass rush by the Texans last Sunday. On Sunday, he'll be up against the Broncos' dynamic defense in the AFC championship game at Empower Field at Mile High.
Denver's defense is ranked fourth in the league in points allowed per game (18.9) and fifth in yards allowed per contest (287.7). However, Maye isn't planning to alter his approach under center, especially when it comes to searching for explosive plays down the field.
"It doesn’t try to change," Maye said on Wednesday when asked if he might be more conservative with his throws in Denver. "I think last week, if you change it, Kayshon [Boutte] doesn't make the play."
Maye expects to sling it down the field whenever the opportunity presents itself on Sunday. Even with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II anchoring Denver's secondary, Maye plans to take advantage and try to get the ball out of his hand.
"Trying to get the ball out of my hand and just being cognizant of the edge rushers and taking care of the football is the No. 1 thing," Maye said. "If we have time and have a look downfield, you know me, I’m gonna take a shot."
Maye has shown his ability to generate explosive plays this season with his pin-point deep ball, which New England leads all NFL teams in regular-season action in explosive-play rate (8.1 percent). However, he could run into trouble on Sunday if he continues to be on the prowl for throws down the field.
The Broncos deliver damage with their pass-rushing prowess, led by Nik Bonitto (14.0 sacks), while also ranking third in pressure rate (41.8 percent).
As such, Maye will need to know when to live to fight another day on some drives — even if that means taking a possession-ending sack instead of trying to extend the play and running the risk of turning the ball over.
Maye stressed that ball security remains a primary focus entering New England's latest postseason matchup. "Just work on it in practice," Maye said. "Be mindful back there and just know that my job is to protect the football."
Overall, despite facing an imposing defense, Maye plans to keep his guns blazing down the field in hopes of getting the ball out quickly before Denver's pass rushers can get to him.
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is prepared to put his arm out and take shots down the field, despite facing a formidable defense from the Denver Broncos.
For the third consecutive week, Maye will face an imposing opponent, after successfully overcoming a stingy Chargers defense on January 11th and a suffocating pass rush by the Texans last Sunday. On Sunday, he'll be up against the Broncos' dynamic defense in the AFC championship game at Empower Field at Mile High.
Denver's defense is ranked fourth in the league in points allowed per game (18.9) and fifth in yards allowed per contest (287.7). However, Maye isn't planning to alter his approach under center, especially when it comes to searching for explosive plays down the field.
"It doesn’t try to change," Maye said on Wednesday when asked if he might be more conservative with his throws in Denver. "I think last week, if you change it, Kayshon [Boutte] doesn't make the play."
Maye expects to sling it down the field whenever the opportunity presents itself on Sunday. Even with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II anchoring Denver's secondary, Maye plans to take advantage and try to get the ball out of his hand.
"Trying to get the ball out of my hand and just being cognizant of the edge rushers and taking care of the football is the No. 1 thing," Maye said. "If we have time and have a look downfield, you know me, I’m gonna take a shot."
Maye has shown his ability to generate explosive plays this season with his pin-point deep ball, which New England leads all NFL teams in regular-season action in explosive-play rate (8.1 percent). However, he could run into trouble on Sunday if he continues to be on the prowl for throws down the field.
The Broncos deliver damage with their pass-rushing prowess, led by Nik Bonitto (14.0 sacks), while also ranking third in pressure rate (41.8 percent).
As such, Maye will need to know when to live to fight another day on some drives — even if that means taking a possession-ending sack instead of trying to extend the play and running the risk of turning the ball over.
Maye stressed that ball security remains a primary focus entering New England's latest postseason matchup. "Just work on it in practice," Maye said. "Be mindful back there and just know that my job is to protect the football."
Overall, despite facing an imposing defense, Maye plans to keep his guns blazing down the field in hopes of getting the ball out quickly before Denver's pass rushers can get to him.
he's got that pin-point deep ball thing going on and wants to take shots downfield, but denver's defense is like "nah, bruh" 
they're ranked top 5 in the league at shutting it down 
. maye knows he needs to be careful not to get sacked 
, so we'll see if he can balance taking risks and playing it safe 
.
Maybe they're just so aggressive on D that it doesn't matter how much yardage he gains, but if he can get first downs consistently, maybe he can control the clock and wear them down. But what if Kayshon Boutte has an off game or something? 
. Can't we just have a more balanced defense that lets them make some smart decisions instead of blitzing all the time? And what's with all these sacks? It feels like the Broncos are trying to take away Maye's biggest strength and force him into mistakes 
. I mean, come on, it's not that hard to protect the ball when you're being chased by a bunch of defenders! Can't we just have some more emphasis on quarterback safety in these games? 
.
and if he can get the ball out quick, Denver's defense is gonna be in trouble 
. Just hope Kayshon Boutte can make some big plays to bail Maye out 
OMG can you believe what's going on with this guy Drake Maye?! 
He's literally like a maniac behind the wheel, throwing all these shots down the field like he's got nothing to lose 
But seriously, this is like a one-team show, Maye vs the Broncos. I'm both excited and terrified at the same time 
. Maye needs to know when to hold back and not take unnecessary risks or he'll end up in the pocket getting sacked 
. Still think it's gonna be a close one though, the Patriots are due for a W!
. Like, I get it, the Broncos have a solid defense, but do you really need to try and thread the needle every single play? 
. And yeah, I get that ball security is important, but come on, can't you just pick up a few basic concepts like avoiding sacks and living to fight another day? 
if maye wants to take shots down the field against denver - they've got one of the best pass rushes in the league 
(14 sacks this season alone is insane!) but at the same time, new england has been doing a great job protecting their QBs 
so we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out on sunday 
! He's got that "throw it deep" mentality and I gotta respect that. But, as a parent, I'd worry if he gets too aggressive on the field and forgets about reading those defenders 
. I mean, all that experience against tough defenses like Chargers and Texans could be great, but it's not just about throwing it downfield - it's also about knowing when to hold 'em and run with what you've got 
the denver broncos defense is straight fire tho, i mean they're ranked 4th in points allowed per game and 5th in yards allowed per contest. but idk man maye has this crazy deep ball that's been on point all season so i'ma keep an eye on it 
Drake Maye is GONNA LIGHT IT UP 
. Patrick Surtain II might be the best DB in the league, but Maye is like a Houdini 
- always escaping sacks and making plays 
!
if he keeps trying to pull off those deep shots with Patrick Surtain II breathing down his neck 
.
. The dude's got skills for days 
and I think he can outsmart Patrick Surtain II 
, but it'll be exciting to see him mix it up and try to get some big plays. 
!