After opening the season, going 1-4 behind journeyman quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, New England Patriots head coach, Jerod Mayo, finally installed their first-round draft pick, Drake Maye, as the starting quarterback for Week 6 against the Houston Texans.

In his first outing, Maye completed a respectable 20 of 33 passes, registering 243 passing yards. and throwing for three touchdowns. He was also the team’s leading rusher carrying five times for 38 yards averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Unfortunately, he was sacked four times and threw two interceptions earning a not-so-impressive 31.3 QBR.

Unfortunately, last Sunday was a lopsided affair, with the Houston Texans punishing the Patriots, 41-21. In the first quarter, on their first possession, C.J. Stroud, drove the Texans 70 yards down the field, eventually hooking up with Tank Dell on a two-yard touchdown pass with 9:13 left in the first quarter. The Patriots’ defense was looking suspect.

In its first offensive possession, the Patriots opened up by trying to establish the running game. They ran up the middle on first down, then over the left guard on second down, resorting to a deep incomplete pass to J. Polk on third down. They then punted the ball away.

On their next possession, the Houston Texans drove 45 yards down the field culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass between C.J. Stroud and Joe Mixon. The Patriots defense was struggling, particularly the secondary.

The next possession for the Patriots resulted in Maye throwing deep on third down to Demario Douglas only to be intercepted by Texans’ Calen Bullock. The Houston Texans eventually missed a field goal on that series. The score remained 14-0 until, with just 11 seconds left before the half, Maye threw the ball deep right to Kayshon Boutte for a 40-yard touchdown…Maye’s first NFL touchdown pass. Maye was beginning to show promise and it appeared that Jerod Mayo had a legitimate new number one quarterback.

Maye and the Patriots were starting to click! Then, two plays into the second have, the pocket collapsed, and Maye fumbled the ball away as he was being sacked by the Texan’s defensive end, Danielle Hunter. The turnover resulted in a touchdown for the Houston Texans after going 10 yards in two plays.

The Patriots next possession culminated in a punt. Houston’s next possession resulted in a field goal. The  Patriots then fumbled again on their next possession with Houston subsequently kicking another field goal. While the Patriots would eventually get two more touchdowns during the game Houston would match those touchdowns resulting in a final score of 41-21.

Was Maye to blame for the loss? In part, sure. For example, in the fourth quarter, he threw a low pass, intended for A. Gibson, that was deflected and eventually intercepted by the Texan’s Eric Murray. It was a careless mistake by Maye that led to another interception setting Houston up for a 20-yard touchdown run by Joe Mixon. But it was Maye’s first NFL start. A lot can be forgiven.

But Maye kept his composure. On his next possession, he drove the Patriots 70 yards downfield, culminating in a short pass down the middle to DeMario Douglas for a 30-yard gain and a touchdown. But Houston’s next drive also resulted in a touchdown after  Dameon Pierce‘s 54-yard rush….this last play that drive was indicative of the Patriots’ problem, and it’s not Maye.  For his first game in the NFL, he played admirably. Sure he made some mistakes. But he played well enough to win.

So what can Jerod Mayo take away from this game? First, the Patriots’ defense let him down and let Maye and the offense down. As Mayo said himself after the game as reported by Boston.com:

“Defensively I would say just the fundamentals of just tackling, our run fits have to improve,” Mayo said of his defense:.“They have to improve. I told all those guys, I said, ‘You should feel like crap today.” “Defensively I would say just the fundamentals of just tackling, our run fits have to improve,” Mayo said of his defense:.“They have to improve. I told all those guys, I said, ‘You should feel like crap today.”

Second, and most importantly, while Maye is not close to Tom Brady‘s playing level during all those later Superbowl runs, Maye might be the new franchise quarterback the Patriots have been searching for since Brady left.

For Mayo, only time and a reappearance of a competent Patriots defense will tell him if Maye is “The Guy”, and if he can fill the shoes of Tom Brady, returning the Patriots to NFL glory.