BSJ Game Report: Patriots 17, Panthers 3: Decision to play Drake Maye just one series puzzling

FOXBOROUGH — Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Panthers in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

Drake Maye gets just six plays: The much-awaited debut of third overall pick Drake Maye came on the second series in relief of starter Jacoby Brissett, who lasted four plays (one first down on an 11-yard Rhamondre Stevenson run). Maye entered with the starting offensive line of Vederian Lowe, Sidy Sow, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu and Chuks Okorafor. It was, unsurprisingly, a very conservative and controlled stint: Antonio Gibson run, false start on Okorafor, 2nd and 14 draw to Gibson, 3rd and 12 screen to Gibson for 13 yards, quick pass incomplete high to Jalen Reagor, Gibson run, quick swing pass to Kevin Harris.

And that was it. Bailey Zappe entered with the second offensive line with 5:23 left in the first quarter, and played well into the third quarter when Joe Milton entered.

Final Maye line: 2 for 3, 19 yards, two completions to backs.

Will be interested in hearing Jerod Mayo's rationale for not playing Maye longer after the game, but it doesn't make much sense at this point.

UPDATE, here are Mayo's comments:

"Yeah, we wanted to see Jacoby obviously, go out there and operate as well as Drake, mix them in there with the ones. The rest of those guys like Zappe and Joe, they went out there and finished up the game, thought they did a good job, but that was kind of the thinking. So next week we go, we have the Eagles, so we'll do a practice against them, and who knows, the reps will probably change a little bit, and then we'll see what happens in the game.

"That was always the plan. The plan was to get him in there for one series, to get Jacoby in there for one series, and then, really, you know, turn it into the Zappe show and the Joe show. That was the plan.

Was there any trepidation over having Drake in another series perform in front of the second offensive line? 

"That's always a consideration. You want want him in there with the starting offensive line. We got to protect that guy. Not saying we don't have to protect the other guys, but that absolutely did go into it."

Do you feel you're going to get enough of seeing him in live action going about it this way?

"This is the first preseason game. We still have two left. He'll have plenty of opportunities to go against other teams, two other teams, before the regular season."

Sorry, it still didn't change my mind.

Maye, even if it's tightly managed, needs to play. He needs to be in the huddle, call the plays, get used to life in the NFL. There are certainly ways you can manage it — run the ball, use 3-step drops, use screens, move the pocket, run naked bootlegs — and the Patriots chose not to do that. 

I mean, the second-team offensive line isn't that bad with Caeden Wallace, Michael Jordan, Nick Leverett and Calvin Anderson. Zappe managed just fine in the first half (9 of 16, 79 yards and one sack for 5 yards). Maye couldn't have done that? Now you have to get into why Maye didn't play. To me, there are four possibilities:

 - They're scared to death of the line and Maye getting hurt (not valid to me);
 - By the time the season arrives, they want him to compete with Brissett for the starting position so they're treating them the same;
 - He's just not ready for more;
 - Or, as one NFL executive put it in a text, incredulous at the decision: "Maybe the staff is afraid that he’ll look bad…because there is no reason for him NOT to be in there."

Defense almost posts a shutout: The Panthers didn't play many starters, and third-string QB Jack Plummer started and got most of the action, but the Patriots' defense still posted a shutout until he waning minutes. After three quarters, the Patriots had allowed just four first downs, Panthers were 1 of 10 on third down, had 90 total net yards, averaged 2.4 yards per play, passed for 38 yards. Patriots had five sacks, an intentional grounding, and and two more QB hits. Sacks: Christian Elliss, Jeremiah Pharms, Oshane Ximines, Deatrich Wise, John Morgan.

Players who did not play: Going to separate them into categories — Current injuries: WR Demario Douglas, S Julius Peppers, LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, S Marte Mapu, S Joshuah Bledsoe, CB Marcus Jones, DE Joshua Uche, DT Christian Barmore.

PUP: LB Sione Takitaki, OL Cole Strange, WR Kendrick Bourne

Veteran rest: CB Jonathan Jones, LS Joe Cardona, TE Hunter Henry, DT Davon Godchaux.

Mayo coaches first game for Patriots: Seemed fine to me. I mean, it's a preseason game. It was far from a trainwreck.

"I just felt like I was in my element," Mayo said. "I felt great to be out there and nothing else really mattered to me and you don't have to worry about substitutions and things like that, you kind of see the game from a different perspective, which I thought was great for me today. Got a chance to experience that. We do a good job with the staff and our assistant coaches focus on the game in totality. It was more excitement.  ... I wouldn't say butterflies just excitement pure joy."

As far as the new-look staff?

"I would love to say that the communication is 100% but definitely things that we need to work out but for the most part, it was pretty seamless," Mayo said. 

SECOND GUESS

Obviously not playing Drake Maye more.

FOUR UP

WR Kayshon Boutte: Had three catches for 53 yards, including a 28-yarder to set up the only touchdown, but did appear to have one drop.

C Nick Leverett: Not sure what else he did, but this block and finish on Kevin Harris' touchdown was bad-ass.

DE Oshane Ximines: Continued his strong camp with a sack, another QB hit and several impactful rushes.

QB Joe Milton: As expected, he injected some life into a game that had none for a while, leading two scoring drives, including this TD:

Milton finished 4 of 6 for 54 yards and a passer rating of 134.7.

TWO DOWN

This game: What a horrible product with a game that dragged on, not many starters, 15 combined penalties at one point (9 by the Panthers).

New kickoff: It was kind of a dud. I thought it would be more exciting. Kevin Harris had one for 20 yards. David Wallis added a 21-yarder.

INJURIES

Didn't see any.

TOP PLAYS

Joe Milton doing Joe Milton things.

Elliss sack.

Boutte getting up.

ONE TAKE BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Drake Maye better get a lot of reps in the Eagles joint practice or preseason game, or Greg's going to be upset.