Patriots Rumors: Wideouts Received This Challenge Before Drake Maye’s First Start

Sunday could prove to mark a turning point for the Patriots offense.

New England struggled to move the football and put up points with Jacoby Brissett, who quarterbacked his team to a 1-4 record through five weeks. Hoping for a spark, Jerod Mayo and company made a change behind center before the Patriots’ Week 6 matchup with the Texans.

The offense figures to operate differently with Drake Maye calling the shots, including a potential uptick in opportunities for playmakers.

“Patriots wide receivers have the fewest catches (39) and receiving yards (342) in the NFL. Will the team’s switch to Maye — with (Ja’Lynn) Polk, second-year player Kayshon Boutte and top slot DeMario Douglas in leading roles — help increase those numbers?” ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote in a column published Sunday.

“They have been challenged to show it, with one team source saying this week, ‘The ball’s coming out (on time), so let’s see what you got.'”

It should be taken with a grain of salt, but New England’s offense did seem to have a better rhythm in the preseason when Maye was on the field. The 22-year-old seemingly has progressed quite a bit since late August, so we could see a recharged unit at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

The Patriots and Texans will kick off their matinee matchup at 1 p.m. ET.