New England Patriots Head Coach Shares Reason for Difference in Rookie QB

The New England Patriots are in the midst of their final week of preseason football before things get real just about two and a half weeks from now.

In the first preseason game against Carolina, fans were disappointed to only see one drive out of rookie No. 3 overall selection Drake Maye . But the highly touted gunslinger would see extended action in the second game last week against Philadelphia and flash some of the talent that made him such a high draft pick.

By all accounts, the quarterback competition is still open for the taking and Maye will have one more chance to make a final push before the season begins. Head coach Jerod Mayo spoke to reporters on Monday and was asked about what the differences he has seen in Maye from the start of camp to now.

"I think it's attributed to his hard work, his dedication to his craft. This guy comes in early, leaves late. Every day, he's one of those type of guys, and he's done a great job. I would also say the coaches have done a good job meeting with him one-on-one, making sure that he's comfortable with his team play. He's absolutely getting better," Mayo said , adding the fact that the plan the team had for Maye getting on the field can be adjusted as he excels. "We always have to be flexible in regard to the plan. Right now, it's all going the right way, the right direction, and hopefully the team gets better."

With the game against Washington on Sunday as the preseason finale, Maye should see extended time once again as he tries to convince his coaches why he should be QB1 from the first week of the season on.