One Big Thing: Drake Maye showed flashes during an up-and-down first start

Drake Maye threw for three touchdowns and committed three turnovers in his first NFL start.

Drake Maye’s career began with an up-and-down performance during his first NFL start during a 41-21 loss to the Texans on Sunday.

He became the first Patriots quarterback to throw three touchdowns in a game since Bailey Zappe did last December against the Steelers. He also committed three turnovers and endured a number of big hits.

The Patriots opted for a conservative offensive approach early, running the ball on the first two plays of Maye’s first drive.

The runs were stuffed, putting Maye in an obvious passing situation on third and long. Houston blitzed and a jittery Maye threw the ball over receiver DeMario Douglas’s head and into the waiting arms of a Texans defender for his first career interception.

New England found itself facing a double-digit deficit early, after allowing touchdowns on Houston’s first two drives.

But, the rookie quarterback showed poise and sliced the deficit down to seven points just before halftime with a beautifully placed touchdown pass to fellow Kayshon Boutte. It was the first career touchdown for both players.

Maye appeared to have DeMario Douglas open over the middle on a post route, but he saw Boutte sprinting for the endzone with a step on his defender and launched a picture-perfect deep pass with his feet planted inside the Patriots’ throwback Pat Patriot logo at midfield.

Things got out of hand quickly for the Patriots in the second half. Houston’s Danielle Hunter rushed off the edge, pushed right past Demontrey Jacobs and slammed into Maye who fumbled the ball. Tight-end Austin Hooper also fumbled after scooping a low throw and trying to keep the play alive, allowing the Texans to punch the ball out. Maye also had a screen-pass tipped at the line of scrimmage which Houston snagged for an interception.

One bright spot for this Patriots’ offense was Maye’s ability to get Douglas the ball. They connected for a 35-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, and he finished with 6 catches for 92 yards. New England had struggled to get the speedy receiver involved for weeks, but he turned in his most productive game of the season with Maye under center.

Maye’s mobility added a new dimension to this Patriots offense. He was able to scramble for first downs on more than one occasion. He was also able to buy himself a little more time to throw. He still took his fair share of big hits playing behind an offensive line that has been decimated by injuries, but his ability to move made a noticeable difference.

Even though the score was lopsided, the rookie quarterback showed some encouraging signs during his first start. He took risks and made some mistakes. He also made some explosive plays that this offense has been missing for a long time.

This offense is still a long ways away from keeping up with the likes of C.J. Stroud and the Texans, but it looked more explosive with Maye in than it had in the previous five games.

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.