Falcons defense must learn how to stop Patriots quarterback Drake Maye
FLOWERY BRANCH — New England quarterback Drake Maye is off to a fantastic start this season.
The defense, which has worn down in the past two games, will be on the hot seat when the Falcons (3-4) face the Patriots (6-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Maye, who played at North Carolina, is a dual-threat quarterback. He has 15 touchdowns passes to three interceptions and has rushed for 250 yards on 51 carries and two touchdowns. He does his rushing damage on second or third downs.
“Right, that’s a tremendous challenge,” Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said. “Being in the AFC East for four years, got very familiar with Drake, especially the last year.”
Maye was drafted third overall in the 2024 NFL draft.
“He feels like a mini-Josh Allen, like a younger Josh Allen in a lot of ways,” Ulbrich said. “His mobility, his arm strength, the way he can take a game over with both facets of the game. So, he’s going to be a problem.”
The Falcons fared well against Allen when they faced the Bills on Oct. 13. They maintained their rushing lanes and swarmed to him when he tried to run.
Maye leans on the Patriots rushing attack, which is led by running backs Rhamondre Stevenson (279 yards) and rookie TreVeyon Henderson (228 yards).
“Then this team has a running game that they’re trying to create an identity, and they’re doing so,” Ulbrich said. “You can tell. It feels a lot like the Titans teams where you were going to get 30 to 40 (runs) in the game. They were going hand the ball off to Derrick Henry. Well, they’re doing the same thing now with Rhamondre and the stable backs that they have.”
About the Author
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
