Drake Maye, the third total decide within the 2024 draft, had one collection in his debut with New England on Thursday evening, and the Patriots performed their first sport in 24 years with out Invoice Belichick as head coach, beating the Carolina Panthers 17-3 in a preseason sport.
New England’s new coach, 38-year-old Jerod Mayo, wearing a white short-sleeved Patriots’ pullover, grew to become the NFL’s youngest coach when he was employed on 12 January, sooner or later after Belichick agreed to depart the group.
It was the primary time since 2 January 2000, that the Patriots performed with out Belichick on the sideline. He led them to 6 Tremendous Bowl titles. “That was all the time the plan,” Mayo mentioned of Maye’s quick stint within the sport. “The plan was to get him in there for one collection.”
Carolina additionally performed their first sport beneath a brand new coach, with Dave Canales making his debut.
“Tonight was about our first-time guys, the rookies, the blokes that haven’t had an opportunity to play within the NFL. I feel what they discovered tonight is: it’s simply soccer. They ran they usually performed exhausting,” Canales mentioned after not enjoying any of his first-teamers. “For me, it was only a nice alternative to have the ability to speak to the coaches, speak to the officers. … It was simply nice reps for me to simply get the circulate how the communication occurs and having the ability to work all by means of that.”
Panthers quarterback Bryce Younger, the highest decide of the 2023 draft, didn’t play. Projected backup Andy Dalton was sidelined with a strained quadriceps.
Maye trotted on to the sphere with mild rain falling for the Patriots’ second collection and obtained a pleasant ovation from the sparse crowd. He accomplished his first try, a display to Antonio Gibson for 13-yard pickup. He was excessive on his first throw down the sphere, ending his evening 2 for 3 for 19 yards.
“I feel I used to be slightly nervous,” Maye mentioned. “I feel if you happen to’re not getting nervous, then it doesn’t imply one thing to you. That’s how I have a look at it. I feel nerves are an excellent factor. After you get that first snap, they blow the whistle on the finish of the primary play, you sort of settle in.”
The group booed when Bailey Zappe got here on to the sphere for the Patriots’ third collection. Possible season-opening starter Jacoby Brissett went 0 for 3 within the first collection.
“When it was taking place the alternative means, it actually didn’t trouble me,” mentioned Zappe, who was a fan favourite final season when many needed former Pats’ QB Mac Jones benched. “When it’s taking place this manner, it didn’t trouble me in any respect, both.”
Zappe, who performed an excellent portion of final 12 months, went 12 for 20 for 108 yards. Rookie Joe Milton III, a sixth-round decide from Tennessee, performed the ultimate quarter and a half, thrilling the group with a few scrambles. He was 4 of 6 for 54 yards, together with a 38-yard TD.
Jack Plummer accomplished 11 of 21 passes for 86 yards for the Panthers, and Mike Boone, one in every of seven backs presently on the roster, had eight carries for 34 yards.
For some Patriots followers not seeing Belichick on the sideline felt uncommon. “It’s completely different. That’s why we’re right here tonight as a result of I wish to see what we’ve obtained,” mentioned 61-year-old Fran Vicino, who has held Patriots season tickets for 10 years.
Within the evening’s different sport, Tommy DeVito changed an injured Drew Lock late within the first quarter and led New York on two first-half scoring drives that Eric Grey capped with runs of 48 and one-yard because the Giants beat the Detroit Lions 14-3 in a preseason opener restricted to principally backups.
