Maye stresses importance of starting quickly against Jaguars in London originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots are not a high-powered offensive team. They enter Week 7 as the second worst-scoring team in the NFL with just 13.8 points per game.
Simply put: this is not a team designed to play from behind if the opponent takes an early advantage.
This is why it’s so important that the Patriots get off to a good start during Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in London.
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Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye mentioned a fast start during his press conference Friday.
“Yeah, I think it’ll be fun. I think it’ll be great,” Maye told reporters when asked about putting on a show for London audiences. “I hope we get the running game going this week. I think that’s an important part in this league in particular, and for our offense. Get the running game going, set up passing lanes and, as you see it, ‘said, bring in different guys in football. That’s my job.
“We have to start fast. Coach has been preaching that all week, so that’s our job, and really my job on the offensive side as a quarterback – I touch the ball on every play – to go fast and make move these guys forward.”
The Patriots have been outscored 37-14 in the first quarter in six games this season. That margin is 30-7 over the last four games. The Houston Texans took a 14-0 first-quarter lead over the Patriots in Maye’s first career start last week, and the AFC South leaders ultimately won 41-21 at Gillette Stadium.
Additionally, the Patriots have had their first offensive possession in every game this season.
The good news for the Patriots is that the Jaguars aren’t a fast-starting team either. Jacksonville has been outscored 37-20 in the first quarter this season. The Jaguars have scored just three first-quarter points in the last two games.
If the Patriots want to win this game, they need to open an early lead and run the football. This would make Maye’s job a lot easier. The keys to achieving this goal are the elimination of penalties and turnovers. These two problems plagued New England for six weeks.
