Drake Maye Among Five Patriots to Watch vs. Giants

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — With their Week 13 matchup against the New York Giants set to kick off at 8:20 p.m. from Gillette Stadium, the New England Patriots are hoping to continue their winning ways heading into their much-needed bye week.

The Patriots (10-2) enter this matchup on the heels of a 26-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. Conversely, the Giants (2-10) are fresh off a 34-27 Week 12 loss to the Detroit Lions. A victory over New York this week will give the Patriots their 11th win of the season while also extending their winning streak to 10 straight.

Though many of New England’s notables are expected to garner some attention during this upcoming matchup, here are five players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats take the field against the Giants.

Drake Maye

With both left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson temporarily sidelined, Maye is likely to be feeling additional pressure from an aggressive Giants defensive front. Still, the 23-year-old’s dual-threat prowess gives him the ability to find success — provided he can get rid of the ball quickly and use the short to intermediate areas of the field for high-percentage completions. Despite being sacked 37 times this season — third most in the NFL in said category — Maye has still managed to rank first in passing yards, first in pass completion, and third in passer rating.

Accordingly, Maye has deservedly remained atop the short list of MVP candidates to date. Through the first 12 games of the season, Maye has completed 71.9% of his passes for 3,130 yards, with 21 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions. He has also carried the ball 75 times for 307 yards and two touchdowns this season — only adding to his multi-dimensional mystique.

With running back Rhamondre Stevenson still feeling the effects of a recent toe injury, Maye could find success on the ground against a Giants which is ranked 32nd in the NFL, allowing an average of 157.2 rushing yards per game.

Vederian Lowe

Lowe is not only the longest-tenured offensive lineman among the Patriots reserves, but he is also their top option to replace Campbell in the starting lineup — especially given his 13 career starts for the Patriots at left tackle. When the highly-touted Pats’ rookie exited the game at the 4:58 mark of the third quarter, the 26-year-old kept the left end of the line on track, aligning on 30 snaps and receiving a 62.7 pass-block grade from Pro Football Focus. 

Given his previous remarks regarding Maye being “too poised,” Giants linebacker Brian Burns is undoubtedly looking to apply significant pressure on the Patriots starter — preferably using an effective inside spin move to bring him down. Lowe’s size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and experience — having played 803 snaps at left tackle last season and 1,113 career snaps at the position in total — will be crucial in helping to stabilize the line, while protecting Maye’s blind side. Look for the Patriots to provide additional chips on Burns when he aligns over the left side — hopefully keeping him off-rhythm and away from Maye.

DeMario Douglas