Patriots Drake Maye Praises Falcons Defense

From a statistical standpoint, the Patriots pass offense squaring off against the Falcons pass defense is the metaphorical equivalent of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object. As previously noted, the Falcons rank first in the NFL in pass defense (149.1 yards-per-game), while the Patriots rank ninth in passing yards by averaging 240.5. When it comes to explosive plays, New England currently sits at second in the league, boasting a 12.7 percent explosive play rate. Conversely, the Falcons’ employ the NFL’s second-best defense for preventing such a pass attack, allowing only six percent of explosive plays, to date.

In essence, Maye is cognizant that he and his offense are in for quite the challenge against the Falcons in Week 9. The 23-year-old Pats starting quarterback will not only need to showcase his elite arm strength, he must also demonstrate the velocity and touch on the ball to make any throw required of him. Maye has also been equally effective when utilizing his exceptional athleticism. When the play breaks down, he possesses both the agility and instinct to turn off-script options into big gains — either through the air, or taking on the ground attack himself. In order to find some success against Atlanta’s secondary, Maye will need to summon his skills, as well as his savvy to lead New England to a Week 9 victory.

“They're disruptive, they make you kind of play on your toes and I think the biggest thing about them is they move during the cadence, move during the snap,” Maye added. “They do a good job of mixing things up. They're young up front and I think they're starting to have some players make plays. So, we’ve got our hands full.”