Punching the ball in from within the red zone, particularly at the goal-line, is becoming a growing problem for the New England Patriots, and having Drake Maye learn the finer points of the quarterback sneak isn’t going to solve the issue.
The Pats need something new to help their franchise player closer to the end zone, and MassLive.com’s Karen Guregian thinks he has the answer. Guregian believes “Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels might have to get a little more creative. Perhaps rolling Maye out to the right, where he’s been effective, giving him the option to run or pass. That’s where Maye has been at his best.”
Finding more creative ways to use Maye’s mobility makes sense. Even if those ways risk some of the turnover-worthy plays the third player taken in the 2024 NFL draft still can’t seem to shake.
Either way, the Patriots need an answer for their woes at the goal-line after struggling there during the unconvincing 26-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. Finding solutions won’t be easy given the personnel at McDaniels’ disposal.
Red Zone and Goal-Line Woes Growing for Patriots
No statistic better sums up how pedestrian the Patriots have become at the goal-line than Guregian pointing out “Whether it’s 3rd-and-1, or 2nd-and-1 from anywhere, the Patriots have trouble moving the chains. They’re second to last in the league converting in those situations. They just don’t have the type of line that can overpower another line in those moments.”
That last point about Maye’s offensive line not being physically dominant is telling. It speaks to a Patriots offense not built to overpower defenses when smash-mouth football is necessary.
McDaniels, to his credit, has tried to adapt with some unorthodox use of personnel. Unfortunately, as Guregian noted, “Using defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga as a fullback to clear a path has been effective, but he got hurt against the Bengals and wasn’t used in that capacity. If and when he’s healthy, he’s a better option than Jack Westover to bulldoze a hole.”
The lack of a formidable blocking back doesn’t help, but a bigger problem might be injuries up front. Ailments that sent left tackle Will Campbell, the fourth-overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, to injured reserve.
Campbell’s fellow rookie, guard Jared Wilson, has also joined him in the treatment room, albeit amid more positive news about his recovery. In the meantime, the Pats will have to muddle through with a patchwork line that’s struggling to move the pile on short fields.
Playing a straight-ahead game won’t work. Not when the Patriots don’t have a true power back, despite head coach Mike Vrabel believing he’d found a new playmaker for the role.
Instead, it’s going to take something different from Maye to fix this issue.
Drake Maye Needs New Rushing Plan
Maye’s dual-threat skills are already a core part of his game, but the Pats have understandably been reluctant to include too many designed QB runs in the playbook. Save for maybe having the 6-foot-4, 225-pounder run the sneak.
The plan hasn’t yielded much success, leaving Maye searching for answers. He “wouldn’t say it’s an art, I would say it’s a mentality…I gotta flip a switch or, I don’t know, do some smelling salts from there, or do something,” per WEEI’s Tom Carroll.
Letting Maye attack the edges on the ground more often seems like the right plan to make him more effective against defenses packed in tight, but Vrabel has sounded a note of caution. He’s particularly wary about risking too many designed runs for his QB1.
Vrabel explained, “You kinda wanna be careful. Guys are going in concussion protocol left and right. We’ll be willing to do anything to win a football game, but I think just being smart is probably the biggest thing. And we’ve run Drake, and he’s run himself, and we’ve handed it off to the running backs. So it’s just about a good balance of plays that we feel like can help us,” per Carroll.
It’s a delicate balancing act, but Vrabel and McDaniels can’t ignore the upside of at least moving the pocket for Maye at the goal-line.
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