Drake Maye cracked up watching film from two years ago, seeing a Patriots squad that was so rough around the edges against the then-Super Bowl champion Eagles, he could only laugh at how much has changed. Back in his rookie year, 2024, those joint practices with an Eagles team headed for a Super Bowl win were exactly what you’d expect against a Patriots team that was about to fire their coach and limp to four wins. Maye recalled “motioned somebody who was coming forward and snapped it, and then there was a penalty, and little things like that, that we were laughing about , just how far we have come.” That’s the vibe when you’re looking at your old self and seeing a totally different beast.
From Laughing Stock to Legit AFC Champs
Fast forward to August 2026: these Patriots? They’re the reigning AFC Champions, and the difference from 2024 is seriously stark. Maye himself put it plainly, saying they’ve “definitely improved in regards to 2024, that’s for sure.” A huge part of that is Maye’s own ascension, but also the team’s massive strides in the trenches. Think about it: in those 2024 practices, the Eagles had “free lanes” to Maye. This time around, he felt the Patriots’ front line stood strong against a “talented Eagles defensive line,” highlighting the kind of gritty improvement the team is building on. This isn’t the same squad.
Maye’s On-Field Grind Against A Top Team
The joint practices this week were a full-on battle. On Wednesday, Maye was on fire, completing his first 13 passes in a row, with his connection with A.J. Brown clearly growing stronger. Thursday, though, presented a tougher challenge, especially in the red zone. Maye still found the end zone, hitting Mack Hollins, Brown, and Romeo Doubs for touchdowns, but he was clear there were plays he’d like to have back. Maye didn’t sugarcoat it after practice, saying, “I think we had a lot of great work. I think the biggest thing is that is a good football team over there, and I think just not riding the rollercoaster. I feel like we had some good periods that we were attacking them and had some good plays. Then we had some periods where we got to continue the competitive stamina, and that is the thing about this game.” He knows it “can’t just be one play here, one play there. You got to string some plays together in a row,” and admitted they did that better Wednesday than Thursday. The red zone is always tough with “a lot of bodies in a short amount of space,” and Maye isn’t backing down, calling it “one of our focuses this year to be better in the red zone, so we got some work to do.” After two intense days battling a “great football team” like the Eagles, the reigning AFC Champs are clearly dialed in and building on something seriously real.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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