Former Patriots Coach Expects ‘Real Challenges’ For Drake Maye Vs. Broncos
'All of those things can be really problematic'
Drake Maye will encounter yet another elite defense when the New England Patriots play the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game.
Following road wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, Maye will look to become the first quarterback to defeat three top-five defenses in the same postseason. The MVP finalist faces the NFL’s No. 2 unit a week after throwing three touchdowns on the top-ranked Texans.
While the Patriots are favored to exploit a Denver squad playing without Bo Nix, Maye could face a difficult day at Mile High. Former New England Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini discussed all the obstacles the 23-year-old quarterback faces this Sunday during FS1’s “First Things First.”
“You got the noise, that’s one element,” Mangini said on Wednesday. “You got the silent count. And then with Denver’s defense, they’re No. 1 in the league in sacks.”
Mangini noted that the Broncos also lead the NFL in quarterback hurries and knockdown percentage. They sacked, hurried or knocked down the passer on approximately 30 percent of dropbacks during the regular season.
Meanwhile, Maye has gotten sacked 10 times and fumbled six times this postseason.
“All of those things can be really problematic, especially for a guy who’s been sacked at double the rate in the postseason than he was sacked in the regular season,” Mangini warned. “You add noise, so it’s harder for the offensive line to communicate. I think there’s gonna be real challenges for him in this environment.”
However, Mangini then highlighted Maye’s strong numbers under pressure. He posted a 129.2 quarterback rating with 15 touchdowns and no interceptions when blitzed during the regular season.
“He’s been outstanding against the blitz,” Mangini said. “Which is the most encouraging thing, to me, about Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels going into this game.”
