Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots cruised to a 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 7. The relatively lopsided final score, however, does not reveal the drama that unfolded on the field on Sunday: early in the second half, Patriots starting quarterback Drake Maye was pulled from the game after sustaining a potential head injury.
Luckily for the team, he returned shortly thereafter and his brief departure remained the only noteworthy incident against Tennessee. So, let’s assess the damage after rewatching the game.
QB Drake Maye: Following a 6-yard scramble on the opening drive of the third quarter, Maye hit his head on the Nissan Stadium turf. He remained on the ground for a bit and managed to get up without any obvious limitations, but was nonetheless removed from the contest by the unaffiliated neurological team. He went to the blue medical tent for a checkup, but reemerged shortly thereafter and returned to the game after just three missed snaps. The 23-year-old remained in the lineup until late in the fourth quarter, when he was pulled due to the game’s blowout nature.
The Patriots’ 5-2 start is in large part due to Maye playing some of the best football in the NFL right now. So, naturally, him having to exit the team was cause for concern. His absence was brief and ultimately non-consequential, but a reminder of how quickly fortune can change in the league: one bad collision or hard hit might be all it takes, something Maye himself is quite familiar with.
Twice last season, the then-rookie underwent a similar check after hitting his head on the turf. The first of those, in a game against the New York Jets, resulted in him leaving the game and being placed in concussion protocol.
On Sunday against the Titans, that did not happen.
“I feel alright, just got to get down,” Maye said after the game. “Just landed awkwardly but felt alright. But, no, felt good.”
Maye is the Patriots’ most important player, and as such somebody who needs to be protected and also know how to protect himself. Head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels need to keep driving this point home, even if it results in a few less yards being gained on scramble drills.
As for the rest of the team, there were no obvious hiccups. The opposite, actually: safety Jaylinn Hawkins, who has now missed two straight games with a hamstring issue, seems to be nearing his return.
The first injury report of the week, set to be released on Wednesday, will give us more insight into the Patriots’ injury situation, though. They will then host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
