Jacoby Brissett faced constant pressure from the New York Jets’ aggressive defense all night.
Then the Patriots’ veteran quarterback was replaced by rookie Drake Maye, who made his NFL debut late in a disappointing 24-3 loss on Thursday night.
This situation raised questions about who will be the starting quarterback for New England moving forward.
“I don’t know,” coach Jerod Mayo said. “We talk every single week that you’re competing for a job. We’ll get together as a coaching staff and see where it goes.”
The Patriots (1-2) might choose to stick with 31-year-old Brissett, who is mainly seen as a temporary option for Maye. Alternatively, they could let the No. 3 overall pick play sooner than expected. The Patriots will be playing at San Francisco next Sunday.
“I don’t make personnel decisions,” Brissett said. “My job is to go out there and get ready to play.”
When asked about Mayo’s uncertainty regarding a possible quarterback change, Brissett avoided adding to the speculation.
“I’m not going to overreact to something I didn’t hear,” he said. “He told me he was going in. I’m not going to argue.”
Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for just 98 yards and was sacked five times before being taken out with 4:24 left in the game.
“I’m a big man. I can take it,” Brissett said about the hits he took. “I always get back up. Finding ways to make plays, that’s what it comes down to. It’s football. You’re supposed to get hit. You don’t sign up for this sport to not get hit.”
Maye entered the game and helped move the Patriots’ offense down the field during their final drive. The former North Carolina star completed 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards and was sacked twice, with the last sack ending the game.
