Former Patriot is 'scared' for Drake Maye ahead of his debut

While some Patriots fans in New England are excited to see Drake Maye take the field, one former member of the organization is scared for the rookie quarterback.

Football Night in America analyst Rodney Harrison spoke about how he is scared for the Patriots rookie ahead of facing the Houston Texans.

"To me, I'm actually scared of this kid, because if he goes out there and gets exposed to certain things, he may not be able to bounce back from that," Harrison said. "You just never know what a young player goes through, so this is a tough situation."

There is no doubt that there are some risks in putting in a rookie such as Maye. New England's offensive line is performing horridly at the moment, having allowed 19 sacks, so far, this season. 

Maye will face pressure and will need to make quick decisions. This could lead to him making mistakes but also developing as a quarterback more than if the rookie simply sat on the sidelines. Similarly, game reps are extremely valuable and are the only true barometer when deciding if a quarterback will be successful in the NFL.

While the offensive line is struggling, New England has a talented running back in Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson has rushed for 356 yards and three touchdowns this season and will help take some of the pressure off of Maye. 

The running back has the capability to break off large runs with his largest carry racking up 33 yards, and will keep defenses on their toes. Stevenson's talent also allows for New England to set up the passing game with play-action plays.

The Patriots passing game was also bolstered by the return of Kendrick Bourne. While Bourne didn't make a major impact in Week 5's loss to the Miami Dolphins, he will surely help take away some pressure away from Demario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk.

So while Harrison might be scared for Maye, there is no time like the present to see what Maye is made of. Change can be scary but if New England wants to have any success this season, a change at quarterback was needed.