FOXBORO, Mass. — Football officially returns to Foxboro on Thursday night with the New England Patriots playing host to the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 of the NFL preseason.
The game marks the 13th preseason meeting between the two teams and the first since a 20-10 Patriots win at Gillette Stadium in Week 2 of the 2022 preseason.
The Patriots won their second title in franchise history in a game against the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII on Feb. 2, 2004. Legendary placekicker Adam Vinatieri booted the game-winning field goal in that game.
A lot has changed since then. Tom Brady is long gone, Bill Belichick has been replaced, and the Patriots haven’t hung a Super Bowl banner since 2019, but Thursday night brings renewed hope as rookie quarterback Drake Maye is expected to take the field.
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Maye, 21, was drafted by the Patriots out of the University of North Carolina with the third pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett would get the start under center, but Maye is expected to see action behind him.
There have been moments in camp this summer when Maye has looked like the answer to the quarterback conundrum the Patriots have been seeking since Brady’s departure in 2020.
On a Friday in late July, Maye impressed in practice when he connected with fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk, who leaped over two defenders to make the down-field catch.
The reception prompted loud cheers from the crowd watching from the stands.
.@DrakeMaye2 going deeeep to @jpolk_22 🆙 pic.twitter.com/zH0RdidzW2
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) July 26, 2024
While there have been reminders that Maye is no different from the majority of first-year quarterbacks, Brissett has praised the rookie’s ability to bounce back after mistakes.
“Those are the wide-end curves and NFL moments that you need out here,” Brissett said. “I’m doing that myself out here — trying to bounce back with a good play after a bad one.”
Fellow rookie Joe Milton III and third-year player Bailey Zappe are also expected to get reps at quarterback against the Panthers.
Tonight’s game kicks off at 7 p.m.
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