Drake Maye's Sacks Issue May Help the Patriots

Drake Maye has posted MVP-level stats this season, but he still has a major problem. The New England Patriots’ young quarterback was sacked 47 times during the regular season and an additional 15 times in the postseason thus far. 

As the Patriots prepare for the Super Bowl, those sacks loom large, and it could be an area where the Seahawks exploit New England. 

On the surface, getting sacked that often is an obvious red flag. No team wants their quarterback to get sacked, but it could actually be a positive for the Patriots. 

The Case for Sacks Helping the Patriots

Taking sacks has occasionally worked in the Patriots’ favor. When Maye goes down instead of forcing a throw, he avoids a game-changing turnover. 

New England’s coaching staff has clearly emphasized ball security, and Maye has been excellent in this category. Maye has taken sacks and trusted New England’s defense, which has helped them win 17 games. 

Throughout the season and postseason, the Patriots’ defense has been physical, disciplined, and opportunistic. Punting the ball and trusting the defense to control field position has been a winning formula. 

Sacks also slow the game down. They keep the clock running and give opponents long field because they precede punts. If the Super Bowl becomes a field position battle, New England likely won’t make the critical mistake. 

The Seahawks must earn every yard the way the Patriots have played. 

The Downside: You Still Have to Score

The Patriots can’t expect to win a championship by leaning exclusively on defense even though it has worked in the playoffs. 

Too many sacks put the offense behind the chains, and Seattle is too good on defense to give up countless explosives. In the postseason, Maye’s 15 sacks have routinely pushed New England out of scoring range, but they haven’t faced great quarterbacks so it has helped them thrive. 

Constant pressure disrupts timing, limits the playbook, and eventually forces an offense to become predictable. If the Patriots are playing in third and long, they won’t have much success against a defense like Seattle. 

New England must play better offensively than they have so far in the playoffs to have a legitimate chance of winning. Championships are rarely won how New England has played so far, so this must improve in the Super Bowl. 

The Balance That Will Decide the Super Bowl

Drake Maye’s sack totals represent the tightrope the Patriots must walk. Smart sacks keep the Patriots in the game, but Maye also needs better protection so he doesn’t have to take “smart sacks. 

Maye will be under pressure, but he has handled it well this season. Nevertheless, New England mut score to have a legitimate chance against Seattle. 

If New England can reduce the pressure just enough, the sack problem can be minimized. Yet, if the offensive line continues to struggle, there should be plenty of sacks for Seattle. 

Demarcus Lawrence and Leonard Williams are two of Seattle’s best pass rushers. Lawrence is +120 and Williams is +142 to get a sack on FanDuel Sportsbook.

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