FOXBOROUGH – Drake Maye understands the importance of protecting himself, but this week, Josh McDaniels made it a point to remind his quarterback of this fact.

Last weekend, in Tennessee, Maye took several big hits after escaping the pocket and running without sliding. At 12:27 of the third quarter, Maye scrambled for a 6-yard gain when cornerback Roger McCreary tackled him. The quarterback landed on his head and was removed from the game to undergo a concussion test.

This was a big moment for the Patriots.

They led, 17-13, and were quickly driving down the field. Joshua Dobbs came in, played three snaps, and converted a big 12-yard pass on third down to keep the drive alive. Maye ultimately passed the concussion test and returned to the field, but McDaniels knows it could’ve been much worse.

That’s why he reemphasized the importance of sliding this week.

“Certainly, we addressed what we think the right thing to do is,” McDaniels said. “He’s a competitive guy. I think certainly making sure he’s available to the team is a priority. He’s got to balance doing the things that help us make really good plays in those situations because he’s an athletic guy who’s going to make some things happen when he runs versus making sure he protects himself in the end.

“Certainly, he’s seen them, too. It’s about making a good decision in the moment each time we do it. Really, that’s a good way for the quarterback to put the team first in that situation, just remind yourself, ‘if I’m not out here, I can’t really help us win.’ We’ll address it, but I think he knows.”

After missing three snaps in Tennessee, Maye returned, and the Patriots finished that drive with a touchdown, extending their lead to 24-13. The Patriots went on to blow out the Titans, and Maye had another phenomenal game.

Of course, the results could’ve been different if Maye suffered a concussion. An injury like that would’ve likely led to Dobbs starting this week. That’s why the quarterback knows he needs to get down when the time is right.

“There’s always emphasis on sliding for me. They’ve said it since the beginning of the year,” Maye said. “From last year, taking hits and knowing being out there for the next play is most important. Credit to Dobbs, maybe the play of the day. He came in here, evaded a sack, and threw a dime. So, it was good to see that from the blue tent. I was looking through the little top of the blue tent and saw it. But other than that, no, sliding and knowing when to get down, and also knowing whether it’s a third down or near the end zone.”

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