Drake Maye's first Patriots start couldn't come at a worse time

The New England Patriots dropped their fourth straight game on Sunday in a disappointing loss to the Miami Dolphins. Jacoby Brissett completed 18-of-34 passes for 160 yards, which now qualifies as one final dud for the road.

Brissett isn't actually leaving New England, but he is hitting the bench in favor of rookie Drake Maye. The Patriots are expected to install the reigning No. 3 pick as their QB1 for next Sunday's showdown. with the Houston Texans.

It was a long time coming, as Maye was always the future of this organization. Sometimes the future arrives sooner than you'd like or expect.

It is undeniably more exciting to consider the prospect of Drake Maye playing football than Jacoby Brissett. The Patriots' entertainment value just shot up and there should be more eyeballs on Sunday's game as a result.

That said, there's a reason New England didn't start Maye from the jump, even after he outperformed Brissett in training camp and preseason action. We always knew what this Patriots team was — a certified bottom-dweller gunning for the No. 1 pick in next April's draft. This roster is just not built to support a quality quarterback.

Maye's first taste of extended NFL action will now come against a fearsome foe in Houston, too. It could be tough sledding early on.

Drake Maye to face trial by fire as the Patriots face Texans in Week 6

Nothing says 'welcome to the NFL' quite like facing Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. in your first start. The Texans have 15 total sacks through five weeks, tied for the eighth-most in the NFL. That defense puts intense and frequent pressure on the quarterback. It has been hard enough for established veterans like Josh Allen. Just imagine what Maye will go through as a green rookie.

This, again, was inevitable. There was no way Brissett could make it all the way through the season as QB1. All the factors that will limit Maye have been limiting Brissett. He's a smart and competent quarterback, but Brissett does not have the freakish athleticism or live arm necessary to thrive in New England's ramshackle offense. Maye does have some of those attributes, but he requires patience and cultivation. We can't expect highlight-reel, MVP-level production right out of the gate.

Maye should've been the No. 2 pick in April's NFL Draft for my money, but New England is probably the worst situation for a quarterback right now, with the possible exception of Carolina. The offensive line has been a sieve since Week 2, with Brissett taking 17 sacks through five weeks. That is an ugly number and it's hard to really blame Brissett. He just hasn't had time to read the field or make decisions before the pocket collapses and he's in improv mode.

Even Maye took two sacks when he subbed in for a single drive in the Patriots' Week 3 loss to the Jets. Brissett has thrown two touchdowns all season, a number Maye should be able to improve upon, but it comes at considerable risk. He is going to be under constant fire, which could lead to the development of bad habits (see: Jones, Mac) or, even worse, injuries.

The Patriots take on a new dynamic with Maye at the commands, but it probably would've been better to give Maye a full year of understudy work (and ideally a better roster) before pulling the trigger.