Patriots’ Drake Maye has solid night in preseason loss to Eagles

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Rookie Drake Maye ran for a touchdown and led the New England Patriots on two of the team’s three scoring drives Thursday night in a 14-13 preseason loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The No. 3 overall draft pick out of North Carolina appeared in just one series in the Patriots’ preseason opener, but played the second and third quarters of this one.

He finished 6 of 11 for 47 yards.

“Had some good things and had some bad plays. Definitely a lot of things to learn from,” Maye said. “It was good to go out there and have some tape to learn from.”

Joey Slye, who’s competing with incumbent Chad Ryland for the starting job, kicked two field goals for New England.

The Patriots (1-1) finished with 11 first downs, but just four came in the last two quarters.

The Patriots were leading 13-6 in the fourth quarter when the Eagles rallied.

Rookie running back Kendall Milton ran for a 1-yard score and Tanner McGee connected with Ainias Smith on the go-ahead 2-point conversion.

Jake Elliott also kicked two field goals for Philadelphia (2-0).

Patriots projected Week 1 starter Jacoby Brissett was underwhelming in his one quarter before being replaced by Maye.

New England went three-and-out on the game’s first possession.

The Patriots’ second drive ended when Brissett was intercepted by Philadelphia’s Avonte Maddox in the end zone.

After another three-and-out, Brissett was done and finished 3 for 7 for 17 yards.

Maye received a nice ovation from the sparse crowd at Gillette Stadium when he checked in before the start of the second quarter.

He gave the fans even more a reason to cheer after connecting on third down with fellow rookie Javon Baker — a 12-yard toss that helped New England eventually tie it at 3 after Slye’s 51-yarder.

Maye went into the end zone from 4 yards out on the first play following the two-minute warning, giving New England a 10-3 lead heading into the second half.

“He had great composure,” Patriots rookie head coach Jerod Mayo said. “I thought it was a good drive. I thought he went out there and did a lot of good things. Hopefully he can build on that and we’ll see how this week goes.”

Maye’s performance in the third quarter got off to a shaky start when he fumbled the exchange, but the Patriots recovered.

New England managed just one third down in the third and it came on a defensive pass interference call.

“Dropped snaps are inexcusable for me,” Maye said.

Two days after the Eagles participated in a joint practice against the Patriots, Philadelphia chose to sit starting QB Jalen Hurts for the second straight preseason game.

Backup Kenny Pickett played the entire first half and completed 11 of 13 passes but for only 67 yards.

“Just taking the completions that are there and try to move the offense,” Pickett said. “Those big plays will come sooner rather than later.”

The Eagles’ lone points through two quarters came on a 42-yarder by Elliott.

He added a 38-yarder in the fourth.

New England inserted Bailey Zappe with 2:25 remaining after rookie Joe Milton III went 2 of 7 for 20 yards and failed to lead the offense to a first down on the ensuing drive after the Eagles took the lead with 4:23 left.

Zappe’s bid at a comeback ended when a bad snap was recovered by Philadelphia, which ran out the remaining 1:47.

McGee started the second half for the Eagles and finished 15 of 19 for 140 yards. Will Grier, who spent part of last season on New England’s practice squad, went 3 for 5 for 35 yards for Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni re-inserted McGee in the fourth.

“Coach told us that was going to be the game plan before the game and the coaches did a good job communicating it,” McGee said. “I was just ready to roll whenever they called me.”