NFL Rookie QB Musings, Week 10: Drake Maye vs Caleb Williams - 2 big things to watch

Two of the top 3 rookies taken in the 2024 NFL Draft square off in Week 10 when Drake Maye and the New England Patriots (2-7) travel to the Windy City to take on Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears (4-4).  While one QB is trying to establish his offense, the other has found his groove and trying to lead his team to the playoffs.

While Maye has had a lack of talent or consistency around him in his few starts in the NFL, he can look across the field at Williams and learn from his early season struggles.  Williams got off to a slow start in the NFL, but played his way through rookie mistakes and now looks every bit like the player taken No. 1 overall in the draft.  Maye hasn’t had winning success thus far, but he has shown signs of a top 3 selected player with both his legs and feet.  Like Williams in his early starts, the mistakes are shaping the player.

Can Drake Maye learn from big play mistakes?

In the Patriots Week 9 loss to the Titans, it was Maye who willed his team to tie the game and force overtime with one of the best plays of the season.  But he took risks in the game that resulted in the loss, like going for it all with his team down 3 in OT.  It was a deep throw on first and 10 to Kayshon Boutte resulting in a game-sealing interception that the rookie wish he had back.

It was a mistake he knows he must learn from.

“Yeah, I think just store in those mistakes and learn from them,” Maye said on Monday during an appearance on WEEI’s Afternoon Show.  “And hopefully not be a repeat offender of these mistakes.  I think that’s the biggest thing Coach [Jerod] Mayo preaches, is not being a ‘repeat mistake guy’.  And that’s what I’m trying to do back there in these games.

“These plays turned out to be huge for the outcome of the game.  Like you said, multiple times in that first drive, taking a sack outside of field goal range, making the field goal further for Joey [Slye], makes it tough.  The interception on third down, we got a chance to put them inside the 10, and maybe flip the field, and, you know, we’ll get the ball back.”

Maye recognizes it’s those “little things” that can turn the momentum of any games.  He also understands it’s how a player will grow, something Williams learned through his first starts in his rookie career.

Can Caleb Williams find connection with top receiver?

While Maye is finding his comfort in the league, the Bears rookie QB has been there but still looking to improve on facets of his game like communication.  Although Williams has way more talent around him than Maye does with the Patriots, the Bears’ passing offense is still ranked 29th in the NFL.  Williams knows he must find more of a connection with top receiver DJ Moore who only has 374 receiving yards on the season.  That includes just 80 yards the last three games.

In highlighting the lack of connection between the two, Williams as a rookie identified awareness and communication as the key to the duo getting back on the same page and sparking the Bears’ offense.

“Obviously it’s not in a place, from the past games, a place where we would like it,” Williams said. “Both of us. It’s frustrating. You’ve got a guy that’s so special, and not being able to connect and hit on certain passes is frustrating for myself. I know it’s frustrating for him because, as a wide receiver especially, you only get but so many chances, so many times the ball comes your way in a game and things like that.”

Like Maye, the one thing Williams can’t do is force opportunities.  The Bears will likely run the ball against the Patriots defense, but that should open opportunities to make some plays in the passing game.  Will it be to Moore?  With him likely matched up against Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, it could be another quiet afternoon for the Williams to Moore connection, but a good QB finds a way to get the ball to his top playmakers and that is now the challenge for both Williams and Maye.

In all, an interesting matchup to watch with emphasis and the spotlighting on how each rookie quarterback grows and adjusts within the game.