FOXBOROUGH - Drake Maye is at his best when he's operating off-platform and improvising.
Sunday night's 23-20 upset of the Buffalo Bills had a highlight reel of those types of plays from Maye.
Whether it was dropping a 32-yard dime to Stefon Diggs while on the dead run rolling to his right in the third quarter or somehow completing a 12-yard pass to Diggs with a Bills defender draped all over him as he dashed to his right, the Patriots don't win without Maye's heroics on the move.
During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday, Warner said Maye was relying on a little too much on the off-script stuff for his liking.
"I think Drake is playing some good football," the former Super Bowl winner said. "But right now, a little of it is a little more backyard football than solid, consistent quarterback play."
The NFL Network analyst believes Maye has been quick to flee the pocket and create a play if his first read is covered.
"That's a tough world to live in," Warner said. "To be a great quarterback in this league, you've got to be able to consistently live in the pocket when the situation dictates that, and then go create and be that special playmaker beyond that."
Warner has a point. Quarterbacks who are constantly on the run don't survive. That kind of play is not sustainable in the National Football League.
In Maye's case, however, much of his off-platform deliveries have been warranted.
He's bailed on plays and scrambled out of the pocket largely out of necessity. There have been times when he's abandoned plays too soon, but it's not at a worrisome stage just yet.
Or at a point where it can't be corrected.
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who was asked about Warner's remarks, didn't sound too concerned about Maye straying and going off-script beyond what's necessary.
"Well, when it works ... players make plays. Sometimes the design of the offense either isn't good enough on a certain play, and the player extends it, or the defense does something to stop us from doing what we'd like to do initially, then the player makes a play," McDaniels said Thursday. "I think that happens a lot in football. It just gets talked about a lot more when it's the quarterback."
McDaniels has no issue if his quarterback improvises at the right time. Sometimes it might not end with a positive play, but like any play, that comes with the territory.
"Hopefully it ends in a play that either doesn't hurt us, or we have an opportunity to extend the drive," McDaniels said. "And I thought (Maye) made a few good decisions the other night, and made some plays out of it.
"There will be times when he's just got to throw the ball away, which he's done that plenty of times."
Through the first five games, Maye has learned from mistakes. He's being more careful with the football. After turning the ball over twice (pick, fumble) in the loss to Pittsburgh, he hasn't turned the ball over during the Patriots' recent two-game win streak.
McDaniels has also incorporated plays to have him roll out with a pass-run option. He has designed bootlegs.
McDaniels and the offensive coaches are trying to take advantage of Maye's vast skillset and scheme the offense around those attributes.
Thus far, it's been a mix of McDaniels' traditional offense—one that worked so well with pocket passer Tom Brady—with some west coast concepts and principles thrown in to help take advantage of his mobility.
Maye has shown improvement practically every week. His best games have been the last two.
Against Buffalo, he connected on 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards. He was lights out in the second half, completing 13 of 14 passes for 184 yards.
Many of those completions came with him on the move.
The New Orleans Saints, Sunday's opponent, may have a stout front but they're near the bottom of the league when it comes to pressure rate on the quarterback, so that bodes well for the Patriots.
Maye said Wednesday his priorities were protecting the football (the Saints produced 5 turnovers against the Giants last week), and making the plays that are there.
"It comes down to, for me, ball placement, get it out on time and making sure the football is in the right spot for them to catch and run or catch and make a play," Maye said Wednesday. "So, that's kind of the biggest thing."
If it turns into backyard football out of necessity, the Patriots will live with that. As McDaniels said, Maye tends to shine in that circumstance. He makes plays.
If Maye has the blocking up front or doesn't see the first read and then bails for no reason, that's trouble. As Warner suggested, that can't become a habit if Maye truly wants to take the next step.
Based on the sample at hand, it's too early to brand him as nothing more than backyard football quarterback.