Rookie QB Leads Two Scoring Drives
When the New England Patriots needed a little spark, they relied on a rookie quarterback.
But it wasn’t No. 3 overall selection Drake Maye — it was sixth-round pick Joe Milton III.
The former Tennessee gunslinger led two fourth-quarter drives that resulted in 10 points as the Patriots pulled off a 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers in preseason action on Thursday at Gillette Stadium.
Milton was the fourth quarterback for the Patriots to play in the game. He finished his only two drives 4-for-6 passing for 54 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 22 yards on five carries.
The Patriots got a 42-yard field goal to pad their lead to 10-0 early in the final quarter. Then Milton connected with wide receiver JaQuae Jackson for a 38-yard touchdown strike.
In his only drive of the game, Maye went 2-for-3 for 19 yards.
Giants 14, Lions 3
In the other preseason game on Thursday night, the New York Giants defeated the Detroit Lions 14-3 at MetLife Stadium.
Second-year running back Eric Gray ran for a pair of touchdowns — from 48 and 1 yards — for the Giants. He finished the night with four carries for 52 yards. The fifth-round pick in 2023 out of Oklahoma added four catches on four targets for 46 yards.
Giants’ first-round pick Malik Nabers — the second wide receiver selected — did not play.
There are a full slate of games scheduled for this weekend. There are three tonight, highlighted by the Philadelphia Eagles at the Baltimore Ravens. Saturday has nine games with the Kansas City Chiefs heading to the Jacksonville Jaguars being the big matchup. There will be a pair of games on Sunday, with the Dallas Cowboys at the Los Angeles Rams.
