FOXBOROUGH, Mass – Drake Maye made his first NFL start on Sunday. 

And while the New England Patriots did lose to the Houston Texans, his performance was enough to provide some new confidence in the offense. 

Maye finished the game going 17-for-26 for 220 passing yards and three passing touchdowns, along with three carries for 30 yards. 

The quarterback spoke with reporters after the game and didn't hold back about how this monumental game went. 

Here's everything he said: 

Drake, just kind of take us through your day from start to finish. You certainly had a lot going on, and how much did that first 40-yard touchdown kind of settle you down and get you going into your day?

"Yeah, yeah, I think we just hurt ourselves today. I think that’s the biggest thing. I think we put the defense in bad spots, and with how good our defense is, that’s the last thing we can do. We can’t – when the ball is in the red zone, giving the other team the ball in the red zone just makes it hard on them. It starts with me, and I feel like I wish I could have some throws back, and especially the first interception. But yeah, after the touchdown, felt like kind of we were back in it. Coming out of halftime, there goes another turnover in the red zone. Just kept on hurting ourselves, and in this league, these teams are too good to do that. But some great stuff to watch on film. Sometimes out there, it was a lot of fun on offense. That’s what I told the guys in the huddle at the end, we got the guys in the huddle, we’ve just got to make a few more plays and play complementary football. That’s what Coach Mayo will just preach, play complementary football, and we didn’t do that today."

As the game went on, did you feel it kind of slow down for you in the pocket and making decisions?

"Yeah, you know, I was a little amped at the start for sure. I think the biggest thing is having those guys around me. They were great, pumping me up, coaches, defense. The guys around me were great trying to settle me down, and Jacoby [Brissett] was a big part of that, slowed me down on the sideline pregame. Once we got that first drive, it was three-and-out, and I could have probably checked it down on the under. But we’ve got some stuff to look back and learn from, but I also feel like we did some good things."

You mentioned the interception, the first one. What sort of happened there? Take us through –

"Yeah. Pretty simple. Pop [DeMario Douglas] over the middle and hit him a few other times, and that last one where he scored, I hit him in stride. Just got to make better throws. I missed a little high, and you can’t miss high over the middle in this league. That’s what they always say; you can’t miss high over the middle, and tipped balls on the second one turned into interceptions."

Along those lines, there’s no denying this is one of the biggest days in your life. That’s a fact. It’s also a fact that your team lost convincingly. What are those emotions like? You’re going to be getting texts from friends, family who don’t take the loss into account. What’s going on right now in terms of the conflicting emotions?

"Yeah, I think first and foremost just blessed. I thank the good Lord. I’m in a great spot with the Patriots here and playing quarterback in the NFL. Most of my friends and family after a loss, they’ll still worry more about the loss than kind of encouraging plays. That’s kind of the people I’m around. We care about winning. Just hate losing. That’s the big thing. I think there’s some good things to take away from it today, and I think back with Coach Mayo, we’ve got to play complementary football, and we haven’t done that."

Can you describe your mindset during the two-minute drill before halftime? Looked like you were able to try to fit some passes into some tight windows there. Did that maybe help you settle in a little bit?

"Yeah, I think the two-minute time is a great time for a quarterback to kind of get some passes and get some plays that we’re comfortable with under my belt. It was a lot easier in two-minute than in practice when the guys actually come back there and tackle me in the back. Able to make some plays. [Kayshon] Boutte made a great play, and those guys – I think Pop [DeMario Douglas] down the sideline, that’s a great play on his part, and just get the guys the ball, and that’s the biggest thing I’ve got to do. I think get them the ball and let them make plays. You saw Hunter [Henry] on a flat route early on. We’re backed up, make a guy miss, get a first down, little things like that, try to get the ball out of my hands and get it to those guys. I make a lot of money getting paid to get first downs."

Q: Could you just walk us through your 40-yard touchdown pass to (Kayshon Boutte) and doing it in a game as opposed to a practice? How much did that help your confidence today?

"I think pressed up. I think we’ve got to give guys – give him a chance. That was kind of my thought process; give him a chance. I thought kind of the Texans was kind of squatting us a little bit. They came out and challenged us and played in man so tried to let one ride and give Boutte a chance. He made a nice play, and it was pretty cool. I think both of our first touchdowns, so pretty cool moment. I felt like in this group we can push the ball down the field and make plays in the passing game, so we’ve just got to keep repping it and see what you like and I’ve got to make the throws, that’s the bottom line. Make better throws."