3 Patriots Who Benefit the Most From Drake Maye's Surprise Promotion
By Jovan Alford
2. Hunter Henry
If Stevenson can rip off solid runs, it should open up the passing game for Maye and veteran tight end Hunter Henry.
For a young quarterback, a good tight end is their best friend and safety valve when pressure is starting to get home. Henry has played well to the start the season, leading the team in targets (25) and receiving yards (180).
However, the veteran pass catcher is ranked second in receptions (16) and hasn’t scored a touchdown yet. Henry has consistently had at least two receptions in four games this season, except Week 2 against Seattle – eight receptions (12 targets) for 109 yards.
Looking back at Van Pelt’s offense in Cleveland, when Joe Flacco took over, there were a lot of David Njoku and Amari Cooper featured in the passing game. Henry has proven to be one of the solid receiving tight ends in the league over his career.
With the receiver room still finding its footing, Henry could be heavily featured to help the rookie quarterback make some easy throws to get going.
Houston’s defense has allowed the second-fewest yards to tight ends this season, making it a tough challenge for Henry and Maye. But someone has to catch those short passes to slow down this Texans’ pass rush on Sunday.