New England Patriots
“There’s a lot going on within that offense that has to be better, and Drake’s a part of that.”
Drake Maye’s struggles this year have cast a dark cloud over a Patriots season that started with so much promise.
While New England had questions about its depth, few expected a 1-2 start to be driven by severe regression from its franchise QB, who finished as the runner-up in NFL MVP voting last year.
Through three games, Maye has thrown just one touchdown, while getting knocked for six interceptions and one lost fumble.
The 24-year-old QB threw 31 touchdowns — and just eight picks — throughout the entire 2025 campaign.
Maye’s play hit a new low in a 35-6 road loss to the Jaguars on Sunday, as he went 14-for-25 for 199 yards with two interceptions, zero touchdowns, and a lost fumble.
Jacksonville scored two touchdowns off of Maye’s three turnovers, while one end-zone pick from the signal-caller took points off the board for New England just before halftime.
It’s been tough sledding for Maye, who has had to answer questions regarding a shoulder injury and whether or not last year’s success was more a byproduct of a lighter schedule than his own merits.
But, speaking ahead of ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast between the Eagles and Bears, broadcast and Cowboys legend Troy Aikman stressed that New England’s poor play this year (and during last year’s Super Bowl loss to Seattle) doesn’t all fall on Maye’s shoulders.
“I think Joe Montana could have been the quarterback in that Super Bowl and the result was gonna be what it was,” Aikman said on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown. “All fingers point to Drake Maye, but there was a lot going on, and there were not a lot of answers.
“First of all, whether you go back to last year in the playoffs, they played a lot of good defenses, and they’ve opened up this season with a lot of good defenses as well. That’s part of it. When you’re the AFC champs, you’ve got to play well against those people.”
While Maye’s throws and decision-making have drawn plenty of criticism, Aikman stressed that New England’s woes run deeper than just the play of its quarterback.
“He’s gotta play better, he’s gotta make better decisions. They have not protected him very well, and his receivers have not gotten much separation,” Aikman said. “There’s a lot there, but every fan who watches a team play, they walk away from that game feeling like they know how the quarterback is.
“I’m not defending Drake, but in a way, I am. There’s a lot going on within that offense that has to be better, and Drake’s a part of that.”
New England will need Maye to sharpen up his game moving forward, especially with a daunting road matchup against Josh Allen and the Bills next up on the schedule.
But, the Patriots also need more from their wideouts with A.J. Brown still on the mend, while New England’s offensive game plans have been lacking — especially when it comes to dialing up a steady dose of runs up the gut for both Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson.
With Maye laboring, an emphasis on the run game should be essential for New England. But, the Patriots averaged just 3.2 yards per carry against Jacksonville, with both Stevenson and Henderson combining for just 50 yards in that lopsided loss.
Maye needs to right the ship in short order. But, the Patriots have plenty more areas to shore up beyond their quarterback.
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