Through the first three games of the season, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has looked nothing like the player who finished second in voting for the NFL MVP in 2025. Maye has completed 63.7% of his passes for 585 yards, one touchdown, and six interceptions. Following the Patriots' 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, head coach Mike Vrabel noted he was concerned about New England as a whole.
He also noted that Maye needed to relax on the field instead of forcing plays to happen. More News: Exclusive: Breakout NFL Executives Who Could Become Future General Managers More News: 4 QBs Generating Serious Trade Buzz Weeks Before NFL Regular Season Starts In Saturday's edition of "The Sweep," Tom Pelissero noted that there were "chuckles" around the league at the rumors that Vrabel is at odds with Maye. That's obviously not true, but some league coaches who have gone against the Patriots this season have noted that New England's offense looks "choppy and disconnected" in its entirety.
Those coaches think Maye is trying too much to overcompensate, which has caused bad decision-making by the 2024 No. 3 pick. Maye and the Patriots are 1-2 before going on the road to play the 3-0 Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Maye suffered a shoulder injury in the loss to the Jaguars.
Vrabel told reporters this week the shoulder won't be a problem for Sunday's game, but the team had to put his name on the injury report because of NFL protocols. "There were no limitations, so he practiced full – he didn't miss any reps," Vrabel said, via the Patriots website. "But we just felt like it was best to list it just to make sure that we are doing everything that we're supposed to do from a protocol standpoint.” The Patriots have a great opportunity to jumpstart their offense against the Bills.
Buffalo gave up 31 points to the Houston Texans in Week 1 and 31 points to the Detroit Lions in Week 2. A strong performance against the Bills would quiet the questions surrounding Maye. For more on the Patriots and the NFL, head to Newsweek Sports.
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