By Luke Curran, ’27
Staff Writer
As we move through week 3 of the 2026 NFL season, the Patriots have gone from Super Bowl runner-up to absolute free fall. Sitting at a mediocre 1-2 record, the Patriots are third in their division as Drake Maye and the offense continue to struggle.
Looking back at the past three games, the problem becomes clear: Drake Maye and this Patriots offense have looked nothing like they did last year. In week 1, the Patriots took a tough 13-10 loss in a rematch against the defending Super bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. Maye threw three interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 54.9. The following week, the defense secured a solid 20-3 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, Maye and the offense continued to struggle, throwing another interception and finishing with a completion percentage of 63.6. Last week, we saw the worst loss so far, with the Patriots suffering a brutal 35-6 blowout to the Jacksonville Jaguars. This game was Maye’s worst performance yet, giving up three turnovers and finishing with a completion percentage of 56.
Looking at these stats, it is safe to assume Maye has been struggling with his confidence. However, the loss of certain players and unfortunate injuries to others play a large role in this decline in his performance. Currently, Maye’s best recievers are Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs, who have been filling in the WR1 spot for an injured AJ Brown. Additionally, the loss of Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs means that the two receivers who had the best connection with Maye are no longer on the team. As a result, Maye has seven turnovers combined through the first three weeks.
Despite these struggles, the season is still young, and AJ Brown is expected to return by week 6 against the New York Jets. For now, we will continue to observe what Head Coach Mike Vrabel and Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels have planned to get this talented Patriots team back on track.
featured image: https://apnews.com/article/patriots-analysis-drake-maye-struggles-26a42ba3a8b3b710fb621a2b5823c13a
