The Patriots enter Week 3 with a defense that has done the heavy lifting, and that’s what makes this trip to Jacksonville so interesting. New England’s offense has stalled out, but the stop unit has kept the team afloat while Drake Maye searches for better rhythm against a tough AFC opponent.
Maye’s numbers through two games are not what New England expected. He has completed 67.3 percent of his passes for 386 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions, and the Patriots’ offense has slipped to 26th in EPA/Play and 29th in EPA/Pass.
With A.J. Brown sidelined for the next few weeks, Maye’s top receiving options are Romeo Doubs, Demario Douglass and Mack Hollins.
Still, there are reasons to think this is a spot where New England can make some noise. The Patriots knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 and held them to just three points, and their defense now ranks No. 2 in the league in EPA/Play and No. 4 in yards per play allowed. Through two games, New England has given up only 16 points.
Jacksonville comes into this one after a tougher showing in Week 2. The Jaguars were beaten by the Denver Broncos as 2.5-point underdogs, a step back after their strong Week 1 win over the Cleveland Browns. They are 1-1 overall and favored at home here, but they have also gone 2-2 against the spread after a loss in the Liam Coen era.
The matchup sets up as a test for a Jaguars defense that has been leaky early. Jacksonville is allowing 6.1 yards per play, which ranks 29th in the NFL, and New England should have a chance to find some openings if Maye can clean up the mistakes. The Broncos found success against this defense in the second half last week, and the Patriots will hope to follow that path.
The betting market has already shifted Jacksonville’s way after opening with New England as a 2.5-point underdog, but the Patriots are still in range if the number stays near a field goal. In a game that looks close on paper, that kind of cushion matters.
Mike Vrabel’s team still needs Maye to take a step forward, and that’s the biggest storyline in this one. The Patriots have started slowly on offense, but with a defense playing at a high level, a modest jump from the quarterback could be enough to steal one on the road.
In Other News...
Will Campbell Suddenly Faces A Huge Patriots Test Up Front
Michael Onwenus broken right ankle has turned a familiar part of the Patriots offensive front into an immediate concern, and it comes at a time when his future in New England already felt uncertain. The right guard is in the final year of his contract, so the injury does more than just shuffle the lineup against Pittsburgh. It also puts the spotlight on a spot the Patriots may need to solve beyond this season, not just for the next game.
For Will Campbell, the opening is as important as it is abrupt. New England is looking to its top draft pick to help cover the void and show he can be a real piece of the line moving forward, which raises the pressure on him quickly. The Patriots need stability up front, and this is the kind of test that can speed up a young linemans development whether hes ready for it or not. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Vrabel Admitted One Patriots Mistake That Could Matter Later
For most of Sunday in Pittsburgh, the Patriots looked like the more organized team, and the scoreboard backed it up in a 20-3 win over the Steelers. The defense set the tone with four sacks and two turnovers, and it kept leaning on Aaron Rodgers with pressure from all angles, blitzing nearly half the time while helping New England control the game from start to finish.
Mike Vrabel still had one sequence he wished he could have back. He admitted the Patriots made a coaching mistake by using consecutive timeouts, which created a delay of game penalty and ended up helping set up Chris Boswell's 56-yard field goal. It did not change the outcome of the day, but it is the kind of detail a coach notices, especially in a game where New England was otherwise sharp enough to leave only a small opening for criticism. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Still Have One Special Teams Question Hanging Over Them
Mitch Wishnowsky is back on the New England Patriots practice squad after serving as a standard elevation for the home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a reminder that the teams special teams picture still has some sorting out to do. With Bryce Baringer on injured reserve, Wishnowsky has been the fill-in option and handled the job against Pittsburgh, punting four times while giving the Patriots a workable evening in the field-position battle.
Wishnowsky has now appeared in two games this season, and the move back to the practice squad leaves New England with a familiar question at a position that can quietly shape close games. The Patriots can keep cycling through options while Baringer remains unavailable, but the way they manage the punter spot in the coming weeks will say plenty about how stable they feel about the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]