The Patriots head into Sunday’s trip to brand-new Highmark Stadium carrying a 1-2 record, a battered roster and a quarterback problem that sits above everything else.
That’s the real story here. Not the 35-6 loss to the Jaguars, ugly as it was.
Not the injuries that are already nibbling at the offensive line and the defensive backfield. Not the fact that the running backs keep leaving the offense stuck in third-and-6, or that the kicker has been too inconsistent for comfort.
All of those issues matter, but none of them are as urgent as the one surrounding Drake Maye.
Maye was the runner-up for MVP last season and looked like a player ready to build on a breakthrough year. Instead, three games into this season, the Patriots are staring at a version of him that looks far removed from that standard.
His decision-making has slipped, especially in the red zone. His stat line is rough: one touchdown pass and six interceptions, only two fewer picks than he had all of last season, when he threw eight interceptions against 31 touchdown passes.
And there’s at least some concern that the punishment he absorbed in the postseason against four of the top defenses has left a mark, physically, mentally or both.
That makes this a dangerous week to be searching for a reset. Josh Allen and the 3-0 Bills are hardly a soft landing spot.
Allen has thrown for 786 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions, and he’s already added six rushing touchdowns. Buffalo also has one of the league’s most dangerous playmakers in James Cook, who has run for 346 yards and two scores while averaging 6 yards per carry through three games.
The Bills are averaging a league-best 33.7 points under new head coach Joe Brady.
For the Patriots to have any shot, Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels have to find a way to get Maye back on track, and fast. Right now, he doesn’t look like a quarterback operating with confidence or ease.
The supporting cast hasn’t helped. Mack Hollins has been the most reliable target, leading the Patriots with 16 targets, 12 catches and 156 receiving yards.
Kyle Williams has not given them much, and Hunter Henry - who finished last season with 60 catches, 768 yards and seven touchdowns - has been a nonfactor so far, with only seven catches for 71 yards. The Patriots also no longer seem to have the kind of dependable third-down back that used to be part of the team’s identity.
On the other side, Greg Rousseau has been one of the early-season standouts in the league. He’s already collected six sacks, including two in each of Buffalo’s first three games, and was named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for September. He also has 15 tackles, with eight for loss, and he’ll be a major problem for the Patriots’ battered right side.
There’s also the broader frustration that comes with watching a young talent struggle in this market. The reaction tends to swing too quickly: first overrated, then soft if injuries enter the picture.
As Rick Pitino put it, “This is a broader gripe, worthy of deeper discussion on another day. But it stinks that when an obviously talented young player in this market struggles, a chorus of brayers immediately declare the player to be overrated all along.
And should an injury, or two, or three occur, the athlete is pegged as soft. Rick Pitino wasn’t right about much when he coached the Celtics, but he sure was right about one thing.”
If there’s any place for the Patriots to look back, it’s to last season’s 23-20 win over the Bills in Week 5. That game, a turning point in their season, came under the lights on Sunday Night Football and helped launch what felt like a special run.
But this is a different moment, and the Patriots need a lot more than memory. They need Maye to rediscover something close to the version of himself that made last season so promising.
At the moment, that feels like a tall ask.
Bills 33, Patriots 19.
In Other News...
Patriots Head To Buffalo With A Problem They Cant Afford
The Patriots are heading into a pivotal AFC East trip with an injury report that already looks longer than they would like, and Christian Gonzalez is the name that stands out most. New England listed 11 players ahead of its Week 4 matchup with the Bills, and the top cornerback missed practice with a shoulder injury after getting hurt in the previous game but finishing it.
Drake Maye is dealing with a shoulder issue of his own, though offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said it has not forced the Patriots to alter the game plan. Even so, heading to Buffalo with one of the rosters key defensive pieces banged up and the rookie quarterback less than full strength adds another layer of urgency to a game New England could use to steady its season. [Read more 🡒]
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Patriots Backlash Is Getting Ugly As Drake Maye Frustration Grows
The Patriots have spent the first few weeks of the 2026 season dealing with more noise than they probably wanted, and the 1-2 start has only made it louder. Mike Vrabels offseason controversy with former reporter Dianna Russini already stirred up plenty of attention after photos of the two led to her resignation from The Athletic, following an internal investigation that found a violation of newsroom standards.
Now the frustration is spilling over onto the field, with sports analyst Bill Simmons relaying his fathers harsh view that the offseason drama has helped drag the team down. He also expressed disappointment in Drake Mayes play, adding another layer to a start that has left the Patriots trying to quiet both the backlash and the growing unease around their young quarterback. [Read more 🡒]