The Patriots and Jaguars enter Week 3 with the same 1-1 record, but the old history between these teams doesn’t tell you much about what happens next. New England went 12-3 in the first 15 meetings, yet Jacksonville won the most recent matchup in 2024, and both teams look different enough now that the past only goes so far. The oddsmakers still have the Jaguars as the home favorite, but this matchup looks tight enough to swing either way.
For New England, the clearest concern is still the passing game. Drake Maye and the offense flashed some encouraging signs in last week’s win over the Steelers, but the bigger issue has been consistency and ball security.
Five pass-game turnovers through two weeks is a brutal number, and it’s not the kind of trend that survives long against a Jacksonville defense built to make quarterbacks uncomfortable. The Jaguars bring blitz pressure, disruptive edge play, active linebackers and strong coverage, and they were sharp in that area even in a loss to Denver last week.
The Patriots’ defense, though, has a chance to make life difficult on Jacksonville’s passing attack as well. The Jaguars don’t have the obvious top-end No. 1 receiver that the Seahawks or Steelers brought to the table, and Parker Washington is the closest thing they have to that kind of target.
He’s looked the part early, but a New England secondary that could have all its starters available should be positioned to keep him and the rest of the group in check. Trevor Lawrence is still a major test - one of the best pure passers the Patriots have seen in the Mike Vrabel era - but if the Patriots get the coverage, pressure and interior push they’re looking for, they can tilt that battle their way.
The ground game gives New England another path. It hasn’t been clean or steady yet, even with TreVeyon Henderson back last week, but Henderson’s big-play ability changes the math in a hurry.
Rhamondre Stevenson also ran hard against Pittsburgh, even if the fumble on a short reception early in the game left a mark. If both backs build on that performance, the Patriots should be able to find some room against a Jaguars run defense that has been solid without being dominant.
Special teams is another area where this feels like a true strength-on-strength fight. Both teams bring strong units, but Jacksonville gets a slight nod because of Cam Little. Andy Borregales has been steady for New England and has shown the range and poise to handle pressure, but Little’s track record and comfort at EverBank Field give the Jaguars a small edge.
On the coaching side, this may be the tightest call of all. Mike Vrabel and Liam Coen both have staffs with real talent, but the Patriots get the slightest lean because of how well their defense has been coached and how fully the players have bought into that approach. Zak Kuhr and the rest of the defensive staff have gotten strong execution from that group.
That leaves the game where it probably should be decided: on offense, and especially on New England’s ability to take care of the football. If Maye and the Patriots keep moving in the right direction, a Week 3 upset is very much alive. Until they prove they can do that consistently, though, this looks like the kind of game shaped more by defense than blown open by it.
In Other News...
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The biography also adds fresh detail to a relationship that had already been heavily scrutinized, including claims that Bundchen wanted Brady to retire and that her connection with Joaquim Valente began earlier than previously understood. The book says the marriage ultimately unraveled after Brady decided to unretire in 2022, reopening a chapter that, for Patriots fans, has long been tied to the final stretch of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Dip Into Practice Squad Again For Key Week 3 Roles
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Brown and Pharms are expected to go back to the practice squad after the game, which is the kind of roster maneuver that has become part of the weekly rhythm for teams trying to stay flexible early in the year. For the Patriots, it also underscores how much they continue to value players who already know the system and can be called upon without much adjustment when a spot opens up. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Tight End Problem Feels Bigger After One Offseason Misfire
The Patriots went into the offseason trying to add some badly needed depth at tight end, bringing in free agent Julian Hill and using a draft pick on Eli Raridon. It was a sensible attempt to address a spot that has been thin for a while, but Hills season-ending injury quickly changed the equation and left New England without the extra body it was counting on.
From there, the opportunity to make a bigger swing never materialized. Kyle Pitts had been discussed as a possible trade target for the Patriots, but Atlanta kept him and then extended him, even as his 2026 start has drawn fresh scrutiny around that decision. For New England, the result is another reminder that the tight end room remains unresolved, and the offseason move meant to stabilize it may already be behind schedule. [Read more 🡒]