The Patriots head into their Week 3 trip to Jacksonville with a simple mandate: protect the ball, find explosive plays, and survive a matchup that could carry real weight later in the season. Mike Vrabel laid out the formula plainly this week: "You've got to take care of the football," Mike Vrabel said this week about the keys to beat the Jaguars.
"You've got to hit some returns. You've got to be able to find some X plays in the kicking game.
And then take advantage of your opportunities - your scoring opportunities - but certainly take care of the football."
New England is coming off a 20-3 win over the Steelers in its home opener, while Jacksonville enters at 1-1 after a loss to Denver. Both teams were playoff clubs a year ago, and both are expected to stay in the mix again. That makes this one more than just an early-season checkpoint.
A big part of the spotlight lands on Drake Maye and Trevor Lawrence, two young quarterbacks who can change games with their arms and their legs. Lawrence has been the sharper of the two so far, while Maye has only one touchdown through the first two weeks.
Still, both can lift their offenses if they catch fire. Their last meeting came in 2024 in London, and Maye could be in line for the kind of road performance that puts him on the map.
"I like the way he keeps on getting better year after year," Maye said of Lawrence on Wednesday. "You can see in the offense, especially with Coach (Liam) Coen, of him just growing and making plays.
He can make a lot of different plays. He's mobile, can throw on the run and throw in the pocket."
The perimeter battle should be one of the best parts of the game. New England’s cornerback group - Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis, and Marcus Jones - gives the Patriots real strength on the back end. Jacksonville’s receiver group has opened the year well, with Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and Brian Thomas Jr. all bringing something different to the table.
Washington has been especially busy, catching 12 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown through two weeks. He works mostly out of the slot, which sets up a major test for Jones.
Gonzalez, the highest-paid cornerback, will likely see Thomas again; Gonzalez covered him two years ago. There’s also the wild-card factor of second-year dual-threat Travis Hunter, who has gotten occasional snaps on offense even though he’ll primarily be on Jacksonville’s defense.
New England’s injury situation is another major concern. Last week was a rough one, with Dre'Mont Jones out because of a shoulder injury and Quintayvious Hutchins now on IR with a knee injury.
Craig Woodson is questionable with a shoulder issue, while Dell Pettus is also on IR after suffering an ankle injury. The Patriots have enjoyed strong injury luck in 2025, but this week looks different.
That opens the door for Gabe Jacas and Elijah Ponder, both of whom flashed off the edge against Pittsburgh, and for Mike Brown, who was elevated from the practice squad to help out in the secondary.
The offense has its own problem to solve, and it starts on the ground. The Patriots haven’t found consistent production from Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson through two weeks. Henderson was unavailable in Week 1, when the run game stalled against Seattle, and last week the group again struggled outside of Henderson’s long touchdown.
That’s the piece New England has to fix if it wants to get to 2-1. Jacksonville has forced an interception in seven straight regular-season games, so the Patriots can’t afford sloppy possessions.
Stevenson’s opening-drive fumble last week was another reminder of how costly mistakes can be, and if you remove Henderson’s 39-yard score, the running backs averaged just 3.4 yards per carry. That’s not a formula that holds up for long.
Eli Raridon is also questionable with a thigh injury, adding another name to the list of moving parts as the Patriots try to handle a short-handed afternoon on the road.
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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 🡒]