The Patriots walked out of Buffalo with a 29-26 win and a jolt of momentum that kept them from falling to 1-3. Efton Chism III provided the finish, turning in the kind of play that announces a player to the league: an improbable one-handed circus-catch touchdown that won the game. For anyone paying attention, it was a reminder that the undrafted second-year receiver can play.
But the bigger truth from that game had little to do with the final score. Even after beating the Bills, the same problem keeps hanging over New England: the offensive line still isn’t good enough, and the coaching staff still hasn’t found a full answer for it.
Drake Maye is living that reality snap after snap. Against Buffalo, he was pressured a career-high 21 times, sacked once, lost a fumble and threw another pick.
Two ill-advised penalties against left tackle Will Campbell didn’t help, and right tackle Morgan Moses is starting to look exactly like a 35-year-old player. Maye was hurried, harried and harassed far too often, just as he has been for much of his time in New England.
That kind of protection has already cost him before. The line put Maye in jeopardy enough in 2025 to contribute to a shoulder injury, and the lingering effects may still be showing up in some of his less sharp throws. When pressure keeps collapsing the pocket, turnovers tend to follow, whether it’s a rushed pass or a scramble that ends with the ball on the ground.
The Patriots have tried to survive this with Maye’s legs, and to his credit, that ability has kept them afloat. But it’s also a crutch. Too many plays end with Maye escaping chaos and trying to make something out of nothing.
There are signs the offense can help him if it chooses the right moments. Against Buffalo, a shovel pass to Hunter Henry worked.
So did two quick-hitting runs with Rhamondre Stevenson and a quick pitch to TreVeyon Henderson. Those snaps stood out because they didn’t look like the usual telegraphed run calls that go nowhere.
That’s the opening the Patriots have to chase now: more variety, more deception, more ways to take heat off their quarterback. Right now, the line remains the team’s Achilles’ heel, and the offseason didn’t do enough to fix it. New England brought back four starters from an offensive front that allowed 47 sacks in the regular season and 21 more in the playoffs, with Maye forced to scramble for his life on dozens of other plays.
The win in Buffalo was real. So is the warning sign that came with it. If the Patriots want this season to go anywhere, they’re going to need more than a young quarterback bailing them out again and again.
In Other News...
Patriots Have A Gabe Jacas Opportunity They Can't Ignore
The Patriots pass rush has been thin enough to make every possible reinforcement worth a look, especially with losses and injuries already testing the depth chart. In that kind of spot, the idea of adding a veteran edge rusher like Khalil Mack from the Chargers carries obvious appeal for New England, not just for what he could still bring on the field, but for the kind of experience he could pass along in the room.
Gabe Jacas is part of why this conversation matters in the first place. The Patriots appear to have a young player whose game shares some traits with Macks, and pairing him with a proven pro could accelerate that development in a hurry. Whether New England decides the price is worth it remains the real question, but the fit is easy to see, and the need is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Be Eyeing A Veteran Fix For Their Run Game
The Patriots are still looking for help in the backfield, and that search brought veteran free-agent running back Jamaal Williams to Foxborough for a workout. New England evaluated Williams along with other free agents as it continues to sort through possible depth options for an offense that could use more stability behind its top runners.
Williams brings eight NFL seasons of experience and a resume that includes a strong 2022 campaign with the Detroit Lions, which makes him the kind of established option teams often check on when they want insurance at running back. The Patriots have not signed him yet, but they have kept roster spots open for exactly this kind of addition, leaving the door open as they weigh whether a veteran presence fits their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Are Getting Early Proof They Made The Right WR Call
The Patriots spent the offseason reshaping their wide receiver room, bringing in A.J. Brown in a trade and signing Romeo Doubs while moving on from Stefon Diggs and dealing Kayshon Boutte. It was the kind of aggressive reset that can look smart on paper and awkward on the field early, especially after Brown landed on injured reserve and Doubs had a rough start before finding his footing over the last few games.
Romeo Doubs recent improvement has given New England at least a little early validation for how it handled the position, even if the full picture is still developing. Across the league, former Patriots target Michael Pittman Jr. has not exactly stormed out of the gate after being traded to the Steelers, with his production lagging behind the expectations that came with his extension, and that contrast only sharpens how much these receiver decisions matter for a team trying to get the room right. [Read more 🡒]