New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye stated that the team's offensive performance over the first three weeks of the season is unacceptable, a self-assessment made after he recorded three turnovers in a 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Coach Mike Vrabel removed Maye from the game with approximately eight minutes remaining, a decision following a performance in which the quarterback threw two interceptions and fumbled the ball once.
The loss to Jacksonville marked the third consecutive game in which Maye has committed three turnovers, following identical totals in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks and a subsequent contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. These seven turnovers define the current trajectory of Maye's season, prompting Vrabel to describe his concern level for the football team as very high. The coach emphasized that the priority must be protecting the football, noting that the team cannot force plays and must make good decisions when opportunities are not present.
Maye acknowledged the pattern of play, stating that he cannot get out of his own way and must look in the mirror to treat this moment as a turning point. He emphasized that it is only Week 3 and that he must start with himself before leading his teammates to improve. The Patriots currently hold a 1-2 record, a start that has generated questions within the locker room regarding Maye's status. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez countered those concerns by asserting that the entire organization believes in Maye and that he remains the team's quarterback without change.
The difficulty of the Patriots' current schedule is compounded by personnel changes that have not yet yielded results. The team released Stefon Diggs and traded for A.J. Brown, but Brown has not played since sustaining an injury in the season opener. CBS analyst Adam Archuleta noted that the NFL is hard and that Maye must play his way out of this situation. Archuleta pointed out that Maye had previously raised his level of play in a game against the Buffalo Bills last year, a team New England is scheduled to visit next Sunday afternoon.