Bills Have Massive Opportunity to Dismantle Drake Maye, Patriots

New England's young quarterback has struggled mightily to start 2026, and now Buffalo has the chance to completely take hold of the division standings with a victory in Week 4 at Highmark Stadium.

Dec. 22, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws a pass while under pressure from Buffalo Bills' safety Cole Bishop (24) and linebacker Dorian Williams (42) in the fourth quarter at the old Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Following the Buffalo Bills’ second-place finish to the New England Patriots in the AFC East last season, many national pundits thought New England would fall back down to earth in 2026.

Whether it be their historically easy schedule last year or the tumultuous offseason the team went through for various reasons over the past few months, the Patriots entered September in a different light than one might expect for a Super Bowl runner-up from one season ago.

So far, though, the skeptics have been proven right.

Patriots currently trying to pull themselves out of NFL purgatory

New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) steps up in the pocket as he is pressured by Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro (99) during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The team from Foxborough has a measly 1-2 record, which includes one conference loss, and head coach Mike Vrabel’s squad has also been outscored 51-36 through September.

Now, entering Week 4, Buffalo has the chance to bury its rival in the division standings even further with a victory over third-year quarterback Drake Maye and Co. this Sunday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park.

If the Bills were to win their fourth straight game this weekend, then they’d secure a three-game lead in the AFC East with a critical head-to-head tiebreaker in hand to start October.

Needless to say, it’s a monumental matchup early on in the NFL slate, and things could get extremely bleak for the Patriots and its fanbase of New Englanders by Sunday evening . . . but only if Buffalo can capitalize.

Jan. 15, 2022; Orchard Park, New York, USA; A Buffalo Bills' fan holds up a sign and cheers during the fourth quarter of an AFC wild-card playoff game between Buffalo and the New England Patriots at the old Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports

Currently leading the league in interceptions thrown with six and possessing the worst touchdown-to-turnover ratio of any starting quarterback in the NFL at 1:7, Maye has been abysmal to begin his third professional campaign: it’s no secret.

And, with that in mind, it’s up to new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard and Buffalo’s group of young defenders to continue making life miserable for the opposing gunslinger between the white lines this weekend.

Bills’ defense capable of dominating New England on Sunday

Sep. 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' veteran outside linebacker Greg Rousseau (15) sacks Los Angeles Chargers' quarterback Justin Herbert (10) during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last game’s showing against the Los Angeles Chargers, which included holding quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense to just 16 points—the lowest allowed by Buffalo in any outing so far this season—was a good start.

However, the pass rush must continue being lethal in order to keep trending upward collectively as a unit.

Maye has been sacked nine times through three weeks, which is tied for the fourth most of any quarterback in the league thus far, and it’s imperative to the Bills’ success that the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft continues feeling the heat.

Veteran outside linebacker Gregory Rousseau leads all NFL defenders with six sacks through three games—a trajectory only seen twice before in history—and it’ll be up to him, as well as Buffalo’s other defenders up front, to be difference-makers versus New England.

“I’ve always talked about how good (the players) are in the meetings, and just being vocal and communicating with each other, and they knew we haven’t played well the first couple weeks. And, they wanted to go out there and prove a point. We were put in some tough situations (against L.A.), and we were able to battle out of a bunch of them.

Sep. 27, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills' outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (9) and defensive lineman DeWayne Carter (90) react after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at the new Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“It wasn’t clean. It wasn’t perfect. It’s never going to be, but I like the way our guys responded and found a way to win some really, really big reps in some crucial situations where otherwise the game could have turned a totally different direction,” Bills’ defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard said to reporters at One Bills Drive on Monday.

“You never know how Sundays are going to play out, and you’ve just got to do whatever it takes to win. We had to keep it close (against the Chargers), right? We had to find a way to force field goals. . . . Like, you don’t know how these things are going to play out. So, I think it’s great our guys wanted to be put in some tough situations, and show the offense that we could respond and do our part.

“To me, I don’t care how it happens. I want us to step up in big moments, and—the tricky part is—you don’t know when that’s going to be. It happened really fast in that game.” 

Bills vs. Patriots matchup mirrors last year’s early-season battle

Oct. 5, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) drops back to pass against the Buffalo Bills during the second half of an NFL game at the old Highmark Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now, heading into Week 4, it’s an awfully similar situation compared to last fall in Western New York when the Patriots came to town on October 5 with a 2-2 record, while the Bills remained unbeaten at 4-0.

Ultimately, Buffalo lost an unforgettable nailbiter by three points.

And, although Bills Mafia might not need reminding, the resulting collapse that ensued following Buffalo’s disappointing loss to New England at the old venue across Abbott Road in Orchard Park in Week 5 last fall completely changed the fortunes of both teams.

The Bills went on to finish with an 8-4 record in the final 12 games, while their divisional foe captured 11 more wins and relinquished just one more loss the rest of the way in the regular season . . . and, from there, everybody knows how the playoffs ended.

Dec. 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) gets set to throw a pass against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So, with that all said, despite the current position the Patriots find themselves in, there’s nothing guaranteed regarding the upcoming matchup.

If Buffalo’s current string of blunders finally catches up to them, then it could spell trouble for the team moving forward, starting as early as this Sunday.

However, if the Bills can smooth things out and continue their unbeaten ways this weekend, then maybe the 2026-2027 AFC East divisional banner can slowly begin to be lifted in small increments at the new Highmark Stadium after a victory over New England.

Win over New England would be massive

Dec. 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots' quarterback Drake Maye (10) and tight end Hunter Henry (85) look down in disbelief on the sideline at the end of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For such an early-season tilt, the implications of this game are massive. And, when all is said and done, Leonhard is hoping his players are ready to be called upon once again.

Because, as it stands right now, the defense has a chance to completely demoralize Maye and the Patriots if all goes according to plan.

“To me, there’s a lot of positives that we have to build off of, and there’s a handful of plays that, again, if we just trust (our eyes) and go make the plays, (and) stop trying to chase somebody else’s play at times, (then) I think that (our mistakes will get) cleaned up quickly,” Leonhard continued.

“It’s always a tricky mind game you have to play (with quarterbacks), right? You turn on (Drake Maye’s) tape from last year, and it was dynamic. . . . We played him (when I was) in Denver, obviously, at the end of the year, and you got to see the best version of what he was going into that game, you know? He was playing at a really high level the last half of the year—really all season—right? . . . And, you’re watching a guy now that you can tell he’s going through some stuff and struggling a little bit.

Sep. 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Buffalo Bills' starting inside linebacker Terrel Bernard (8) celebrates after recovering a game-sealing fumble against the Houston Texans during the fourth quarter at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“But, at the same time, he (still) drops back and hits his top step, and lets one rip, and it’s an explosive play. So, you just have to put some pressure on him and hope that the trend continues.”