4 Things Patriots QB Drake Maye is Working On Ahead of Jaguars Matchup

FOXBORO — D rake Maye will be the first to tell you that he hasn't played up to his standards so far in 2026.

The New England Patriots quarterback — with four interceptions and just one passing touchdown to his name through two weeks — has missed with the football at times and struggled with touch on balls past the sticks.

And yet, he's done more than enough to help the team sit second in the division with a 1-1 record. It's a long season and despite a slow start, one that Maye is more than capable of bouncing back from, the Patriots are still expected to be contenders when the postseason rolls around.

But Mike Vrabel and the team doesn't want to talk about last week (a 20-3 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the home opener) anymore. They're more focused on the Jacksonville Jaguars this weekend, a team that won the AFC South a year ago. It's going to be a tough battle, but one that Maye can certainly use as a stepping stone for a better performance.

"The focus has got to be on Jacksonville and our performance," Vrabel said Wednesday.

So when Maye took the podium after practice for his weekly media availability, he touched on several points about wanting to attack this week's opportunity. Here are four things that the quarterback identified about wanting to improve on.

Being Instinctive With The Football

Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) in the first half during an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Part of what has led to Maye's struggles so far has just been poor throws. He threw three picks against Seattle in Week 1 and another one week later.

He's got to get better at just firing when something opens up. He needs to just play with instincts, something he excelled at last year. Whether it's hitting a receiver deep down on the field or just using his legs to pick up a first down, he'll have to start creating some plays on his own — and not just react to what's in front of him.

"You’ve got to let plays go, and you want to be attacking the next play, learning from the ones in the past and getting after the next one," Maye said. "So, just thinking and trying to be instinctive. That's one of the best things I learned in college is to be instinctive and try to play as fast as you can back there."

Ending Halves With Possession

Last week against the Steelers, the Patriots had a golden opportunity to double dip. They had the ball deep in their own territory, but with more than enough time to try and get the ball into field goal range. Add in the fact that they were set to receive the second half kickoff, and the Patriots seemed destined for more points.

But Maye, caught in a coverage sack, drifted too close to the line and got swallowed up by T.J. Watt for a sack. That led to a punt and a Steelers field goal to end the first half. Plays like that could lead to a three-point swing, and for the Patriots who have played in close games so far in 2026, could decide the outcome. Maye wants to avoid falling into those situations again.

"Really, that was one of the best things, I felt like, last year that we did, whether getting points or ending with the football. That's definitely something that you’ve got to know the time and place," Maye said." "That's definitely an emphasis: to play good football and try to 'double up' as they call it. So, that's definitely something that we try to be mindful of and know that's the best way to kind of finish off the half."

Starting Fast And Focused

In Seattle, the Patriots were forced to punt on their opening drive. Against Pittsburgh, a few first downs were halted after a Rhamondre Stevenson fumble.

The Patriots' offense hasn't gotten out to the fastest of starts this year, and going down and scoring on the first series could be a nice kickstarter. Maye agrees.

"I think starting fast as a football team. Starting fast for myself," Maye said. "I feel like we had a good jump last week of starting fast and had a chance right there to make a big play. We ended up having a turnover on the first possession. So, I think one of the biggest things for us is starting fast, especially for myself. Find some cohesions early and also don’t shy away from trying to take what they give you."

Pushing His Teammates

There's a reason Maye's uniform has a "C" on it. His teammates voted him a captain for the second-straight season, and as the quarterback, he's always the most vocal player on the field.

And yet, Maye believes that he's still got to do a better job at using his voice to lead. Whether that's pushing them on the sideline or in the huddle, the 24-year-old wants to become that true leader for the Patriots. Once that happens, the results will come.

"I think just keep on pushing the guys in the huddle, pushing guys to keep going and strain a little bit," Maye said. "Once we make a big play, just follow it up. I think that's one thing we’re focusing on. I had a delay of game last week. We had the penalty the other drive, so little things like that, you just feel like, 'Man, we’re there,' and we’re just kind of hurting ourselves."

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