Ethan Hurwitz: It's Time To Be Concerned About Patriots QB Drake Maye

FOXBORO — Drake Maye is making mistakes in his third year that he didn't even make as a rookie. He's fumbling the ball out of thin air — partially because of his center's bloodied hand — and throwing interceptions into coverage.

Nothing is going right for the New England Patriots quarterback right now, and it's getting really concerning. Three games in, he's thrown a league-high six interceptions (compared to just one passing touchdown) and hasn't been able to lift this offense out of a prolonged rut.

Now, the one player the Patriots could hold their hat on and proclaim as their next franchise quarterback is losing games for them. Something has to give.

They're not in unfamiliar territory. For the sixth-straight year, they're starting 1-2. For the second-straight year under Mike Vrabel, the Patriots haven't looked good in their losses up to this point. But is there even any hope now after this performance?

"It's a similar scenario at 1-2 last year and we kind of went on a roll," Maye said postgame after losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars 35-6, "and we got a chance early in the season to put our heads down and work and know that this is an opportunity to band together and realize that the best football that we play is together and realizing that that starts with me with protecting the football and protecting this team, because that's my job, and I've been failing to do that."

But this Sunday was a completely different story than any other game we've seen from Maye. He threw two more interceptions (one in the end zone, another a poor decision outside the numbers) and nothing seems to be opening up for him.

Sep 27, 2026; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws downfield under pressure from Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead (91) and defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (41) during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He's just not mentally all there. The fire he played with last season appears to be put out. Any confidence he had from last year's trip to the Super Bowl seems to be gone.

Was it his shoulder? Maye didn't seem to think so. But something is clearly off and it needs to be fixed soon. The Patriots are 1-2, heading into Buffalo next week with a date with an undefeated Bills team. Their quarterback was just pulled for Tommy DeVito late in the fourth. Alarm bells are starting to ring.

"I think he knows what to do. I think we have to do it better," Mike Vrabel said. "And, again, we all want to make plays. We just have to make them good ones. I mean, if it's not there, we gotta make a great decision, and I think sometimes you can want it too badly and we can't force anything."

Maye is 24. He has all the talent in the world. He is, and should remain, the centerpiece of this Patriots organization. But until he can break out of this funk, eyebrows are going to stay permanently raised.

Extra Points:

The Patriots, through three games, rank last in points scored per drive and it's not even close. They're averaging 0.97 points per drive, the only team to not eclipse the one point mark. The next closest? The 0-3 Miami Dolphins, who are averaging 1.29 points per drive. That's not a sustainable way to play football.

I doubt that Maye gets benched for a game. That seems rash to me, at least right now. But it's starting to feel like the 2023 team when Mac Jones couldn't get it together under center. Obviously the situations are different, but Maye — hands in his pads standing solemnly on the sideline — gave me Jones flashbacks.

After signing to the active roster from the practice squad this week, I liked what I saw out of edge rusher Jose Ramirez. In his first game action since 2024 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 27-year-old had a thundering hit on the game's opening kickoff and also added eight snaps on defense.

Ben Brown was the team's top interior backup a year ago, and remained in that role throughout the summer. But after he suffered a knee injury in the preseason opener, he hasn't seen the field. He played 12 snaps in a reserve role, but wasn't the first choice to replace Mike Onwenu at right guard. That was Greg Van Roten, and after he went down, the Patriots turned to Walter Rouse. Is Brown not physically ready? Why hasn't he made a jump in the depth chart?

Last season, the Patriots went into Buffalo to beat the undefeated Bills and turn their season around. The stars are aligning for the same storyline to happen this week. Can it happen? Josh Allen (56-for-86, 786 passing yards, 11 total touchdowns) is playing like the MVP, and it's going to take a lot to knock him off his perch.

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