A Week 2 win over the Steelers sparked optimism among Patriots fans ahead of a brutal road trip to close out the first month of the season, starting with the Jaguars.
The AFC South foe had an up-and-down start to 2026, with a big-time win over the Browns in the season opener, followed by a humbling loss to the Broncos last week. They also looked to get their season back on track on Sunday, and luckily for them, they faced a spiraling Patriots team that had no chance of leaving Jacksonville with the win.
Everything that could go wrong for New England did, most notably Drake Maye's apparent regression, as he turned the ball over three more times, wide receivers failing to create separation, and a young defensive line struggling to make an impact.
It has brought on a lot of negativity among Patriots fans, some of it warranted, of course, with plenty of overreactions to put to bed quickly before things get too out of hand.
4 overreactions to the Patriots embarrassing Week 3 loss
Drake Maye is a lost cause and isn't the Patriots' franchise quarterback
The easiest thing to do when things aren't going well for a team is to look for someone to blame, even far too harshly, and that's exactly what's happening with Drake Maye. Although criticism is completely warranted for how poorly he has played to start the season, already concluding that he is not the quarterback of the future for New England is wildly premature.
That's not the player he looked like throughout the 2025 season, or even as a rookie. Sure, the schedule was easier last year, but he was still impressive against some of the league's toughest defenses, proving he can do what needs to be done.
For some reason, he looks like he's lost his confidence and isn't comfortable with what he's being asked to do. He seems to be having trouble reading the field and forcing plays where there aren't any, leading to turnovers and failed drives.
It's concerning, and a lot of work remains, but we've seen how good Maye can be and how far he can take the offense. So suggesting the Patriots start looking for another quarterback already is outlandish.
He might be in his third NFL season, but he didn't start as a rookie until Week 6, meaning he hasn't even started a full two years of regular-season games. Maye is just 24 years old and appears to have bright potential. That's important to remember before jumping to any conclusion about his future.
It was a big mistake to sign Romeo Doubs in free agency
Expectations were all over the place for Romeo Doubs heading into his first season with the Patriots, largely because fans weren't thrilled the front office chose him after unexpectedly letting go of Stefon Diggs.
He also hadn't been a superstar with the Packers over the last four years, so he wasn't exactly the kind of player most were hoping would be added to the roster. But he showed plenty of potential and reliability in Green Bay, especially with a young quarterback, so there was plenty to like.
So far, however, his tenure hasn't been all that impressive. Instead, he's become known for frustrating drops and looking a bit lost with the Patriots' playbook. That was even more apparent once A.J. Brown went down with an injury, and Doubs hasn't been able to make the leap to become Maye's go-to receiver.
That said, Josh McDaniels' offense is historically one of the most difficult in the league, so it takes time for new players to understand it and get comfortable. Expecting Doubs to have it perfected after just three games is unfair.
On top of that, the offense as a whole has been far from spectacular; it's not just Doubs who isn't playing at a high level, so he deserves more time to acclimate before assuming he was a mistake.
The secondary is just fine with Christian Gonzalez and Carlton Davis
On a normal day, having your starting cornerbacks both healthy and on the field wouldn't be something to complain about, and it isn't necessarily for the Patriots right now. But questions remain about Carlton Davis' reliability, as he was briefly out of the game on Sunday after being banged up on a play.
This follows his missing last week's game against the Steelers and the various ailments he dealt with throughout the 2025 season. It was a concern from the moment he was signed in free agency, and it could become more problematic this year.
On top of that, the defense was without starting safety Craig Woodson, which clearly took a toll on the secondary, and Kevin Byard hasn't been the stellar player he was a season ago, making it clear the Patriots might need to bring in more help soon.
Josh McDaniels needs to be replaced as the offensive coordinator
Whenever there is a problem with the offense, it's easy to point the finger and blame the quarterback or the offensive coordinator, depending on the issue. In some cases, that's fair, since they create or contribute to the problem.
But when it comes to someone like Josh McDaniels, is it best to already claim he's the problem with what we're seeing from Maye and the offense to the point of suggesting he be replaced?
There weren't many complaints about his playcalling during the 2025 season, and maybe that's because winning overtakes everything else. But he did seem to change his playbook a bit since his time out of the NFL, catering more to Maye than he did for Mac Jones in his previous tenure, so there wasn't much negativity about his play-calling.
Now that the offense isn't clicking, McDaniels is the first to blame. To some extent, he does deserve it, since it doesn't look like he's choosing plays that Maye likes/prefers or is best at. On the other hand, he's not responsible for throwing interceptions or receivers not getting open. That's something Maye needs to see and adjust accordingly.
We've seen what the Patriots offense looks like when McDaniels isn't calling the plays, like under Matt Patricia, Bill O'Brien, and Alex Van Pelt. It's fair to argue they weren't the best hires, but there is also reason to argue that McDaniels is good at his job; he's just not acing it right now.
They need to figure it out soon, or calls for McDaniels to be fired will only get louder. Right now, though, it feels too early to suggest that, especially for a quarterback finally having continuity with his OC for the first time in his NFL career.
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