The excitement surrounding the Patriots' offense with Drake Maye finally making meaningful throws to A.J. Brown was palpable ahead of their Week 1 matchup against the Seahawks, and to say the internet in New England exploded when the receiver made his first catch would be an understatement.
Although the connection took a bit longer than expected to happen on Wednesday night, it was a sight that fans have longed to see since Bill Belichick regrettably passed on drafting Brown in favor of N'Keal Harry in 2019, a mistake that fans have still not forgiven the legendary head coach for.
But now that Brown is finally in Foxboro, the future looks bright for the offense; that is, until he went down with an ankle injury that has been initially reported as a high ankle sprain, meaning he could miss significant time.
It's a brutal blow to a receiving corps that appeared to be jam-packed throughout the offseason, and it's looking even worse now that the team decided to trade Kayshon Boutte to the Texans before the season began.
Regardless, no matter how long or little time Brown is set to miss, another receiver will have to step up in his place.
At first, it would be fair to assume that the player would be Romeo Doubs, the WR2 signed in free agency this spring. But based on what we saw against the Seahawks, that appears unlikely, and it will almost certainly be Mack Hollins, who came alive at the right time to help give the Patriots a real chance to steal the win before it was too late.
The next man up mentality is about to hit the Patriots' offense already
Without a clear idea of how long Brown will be sidelined, the Patriots will need to rework their offense around who will step up in his place.
It's fair to assume that Hunter Henry will take on a larger role moving forward, since he has become a favorite target for Drake Maye over the last three years. But as far as receivers, it's looking like Hollins is the right guy for the job after Wednesday's performance.
Maye already vouched for the receiver when asked about Hollins after the game, emphasizing just how good he has been in clutch moments throughout his career and what that meant in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks.
They'll need that to continue moving forward, and for as long as Brown is out, and hopefully, Hollins is up to the challenge.
“That's what he does. That's Mack Hollins' career: stepping up and being in the right spot, and knowing what to do, and making big plays. That fourth down was a big play he made. I know these guys are eager to get touches and eager to help this team win.
I've got to do my part, and I'm the leader, and I need to bounce back and get ready to go for next week.”
With four receptions for 51 yards, most of which came in the fourth quarter, Hollins will likely take on a bigger role than expected moving forward, and although he's far from A.J. Brown, he has become a reliable part of Maye's offense over the past year.
We'll need to see his playmaking ability as soon as next week against the Steelers, using his size advantage and deep-field skills to move the offense and create explosive plays, as he has done many times before.
That's much of the reason he had such a successful first year with the team, recording 46 receptions for 550 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Now, he'll have even more opportunities to build upon that and lead by example.
Mack Hollins has already set a good example with his first comments after the Week 1 loss
Given how painful a loss against the Seahawks can feel, especially after ending last season with a loss to the same team in the Super Bowl, it's crucial that seasoned veterans, like Hollins, set the tone for their teammates for the rest of the season.
It's easy to dwell on what went wrong and the fact that they were inches away from stealing a win in Seattle, which would combat the negativity and disrespectful narratives now being passed around online, but that doesn't set a team up for success.
That's why some of the first comments from Hollins about the loss on Wednesday night proved even further that he is the right player to step up for this offense, as he put it plainly: "You either move past it, or you go 0 and 17. I'd rather move past it."
That kind of mentality sets him apart and could carry the team into a much better mindset for Week 2, which is crucial since that game won't be any easier.
They will have a chance at redemption, however, and one that can happen on their home field, and have everyone forget about just how bad their loss was to the Steelers last season.
They have a tough defense, but the Patriots' offense fared better against the Seahawks than in their 2025 season opener, prompting more optimism that they can get a better result this time around, and Hollins will play a big part in that.
Let's just hope they can deliver.
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