There is a lot to say about the Patriots' current state as they head into Buffalo for the second year in a row with a 1-2 record, coming off an embarrassing loss that has already had many people check out of the season.
There is particular interest in Drake Maye, given that he's thrown six interceptions and just one touchdown so far, and that he seems to have regressed to a level few quarterbacks fall to after taking their team to the Super Bowl.
Plenty claim what we're seeing is who Maye really is, and that he benefited from an easy schedule last year, so his performance can be chalked up to that.
But considering the number of records he set with his completion percentage and more, on top of making some incredible throws that even the most seasoned quarterbacks can't do, not to mention he's played some of the toughest defenses, blaming a weak schedule is a lazy take. And it certainly shouldn't have analysts or fans, especially New England, giving up on him just yet.
If that's not enough to persuade even the most stubborn of people to change their opinion, then hearing from respected NFL voices like Troy Aikman and Bruce Arians should, right?
If anything, it should, at the very least, help put some things in perspective, since they've been around the game of football too long to lie about the current state or future of any player.
More respected NFL voices are coming to Drake Maye's defense after a rough start
The first to talk about Maye's most recent performance was Bruce Arians, a longtime NFL head coach now enjoying retirement and watching the game from his home.
Because he accomplished a lot in his professional career and was around some very talented players during his time in the league, including Tom Brady, he's seen a lot of good and bad football in his life. So hearing that he isn't jumping on the bandwagon of Maye's success because of an easy schedule means a lot.
On top of that, he isn't writing off the 24-year-old yet and believes he can bounce back, which is something many fans need to hear.
Former NFL HC Bruce Arians says Patriots QB Drake Maye is "trying to be Superman all the time" and the schedule ISN'T to blame for his early struggles 🏈@BruceArians | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/xG2VjpqQ1L
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) September 28, 2026
While he doesn't exonerate Maye from any responsibility in what's going on with the Patriots, he does point out that it's not all on his shoulders and his teammates need to help make things better, too.
That's the part that many are overlooking as they hope to find the main reason for what's happening with the quarterback and the offense. It almost always gets put on the quarterback's shoulders, right or wrong, and from what we've seen, it's not all Maye's fault.
Troy Aikman added to that during his appearance on ESPN's Monday Night Countdown this week.
Troy Aikman doesn't want to put all the blame on Drake Maye for the Patriots' 1-2 record
Because Maye has become the hottest topic in the NFL at this point, it was inevitable that he would have a full segment ahead of this week's Monday Night Football matchup.
Cowboys legend Troy Aikman spoke about the Patriots' quarterback's struggles during last year's postseason, even saying that "Joe Montana could have been the quarterback in that Super Bowl and the result was gonna be what it was."
More interestingly, he emphasized that the Patriots have faced some of the league's best defenses, even at the start of this season, and noted that while Maye needs to make better decisions, he doesn't have much help from those around him.
"First of all, whether you go back to last year in the playoffs, they played a lot of good defenses, and they've opened up this season with a lot of good defenses as well. That's part of it. When you're the AFC champs, you've got to play well against those people.
He's gotta play better, he's gotta make better decisions. They have not protected him very well, and his receivers have not gotten much separation. There's a lot there, but every fan who watches a team play, they walk away from that game feeling like they know how the quarterback is. I'm not defending Drake, but in a way, I am.
There's a lot going on within that offense that has to be better, and Drake's a part of that."
Where's the lie?
It's fair to acknowledge that much of the blame for the Patriots' rough start falls on Maye's poor decision-making and forcing plays when there isn't one to be made.
But ignoring that his offensive line is struggling to protect him and open up the run game, that his receivers aren't gaining separation, and that there are questions about Josh McDaniels' play calling is the wrong way to assess what's happening right now.
That's what makes hearing Aikman and Arians' opinions on the matter that much more important because they have no reason to sugarcoat what's going on, nor do they have any loyalty to shield Maye from criticism, so what they're saying is maybe easier for people to digest, particularly those outside New England or Patriots fans who are ready to give up on the quarterback.
Things aren't always going to be great, and teams won't win a lot every single season, never mind making the Super Bowl.
So that's important to remember when discussing Drake Maye, and hopefully hearing what respected voices have been saying will change the narrative a bit going into Week 4 and beyond, no matter how unlikely that is.
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