The start of the Patriots' 2026 season has been far from ideal, and because of that, the negativity around the team is all that you hear going into their Week 4 matchup with the Bills.
The discussion around Maye is particularly tiresome, mostly because he proved himself a legitimate quarterback last season, which put him in the MVP conversation, and he fell short by just one vote of winning the award.
But this year, his struggles are prompting many to question whether what we saw in 2025 was really who he is, or whether an easy schedule made him look like a stellar quarterback, especially since he looks like the complete opposite over the past month.
From bad decisions to questions about his shoulder, Maye is the hottest topic in New England right now, and until he wins a game with a performance straight out of last season, it's not going to stop any time soon, even if there are plenty of other explanations that provide context to his struggles.
That's something Rob Gronkowski mentioned during his latest appearance on Up & Adams this week, and although some will try to paint his point as an excuse, he's not wrong, and the tape proves it.
Rob Gronkowski provides some missing context to Drake Maye's early season struggles
If Maye's poor performance were due to a lack of talent, it would be easy to say that. But we've seen what he can do, which includes some big-time throws this season, and how he's playing right now is not the MVP runner-up we saw last year.
The team's offense is facing a lot of issues right now, with Maye as the main contributor, of course. But he's also dealing with an inconsistent offensive line and receivers who can't get open, which Gronkowski mentions in his defense of the quarterback this week.
"There is literally no one open on the field" 👀
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) September 30, 2026
Rob Gronkowski defends Patriots QB Drake Maye using these plays@RobGronkowski | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/mscxHBASPA
This doesn't take away from the fact that Maye is making bad decisions, throwing to receivers who shouldn't be targeted in that moment, and forcing plays where there isn't one. He's in his head, and his confidence appears shot, which leads to big problems.
It's only been three weeks of the 2026 season, and it's already become tiresome to hear all the negativity and questions surrounding Drake Maye and the New England Patriots, even if much of it is warranted.
Couple that with the lack of a run game, it's going to be an absolute disaster for any offense.
Maye's struggles stand out even more because he was the shining light throughout last season, with Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs to rely on. Not to mention, Hunter Henry has been mostly absent so far, and he had become the quarterback's security blanket over the last two years.
Needless to say, there are a lot of issues with the Patriots' offense right now, and while a lot of it can be traced back to the quarterback, there's a reason Gronkowski felt comfortable also putting blame on the receivers, and it's something that shouldn't continue to be overlooked.
They're clearly missing A.J. Brown, who can return as early as Week 6, and the hope is that he will make a massive difference for the entire offense. There's room for more upgrades, though, and it might be worth the Patriots exploring their options to make that happen.
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