For their first game in 11 days, the Detroit Lions take their show on the road across the Atlantic for an international Week 10 showdown in Munich, Germany, facing off against the defending AFC Champion New England Patriots.
We had the pleasure of connecting with Taylor Kyles, a staff writer for Pats Pulpit, to give us some insight into this New England squad ahead of Sunday morning’s tilt. We learned about the growing concern surrounding Drake Maye’s turnover regression, how injuries have decimated
New England’s offensive line, and the coverage busts plaguing an otherwise physical defense—plus how Detroit’s offensive weapons could exploit the Patriots’ secondary in Munich:
1. The Patriots have had a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde season through nine games. It looked like they were hitting their stride after beating the Bills, Raiders, and Jets, but since then, they’ve dropped two of their last three games.
As the defending AFC Champions, what’s most concerning about this uneven start to 2026? What’s there to be encouraged by in their first half of 2026?
The most discouraging thing has been their inconsistency against upper-echelon teams outside of their division. The defense looks great against mid-tier passing attacks, but some of their schematic quirks (not using as much press and man as expected for their personnel, heavy use of disguises, spinning the dial with coverages) have been exposed against the league’s best passers. Drake Maye also regressed to his turnover-prone ways last week after over a month of clean football and MVP-caliber play.
On a positive note, Maye looked good outside of his interceptions last week while fighting for his life against the Packers’ pressure packages, so cutting back on poor decisions and throws should allow him to return to his more recent form. Defensively, they have the players to perform better than what we’ve seen, but I think the coaching staff needs to do a better job putting players in better positions to succeed and potentially simplifying things so players can do what they do best.
2. Drake Maye was six voting points away from being the league’s MVP a season ago, throwing 31 touchdowns to just 8 interceptions. 2026 has seen some pretty volatile play from Maye on a week-to-week basis, leading to him already surpassing his turnover total from a year ago through nine games.
Do you see Maye regressing from a decision-making standpoint, or is his 2026 season a victim of circumstances beyond his control?
A relatively lackluster supporting cast and a banged-up offensive line have made life difficult for Maye. A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs haven’t lived up to expectations when on the field, and blockers Mike Onwenu, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Reggie Gilliam are all currently on injured reserve. That said, most of Maye’s turnovers resulted from avoidable mistakes, such as forced attempts and throwing the wrong kind of pass for the situation. Maye winning Offensive Player of the Month in October showed he can rise above these issues, but we have yet to see him do it for a truly extended stretch.
3. Injuries have plagued the Patriots all season long. Where do you feel the effects of injuries are hurting this team the most? Who are some players that have made the most out of their newfound opportunities?
Injuries have most profoundly impacted the offensive line. The ground game has been limited due to the loss of both starting guards, forcing the Patriots into being a fairly straightforward downhill rushing attack. Josh McDaniel has tried incorporating different looks and wrinkles, but outside zone hasn’t really been an option with so little chemistry up front. Pass protection held up surprisingly well for a bit, but schemed pressures like blitzes and stunts have become increasingly problematic over the past three weeks, resulting in far too many unblocked pressures. There is hope things will settle down if veteran Greg Van Roten returns from IR, but he’s missed significant time and is one of the oldest players on the team, so how he performs down the stretch is anyone’s guess. Matt Pryor has emerged as a relative bright spot beside Morgan Moses, who’s been dealing with a foot injury for weeks, but the big-bodied guard can be exposed if forced to quickly redirect.
4. New England’s defense is a super interesting read from a statistical perspective. They have one of the most effective pass rushes in the NFL, and their run defense is a top-10 unit at minimum, yet they’re average as a whole unit by DVOA (15th) and below average in EPA/play (23rd).
When the Patriots defense is at its best, what are they doing successfully? Where are New England’s weaknesses on this side of the ball? Are there certain positional matchups, or player archetypes they struggle in defending?
Physicality and discipline stand out most when the Patriots are playing at their best. It’s a veteran group that plays with a lot of pride and attitude, and that translates into players swarming to the football and laying the wood when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, communication lapses and issues against tempo have led to coverage busts and big plays for opposing offenses. The defense has also struggled to take the ball away this season, which has made life tougher for both sides of the ball. This week, I’m worried about their ability to defend Jahmyr Gibbs out of the backfield. New England has yet to face an opponent that truly fed a talented receiving back through the air, but I’m not sure the defense has the linebacker or safety depth to keep Gibbs quiet if Detroit presses the issue. Jameson Williams could also have himself a day if the secondary doesn’t actively disrupt his releases and route stems.
5. The Patriots opened as 2.5-point home underdogs at FanDuel Sportsbook heading into this international matchup against the Lions. What’s one thing you want to see, what’s one thing you need to see, and one thing you’re sure you’ll see happen in this matchup between the Lions and Patriots on Sunday morning our time?
I’d like to see Drake Maye play a clean game and go toe-to-toe with Jared Goff. He had the talent to do so and elevate his supporting cast, but it will ultimately come down to picking his spots and avoiding bad decisions. I need to see a more competitive effort from the defense, particularly in the red area. This feels like a bend-but-don’t-break kind of game, so holding the Lions to field goals will be crucial. Finally, I’m sure I’ll see the Lions move the ball effectively. There are simply too many weapons for the Patriots to defend consistently, particularly without Carlton Davis. Goff will take what the defense gives him and hit a handful of shots, but again, the Patriots must be competitive once the Lions reach the red area.
