The New England Patriots suffered a brutal 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday in a game that, among other things, raised concern levels about the Patriots and continued to shine a spotlight on what some might call a questionable start to the season for quarterback Drake Maye. Maye went 14-for-25 passing for 199 yards, two interceptions, and zero yards on Sunday in the loss, and it's not the first poor effort he's put on display in recent games.
Dating back to the start of the 2025 NFL Playoffs, Maye has lost eight fumbles and thrown four interceptions over the course of seven games, and Sunday's loss was his tenth career game with multiple turnovers – which is tied for the most in the NFL since 2024. After the game, he pulled no punches
about his disappointing start to the season.
"I can't get out of my own way, personally," Maye said. "I have to look myself in the mirror and take it to the turning point. You know, it's Week 3, but at the same time we got to gather some fuel and realize that what we're doing out there offensively is unacceptable."
Drake Maye arrives: “Unacceptable.” pic.twitter.com/cuDuSkXyF1
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 27, 2026
It's good to see Maye take accountability for his struggles, which have played a major role in the Patriots' losing record through the first three games of the season. But at some point, something will need to change with Maye's play if the Patriots want to return to the postseason and defend their AFC Championship.
Maye avoided a sophomore slump last season for the most part, and during the regular season, he looked like a legitimate NFL MVP contender. So it's clear that he has the talent to make good things happen. But as long as he keeps playing like he has in recent outings, we will see the Patriots regress this year, and another team will take the top spot in the AFC.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Drake Maye doesn't hold back on 'unacceptable' play after Week 3 loss
