The Buffalo Bills are nearing their Week 4 matchup against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Highmark Stadium.
We know where the Bills land in power rankings ahead of their next game. Now, how about where NFL analysts across the media landscape have ranked their upcoming opponent in the Patriots?
Here is Bills Wire's roundup of national media power rankings for their next opponent, the Pats, heading into Week 4:
USA TODAY
15. New England Patriots (7): Copious problems here, notably QB Drake Maye's. Probably doesn't help that WR Romeo Doubs has been permitted to wear Rob Gronkowski's No. 87.
Pro Football Talk
20. Patriots (No. 14; 1-2): There was blood on the ball; now there’s blood in the water.
The Athletic
16. New England Patriots (1-2)Last week: 6
Sunday: Lost to Jaguars 35-6
QB confidence:
Plummeting
Drake Maye was the MVP runner-up a year ago. This year, he’s thrown a league-worst six interceptions and, Sunday, added an ugly fumble. His 17.5 percent off-target rate is the third worst in the league, and he has thrown only one touchdown pass. After leading the league in passer rating last year (113.5), he’s 31st this year (58.6). “Can’t get out of my own way,” said Maye, who was replaced by Tommy DeVito once Sunday’s game was out of hand.
Up next: at Bills, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET
Bleacher Report
18. New England Patriots (1-2)
Last Week: 12
Week 3 Result: Lost at Jacksonville 35-6
The Super Bowl hangover is in full effect for the New England Patriots, who have looked and played almost nothing like last year's squad. Drake Maye has been even more mistake-prone than he was as a rookie and has actively cost the Patriots games.
Through three weeks, Maye has completed a career-worst 63.8 percent of his passes for one touchdown, six interceptions, and a 58.6 quarterback rating. He has also lost a fumble.
There's no guarantee that New England can get back on a playoff trajectory simply by settling in Maye, either. The defense has been solid overall but not quite disruptive enough to take over games. The Buffalo Bills are up next, and if the Patriots can't steal one in Week 4, it could be time for them to panic.
CBS Sports
17. Patriots (-3)
They have a Drake Maye problem right now. When does he turn it around? He isn't playing good football, and it's bleeding over to the rest of the team.
FOX Sports
17. New England PatriotsRecord: 1-2
Previous ranking: 11 ↓
Super Bowl odds: +2400Next game: @ Bills (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)
Remember when everyone thought Mike Vrabel and Drake Maye were going to start another New England dynasty? Yeah, those were fun times … eight months ago. Since then, Maye has gone from near-MVP to turnover machine. And still, it’s hard to say who’s dragging the defending AFC champs down more: him or head coach Mike Vrabel. They can’t run, their defense was a sieve this past weekend against Jacksonville, Maye is a mess … and the defending AFC champs could be finished if they lose in Buffalo this weekend.
Stat To Know: Drake Maye is the first quarterback since 2007 with only one passing touchdown and at least six interceptions through his first three games of a season.
ESPN
17. New England Patriots (1-2)Week 3 result: Lost to the Jaguars 35-6Week 3 ranking: 10
Fantasy surprise: QB Drake Maye
Maye had an ADP of 61.2, which ranked him fifth among QBs. But he has just one TD pass while throwing six interceptions, bringing him to 15 turnovers in seven games since the start of last season's playoffs. Maye has yet to put up double-digit fantasy points in a game this season. He badly misses WR1 A.J. Brown (on IR with a high ankle sprain), and when the running game struggles to gain traction (as it did this past Sunday), things get shaky quickly.
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Power rankings: Where the Bills' next opponent, the Patriots, rank in Week 4
