The New England Patriots entered the 2026 season with plenty of expectations after making a deep run last season. Three games into the new campaign, however, the team has looked nothing like the contender many expected.
New England is 1-2 after suffering a brutal 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3. The biggest concerns have come on offense, particularly with quarterback Drake Maye.
Drake Maye Has Struggled
Maye was expected to take another step forward after an encouraging 2025 season, but the third-year quarterback has struggled through the opening weeks.
His problems have included turnovers, inconsistent accuracy and difficulty sustaining drives. Against Jacksonville, Maye struggled to get the offense moving as the Patriots were held to just six points.
The struggles have become one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team.
The Offense Has Disappeared
The Patriots’ offense has been the biggest problem.
New England scored just 13 points in its season-opening loss to Seattle before managing 20 points against Pittsburgh. The offense then completely stalled against Jacksonville.
The Patriots entered the season expecting their offense to be one of the team’s biggest strengths. Instead, it has struggled to consistently create explosive plays and put points on the scoreboard.
The absence of wide receiver A.J. Brown has also been significant. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain early in the season and was expected to miss around six weeks. His absence has taken away one of Maye’s biggest weapons.
Injuries Have Not Helped
New England has also dealt with several injuries early in the season.
Mike Onwenu was placed on injured reserve in September, while the Patriots have dealt with other injuries across the roster. The team had five starters dealing with injuries after its first two games.
Losing important players has made it even more difficult for the Patriots to find consistency.
The Defense Has Been Better
Interestingly, the defense has not been the biggest problem.
New England’s defense played extremely well during the first two weeks, including a dominant performance in the 20-3 victory over Pittsburgh. Through two games, the defense ranked near the top of the NFL in several efficiency categories.
That makes the Jacksonville performance even more concerning. The Patriots gave up 35 points while the offense managed only six.
New England Needs Answers Quickly
At 1-2, the Patriots still have plenty of football remaining, but the problems are becoming difficult to ignore.
The defense has shown that it can keep the team competitive, but the offense needs to find an identity. Most importantly, Maye needs to regain the confidence and consistency that made him such an important part of New England’s future.
The Patriots now head into a difficult matchup with the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.
If New England wants to get its season back on track, the offense will need to show significant improvement.
