Week 3 was another disappointing game for the New England Patriots, who were dominated by the Jacksonville Jaguars en route to a 35-6 loss. New England now drops to 1-2 on the season, looking like a far cry from last year's team. The biggest disappointment this season has been the Patriots' offense.
Last season saw the Patriots offense take a massive leap forward, with Drake Maye finishing as an MVP candidate and the Patriots having a 1,000-yard receiver in Stefon Diggs (the first time since 2019, when Julian Edelman had 1,117 receiving yards). Through three games, this offense has looked nothing like last year's, averaging a putrid 12 points per game. While it's still early in the season, it's time to panic.
The Patriots' entire offense is a mess right now
On offense, Maye has looked awful through the opening three games. He looks nothing like the QB we watched all of last season, having seven turnovers to begin the season. Maye has made multiple throws that leave you questioning the thought process behind them, and his passes don't look as strong or confident as they did last season.
At the same time, I don't think Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has done a good job calling plays as well. During games, multiple receivers have been in the same spot, giving Maye fewer targets to potentially throw to. McDaniels is trying to get the Patriots offense to establish the run, but all the team is getting is just short runs that go nowhere. After losing starting guard Mike Onwenu, the offensive line looked awful today.
Which leads me to the next point, being the running game is nonexistent. Neither Rhamondre Stevenson nor TreVeyon Henderson has consistently been able to run the ball, getting stopped at the line of scrimmage or for just a few yards on a majority of their rushing attempts. The offensive line just can't get much of a push against opposing teams' defensive lines.
Finally, the receiver and tight end rooms haven't been able to get open. Outside of Mack Hollins, it's rare to see a Patriots receiving threat get open. Defenders can stay with them, making it harder for the offense to consistently chain good plays together.
It hasn't looked pretty for the Patriots, and next week won't get any easier for the Patriots. In Week 4, New England will stay on the road, playing divisional rival Buffalo Bills. Buffalo is the best team that the Patriots will play, and head coach Mike Vrabel needs to find a way to get this team back on track after a rough start.
Yes, the Patriots started 1-2 last season, but this team feels different than the team from last year. The offense didn't start great last year, but this is the worst they've been in a long time. If they don't turn this around soon, it's going to be a long season for the Patriots.
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