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The New England Patriots have a massive AFC East test against the Buffalo Bills, and everything starts with finding a way to make Drake Maye comfortable again. That means New England needs a running game. Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson haven't consistently been given enough space to make things happen. Against Buffalo, that has to change. The Patriots can't put everything on Maye's shoulders and expect the struggling quarterback to suddenly fix the offense himself. Get Stevenson involved. Create opportunities for Henderson. Force Buffalo's defense to respect the run and give Maye more manageable situations. But that's only part of it. New England's wide receivers need somebody to step up against a Bills secondary that has still been adjusting to Jim Leonhard's defensive system. Maye hasn't played his best football, but the Patriots haven't consistently made his job easier either. If New England can establish the run, create separation in the passing game and keep this game close into the second half, the pressure shifts to Buffalo. The Patriots pulled off a statement win in Buffalo last season. If they're going to do it again, Maye can't be asked to carry the entire offense by himself. #Patriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Eric Canha IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New England Patriots need Gabe Akas, Morgan Moses and their offensive and defensive lines to deliver against the Buffalo Bills. It starts with getting pressure on Josh Allen. Akas has already exceeded expectations early in his rookie season, becoming the first Patriots rookie to record multiple sacks and an interception through his first three games, according to the stat discussed on the show. New England needs that impact against Buffalo. The Patriots can't allow Allen to sit comfortably in the pocket. With Draymond Jones dealing with an injury, Akas and the rest of New England's edge rushers become even more important. But the matchup works both ways. Drake Maye desperately needs protection, and Morgan Moses faces a massive challenge against Greg Rousseau. The Bills edge rusher has been producing sacks consistently to begin the season and could make life miserable for a Patriots quarterback already trying to rediscover his confidence. New England needs to affect Allen without allowing Buffalo to do the same thing to Maye. That's easier said than done. The Patriots aren't playing their best football entering this AFC East matchup, but winning in the trenches could give them an opportunity to make this much more interesting than expected. If they can't protect Maye or pressure Allen, it could be a long afternoon. #Patriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Steven Bisig IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Drake Maye and the New England Patriots face the Buffalo Bills in a massive AFC East matchup, and one question hangs over everything: which version of Maye is going to show up? Maye simply hasn't played good enough football lately. But the Patriots haven't exactly made his job easy. A.J. Brown is unavailable, and New England's remaining wide receivers have struggled to create much after the catch. According to the stat discussed in this crossover, Patriots wide receivers have yet to force a missed tackle this season. Romeo Doubs, Pop Douglas, Efton Chism and Kyle Williams need to give Maye more help. Then there's an opportunity on the other side. Buffalo has repeatedly put the football in dangerous situations this season. The Bills committed five turnovers in their previous game, while James Cook fumbled on his first carry before eventually bouncing back with a huge performance. That's where New England's defense could change this game. Christian Gonzalez and the Patriots secondary have an opportunity to create problems for Josh Allen and potentially give Maye short fields. But that only matters if the offense capitalizes. New England has already wasted opportunities created by its defense this season. If the Patriots are going to pull off the upset in Buffalo, they need to win the turnover battle and, more importantly, they need Maye to finally look like himself again. #Patriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Eric Canha Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Drake Maye is under more pressure than ever, and the New England Patriots aren't doing enough to help their struggling quarterback. Maye appeared on the injury report with a right shoulder issue despite being a full participant in practice. But whether the shoulder has anything to do with his struggles or not, New England has much bigger problems surrounding him. The Patriots' pass catchers have to be better. There have been opportunities where Maye has delivered a good football and his receivers haven't finished the play. There have also been far too many snaps where New England's pass catchers simply aren't creating separation. That raises another question about Josh McDaniels' offense. How much falls on the receivers, and how much falls on a scheme that isn't consistently creating opportunities for them? Then there's the running game. TreVeyon Henderson has yet to force a missed tackle according to PFF. Rhamondre Stevenson needs to protect the football, but New England also has to find ways to create space for him. Maye hasn't played well enough. But asking a struggling young quarterback to fix everything himself isn't going to solve this offense. If the Patriots want any chance of beating the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, somebody else needs to start making plays. #Patriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Morgan Tencza IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New England Patriots have plenty of questions entering Sunday's AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills, but Christian Gonzalez isn't one of them. Gonzalez has been one of New England's biggest strengths, and his presence could completely change how Josh Allen attacks the Patriots secondary. The interesting part is how New England uses him. Gonzalez hasn't simply followed the opposing team's No. 1 receiver everywhere. Against Seattle and Jacksonville, the Patriots were willing to keep Gonzalez in his role and force quarterbacks to decide whether they wanted to challenge him or attack somewhere else. Buffalo could face the same decision. DJ Moore received 10 targets last week despite not being 100 percent. If Gonzalez gets opportunities against Moore, that's one of the biggest individual matchups of the game. But Josh Allen doesn't necessarily have to challenge him. If Allen identifies Gonzalez before the snap and consistently attacks Carlton Davis or another matchup instead, New England's other defensive backs suddenly become even more important. That's the chess match. The Patriots just made a major financial commitment to Gonzalez, and he's played like one of the best players on their roster. Now comes his first AFC East matchup since getting paid, against Josh Allen and a 3-0 Buffalo Bills team. #Patriots #ChristianGonzalez #Bills Photo Credit: Eric Canha Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New England Patriots wanted to surround Drake Maye with more playmakers. Instead, one unbelievable stat shows just how badly this receiving corps has struggled. According to Pro Football Focus, Patriots wide receivers have combined to force ZERO missed tackles this season. Efton Chism: zero. A.J. Brown: zero. Kyle Williams: zero. Romeo Doubs: zero. Pop Douglas: zero. Mack Hollins: zero. Not a single forced missed tackle from the entire group. Drake Maye has been bad. There's no getting around that. But when New England needs somebody else to create a play, it simply hasn't happened. Even TreVeyon Henderson hasn't forced a missed tackle, while Rhamondre Stevenson has three. That's especially frustrating after New England spent the offseason trying to improve the talent surrounding Maye. The Patriots added Brown and Doubs, but the results haven't followed. Then there's another uncomfortable part of the conversation. New England moved on from Stefon Diggs and traded Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans, despite those being two receivers Maye appeared extremely comfortable throwing to last season. Now Maye looks uncomfortable, the new receiving corps isn't creating after the catch, and the Patriots offense has become one of the biggest concerns on the team. Maye deserves criticism. But he certainly isn't the only problem. #Patriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Eric Canha IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New England Patriots didn't have many positives to take away from their brutal 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu gave them one. The first-round pick finally received extended NFL action, playing around 20 snaps at right tackle while also getting additional work as an extra offensive lineman. And Lomu held his own. He earned New England's highest run-blocking grade at 78.3 and didn't allow a sack or quarterback hit. He surrendered only two hurries despite Jacksonville dominating the Patriots at the line of scrimmage for much of the game. It's a small sample size. But for a rookie getting his first legitimate NFL opportunity, that's encouraging. If Lomu continues developing, the Patriots could eventually have their long-term offensive tackle combination with Lomu and Will Campbell protecting Drake Maye. Speaking of Maye, Mike Vrabel also offered an interesting explanation for the quarterback's early-season struggles. Vrabel compared Maye's situation to a golfer squeezing the club too tightly while desperately trying to shoot a good score. Maye might be pressing. That could help explain some of the baffling decisions, including his interception against Jacksonville when safer options were available. New England has plenty to fix. But Lomu's performance provided at least one reason for optimism coming out of an otherwise miserable Sunday. #NewEnglandPatriots #CalebLomu #DrakeMaye Photo Credit: Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Drake Maye's disastrous start to the 2026 season has reached a stunning level for the New England Patriots. After entering the year with major expectations, Maye has just one touchdown pass against six interceptions through three games.   And the problems go beyond interceptions. Maye has now recorded nine fumbles and 10 interceptions since the start of last postseason. According to a stat cited from Doug Clawson, he's the first player with at least nine fumbles and 10 interceptions over a seven-game span since Jameis Winston in 2019. That's an incredible reversal from 2025, when Maye threw 31 touchdowns against only eight interceptions and played himself into the MVP conversation. So what happened? Josh McDaniels and the Patriots offense aren't completely blameless. But receivers are getting open. Maye has missed throws, been late with the football and made costly decisions that simply weren't happening at this frequency last season.   The situation around him isn't helping either. Despite New England's investment in its receiving corps, Mack Hollins has emerged as arguably Maye's most dependable option. Hollins earned the Patriots' highest offensive PFF grade against Jacksonville and continues making plays when targeted. But New England didn't build this offense expecting its passing game to run through Hollins.     A.J. Brown's eventual return should help. Romeo Doubs needs to produce more. Pop Douglas and the rest of New England's weapons need opportunities. But ultimately, the Patriots need their quarterback back. Because this version of Drake Maye looks nothing like the one they saw in 2025. #NewEnglandPatriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Drake Maye’s struggles have become a major concern for the New England Patriots, and Mike Vrabel isn't hiding how worried he is about his football team. Maye simply doesn't look like the same quarterback. His footwork looks different. His throwing motion looks different. The decision-making has become increasingly concerning, and turnovers have continued dating back to last postseason. Maye was asked about his shoulder and said it was fine, making the sudden change in his play even more difficult to explain.    Pats_DOUBLEHIT_928a There are external factors. Josh McDaniels' offense hasn't established a clear identity. New England doesn't have an established No. 1 receiver available. Defenses have found coverages that have given Maye problems. But eventually this has to come back to the quarterback. Maye is missing open receivers and making avoidable decisions even when the Patriots' scheme creates opportunities. Against Jacksonville, one interception came when Maye targeted Efton Chism while Travis Hunter had him covered instead of taking an easier option. Another throw to Kyle Williams came late despite the opportunity being there.    Pats_DOUBLEHIT_928a After the game, Vrabel said his “concern level is very high” for the Patriots.    Pats_DOUBLEHIT_928a New England is already 1-2. Now Maye and the Patriots have to travel to Buffalo for an AFC East matchup with the Bills. This season can still turn around. But first, the Patriots have to figure out what's happened to Drake Maye. #NewEnglandPatriots #DrakeMaye #NFL Photo Credit: Corey Perrine IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New England Patriots offensive lineman Mike Onwenu suffered a significant leg injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving Mike Vrabel with a major decision before facing the Jacksonville Jaguars. But the Patriots may not need to overthink his replacement. Greg Van Roten stepped in after Onwenu went down against Pittsburgh, and he appears to be the most straightforward option to take over the starting role. New England can also explore Walter Rouse and Ben Brown, but Van Roten gives the Patriots an experienced option without completely reshuffling an offensive line that had started showing progress. That continuity could be especially important for Drake Maye. Will Campbell has played extremely well at left tackle, while Morgan Moses provides veteran stability on the opposite side. The bigger question is whether losing Onwenu impacts the chemistry of the entire offensive line and creates vulnerabilities along the interior. Jacksonville could test that immediately with interior pressure, stunts and blitzes designed to disrupt Maye. Can Greg Van Roten keep the Patriots offensive line together without forcing New England to make unnecessary changes elsewhere? #NewEnglandPatriots #Patriots #NFL Photo Credit: Eric Canha IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A Jaguars expert believes Jacksonville’s wide receivers have an advantage over the Patriots secondary. Christian Gonzalez can only cover one receiver, but New England has already received encouraging performances from the rest of its secondary. Charles Woods stepped up with Carlton Davis out, Kevin Byard has provided stability, and Davis is practicing ahead of Sunday’s matchup. Zac explains why he likes New England’s secondary against Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonville’s weapons. Plus, Rhamondre Stevenson has an opportunity to make Patriots history. Stevenson enters the weekend just 36 rushing yards away from passing Curtis Martin for fourth on New England’s all-time rushing list. But with TreVeyon Henderson pushing for more touches, will Stevenson get enough opportunities to do it? #NewEnglandPatriots #ChristianGonzalez #PatriotsNation Photo Credit: Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What concerns the Jacksonville Jaguars most about facing the New England Patriots? The answer surprised Zac Blackerby. On this Patriots HIT, Zac shares his conversation with Jaguars HIT host Kyle Nash, who pointed directly to Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson as the matchup that concerns him most entering Sunday. That’s interesting because New England’s running game hasn’t consistently taken off yet. Henderson has flashed his explosiveness, Stevenson has produced some physical runs, but the Patriots are still searching for consistency between the running backs, offensive line and play calling. If New England can finally get that backfield rolling against Jacksonville, it could make life considerably easier for Drake Maye and open opportunities downfield. Zac also discusses Travis Hunter and whether Jacksonville could dramatically increase his offensive workload against the Patriots. Hunter has primarily played defense this season, but a larger offensive role would give New England another weapon to account for. Would that actually change the Patriots’ defensive plan with Christian Gonzalez and potentially Carlton Davis available? Sunday could present some fascinating matchup decisions on both sides. #NewEnglandPatriots #Patriots #NFL Photo Credit: Eric Canha IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Has TreVeyon Henderson done enough to become the Patriots’ top running back? On this Patriots HIT, Zac Blackerby breaks down the growing RB1 conversation between Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson after New England’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stevenson appeared to have the advantage throughout training camp, but ball security has once again become a concern. His fumble against Pittsburgh was particularly frustrating after Stevenson appeared to make progress with that issue last season. Then Henderson returned and immediately reminded everyone what he brings to the offense. Henderson provides explosiveness, big-play potential and another weapon in the passing game. Zac believes Mike Vrabel probably isn’t looking at the situation as a traditional RB1 versus RB2 competition, and the workload could ultimately depend on the matchup. But if the question is which running back you trust with the football and which one provides the greater home-run threat, Henderson is making a strong argument. Zac also dives into a Patriots defense that ranked second in Pro Football Network’s Defensive Impact metric for the week with a 92.5 score. Christian Gonzalez continues to shine, Charles Woods impressed while filling in for Carlton Davis, and New England has several young defenders beginning to emerge. Who should get more touches moving forward: Henderson or Stevenson? #NewEnglandPatriots #TreVeyonHenderson #PatriotsNation Photo Credit: Bob DeChiara IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New England Patriots drafted Kyle Williams to bring explosiveness to their offense. Through two games, Zac Blackerby believes they haven’t used him nearly enough. Williams has just two targets and one reception for 10 yards entering New England’s Week 3 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. With A.J. Brown unavailable, Zac believes Williams offers something the rest of the Patriots receiving corps desperately needs: legitimate vertical speed. On this Patriots HIT, Zac explains why getting Williams involved could also help Drake Maye. Maye’s ability to attack defenses downfield was one of the most exciting parts of his game last season. So far this year, New England’s offense has operated much closer to the line of scrimmage. Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are involved in the running game, Pop Douglas provides a quick-game option and Romeo Doubs has made plays, but Zac wants a receiver who forces opposing safeties to respect the deep ball. Could Williams become that player against Jacksonville? Zac also dives into an encouraging start for the Patriots defense. New England ranks ninth in the havoc-rate statistic discussed on the show at 39.1%, measuring plays that create pressure, tackles for loss, turnovers or pass breakups. With Gabe Akers developing, Harold Landry eventually returning and Carlton Davis working toward getting healthy, Zac believes this defense has room to become even more disruptive. Can the Patriots defense lead the way in Jacksonville? And is Week 3 finally when New England unleashes Kyle Williams? #NewEnglandPatriots #KyleWilliams #DrakeMaye Photo Credit: Gregory Fisher IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Will Campbell is delivering the second-year improvement New England Patriots fans hoped to see. After facing Seattle’s pass rush and Pittsburgh’s T.J. Watt, Campbell ranks eighth in pass-blocking grade through two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus. But an injury to Mike Onwenu has created a new problem for the Patriots’ offensive line. On today’s Patriots HIT, Zac Blackerby breaks down Campbell’s impressive start and the decisions New England faces at guard. Campbell has held his own against challenging edge-rusher competition, giving the Patriots an encouraging sign at offensive tackle. Zac explains why his early performances warrant a fresh look at his development after an uneven first season. The concern is now on the interior. Onwenu suffered an apparent leg injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and head coach Mike Vrabel indicated that he could miss several weeks. At the time of recording, the team had not provided a definitive injury timeline. Veteran Greg Van Roten replaced Onwenu against Pittsburgh and allowed two quarterback hurries. Should New England stick with Van Roten, consider Walter Rouse or Ben Brown, or move first-round pick Caleb Lomu inside to get him on the field? Zac weighs the options and explains why moving a tackle to guard can make sense, even though the Patriots drafted Lomu to play tackle. With a road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars coming up, how should New England handle its offensive line? And can Campbell continue his strong start while the Patriots adjust around him? Subscribe to Patriots HIT with Zac Blackerby for twice-daily, five-minute New England Patriots coverage, roster updates and analysis. #NewEnglandPatriots #WillCampbell #PatriotsNation Photo Credit: Eric Canha IMAGN Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get up to $500 in bonus credits when you trade $25. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.