The New England Patriots after a 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars heared the same question over and over.
How much of the offensive mess belongs to Drake Maye?
Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky came away with a more complicated answer after reviewing the film.
Inside the Patriots’ locker room, Will Campbell and Mack Hollins were more direct, as they demonstrated confidence in their quarterback as New England prepares for a Week 4 road game against the Buffalo Bills.
“It’s another example of how we still just view and talk about the quarterback performance improperly,” Orlovsky said.
He later added, “I think he’s playing scared. I think the whole offense is playing timid.”
Orlovsky’s film breakdown noted a large portion of the blame isn’t on Maye.
Orlovsky Breaks Down What Went Wrong for Maye
Maye finished 14 of 25 for 199 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble against Jacksonville. New England managed six points as turnovers helped turn a competitive first half into a runaway loss.
Orlovsky went through all 25 of Maye’s pass attempts and said 11 featured the quarterback making the right decision with the ball. On eight more, he believed Maye had nowhere productive to go because nobody was open or the play featured only a limited route concept.
“So 19 out of the 25 plays, it’s either done exactly right, or there’s nothing else to do with the ball,” Orlovsky said. “I put 6 plays out of those 25 on Drake Maye.”
Maye earned criticism for the turnovers, and Orlovsky didn’t excuse the quarterback’s mistakes or the weak-kneed nature of the offense. His larger point was that evaluating Maye solely through the box score can overlook problems involving protection, route concepts and receivers failing to create openings.
So, it’s not just a ‘Maye is terrible’ take, even if six poor plays can still swing an NFL game.
Campbell, Hollins Make Feelings Clear on Maye
The response from inside the Patriots’ locker room was less analytical.
Campbell, the left tackle responsible for protecting Maye’s blind side, delivered a nine-word declaration when asked about the quarterback Wednesday.
“We’re riding with him until the wheels come off,” Campbell said, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.
That is a strong statement from a player tied closely to Maye’s success. Campbell and Maye are two of the young pieces New England has built its offense around, and their partnership faces another significant test against Buffalo.
Hollins also sounded unconcerned about Maye’s mindset after the loss.
“He seems good to me. He’s back to work,” Hollins said, per Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald.
Hollins was Maye’s most productive receiver against Jacksonville, catching six passes for 87 yards. And his assessment lines up with Campbell’s message.
Orlovsky’s breakdown makes the conversation more complicated. He sees a quarterback playing with hesitation, but he also sees an offense creating too many snaps where the answer is unavailable before Maye can find one.
Buffalo is a difficult place to sort through those issues.
New England visits Buffalo on Sunday, Oct. 4, for its first regular-season trip to the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium.
Former NFL QB, 2 Patriots Teammates Quell Drake Maye Fears Before Bills Game