The New England Patriots left Buffalo with a 29-26 win and a problem their offensive line coach doesn’t intend to overlook.
Center Jared Wilson and quarterback Drake Maye had two aborted snaps from under center in Sunday’s game, via the Patriots’ film review.
Doug Marrone knows the mechanics from more than a coach’s vantage point.
The former Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars head coach played on the offensive line at Syracuse.
Asked Thursday about the exchanges ahead of New England’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, he opened with a little perspective on the last time he took a snap himself.
“I know I haven’t played center for a long period of time,” Marrone said, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
His answer quickly turned to the work Wilson and Maye have put into an exchange that can look routine until it goes wrong.
“You just keep working, you keep preparing,” Marrone said. “I would never say that it’s something I take for granted.”
Marrone Says Wilson and Maye Take Pride in the Exchange
Marrone declined to put the issue on one player. Wilson has to deliver the ball, Maye has to receive it, and the two have to move into the play without hesitation.
“Everyone has a lot of pride in that,” Marrone said. “Jared has a lot of pride to be able to get the ball. Drake has a lot of pride to be able to take it.”
He added that the Patriots would keep working on it and “never lose sight of” the problem.
Those specifics are vital because Maye also lost a fumble on a strip sack against the Bills.
That turnover was separate from the two aborted center-to-quarterback snaps identified in the team’s film review. New England won despite those errors, but a close result leaves slim margins to dismiss a play before the offense has even begun to develop.
Wilson’s move to center is part of a larger change up front this season.
He played left guard as a rookie in 2025 after coming from Georgia, where center was his natural position. The Patriots moved him back inside for 2026, and Marrone praised his steadiness and communication during training camp.
Patriots Have Shot vs. Raiders
Sunday gives the Wilson–Maye pairing its next chance to show progress.
The Patriots host the Raiders at 1 p.m. ET, looking to build on an offensive performance that produced four touchdowns in Buffalo. Maye threw three of them, including the late go-ahead score to Efton Chism III.
The line still has much to manage after protecting Maye through a difficult afternoon.
The Patriots’ game review cited Next Gen Stats in reporting that he faced pressure on 42.9% of his dropbacks. Las Vegas brings Maxx Crosby off the edge and a defense whose blitzes have been effective through four games.
Clean snaps won’t solve every protection challenge the Raiders pose.
They will, however, let the Patriots run the play they called.
Drake Maye’s Fumbled Snaps Addressed by Former NFL Head Coach