After a strange offseason in New England, Drake Maye doesn’t look like the same franchise quarterback who took the Patriots to the Super Bowl last year.
Maye threw for 208 yards and threw an interception against the Steelers on Sunday, in a 20-3 win fueled by one of the worst Aaron Rodgers games of his career.
“You’re not going to ruin my Sunday,” head coach Mike Vrabel fired at a reporter who asked about his level of concern for Maye’s play this year. “Just trying to win the game.. I’ll come back to you tomorrow.”
Though everyone seems to be asking the question even if Vrabel wants to dodge them.
“Drake Maye has been a mess. He just has,” podcaster Bill Simmons said on his eponymous podcast.
Maye wasn’t great at the end of the year last year, with most people citing injury and playing while not fully healthy.
Though this is looks much different from Maye.
Maye has underthrown most of his deep balls this year, including a flea-flicker in Week 1 that would have been a sure-fire touchdown against the Seahawks.
A.J. Brown is out indefinitely with an ankle injury, which surely has not helped but it’s been two weeks of poor quarterback play for the Patriots.
Simmons added that the Patriots’ issues might have something to do with Vrabel’s off-the-field activities.
“Post-Sedona Mike Vrabel?” Simmons added, calling back to Vrabel’s apparent affair with national NFL reporter Dianna Russini. “I wouldn’t say he’s as crisp. There’s some clock management stuff that I’m like, ‘Oh, Vrabel doesn’t usually miss that stuff’.”
Vrabel was forced to miss Day 3 of the NFL Draft to attend emergency marriage counseling with his wife, Jen, after Page Six released bombshell pictures of the coach canoodling with the NFL reporter.
Regardless of whose fault it is, the Patriots have a lot of work to do, as the offensive line lost important guard Mike Onwenu, who broke his ankle and is out indefinitely.
The Steelers’ defensive line hit Maye seven times, including three sacks on Sunday.
Usage of playmakers remains confusing from Vrabel, as Treyveon Henderson and Kyle Williams find themselves mostly on the bench despite another fumble from Rhamondre Stevenson and New England being desperate for a deep threat with Brown out.
The Patriots could easily be staring down a 1-3 start if they don’t right the ship. Next, New England faces the Jaguars, followed by the Bills in Week 4.
