Drake Maye struggles have become a major storyline in the New England Patriots’ 1-2 start, but former NFL quarterback and broadcaster Troy Aikman says the team’s offensive problems cannot be placed on its quarterback alone. Aikman acknowledged that Maye needs to improve while also criticizing the protection and separation around him.
Boston.com reported that Maye had one touchdown, six interceptions and one lost fumble through the Patriots’ first three games. Aikman’s comments offer an assessment of the offense, not independent verification of every issue he identified.
The difficult opening has drawn extra attention because Maye’s 2025 season ended with far better results. The source reported that he finished that campaign with 31 touchdown passes and eight interceptions and was the runner-up in NFL MVP voting. That contrast has made the early turnover total especially striking, while also raising questions about how much of last year’s success can carry over against a demanding schedule.
Drake Maye struggles, but Aikman sees more than quarterback problems
Speaking on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, Aikman argued that New England’s struggles extend beyond Maye’s decision-making. He said the quarterback had not been protected well and that the receivers had not created much separation, framing those points as part of a broader offensive problem.
“He’s gotta play better, he’s gotta make better decisions. They have not protected him very well, and his receivers have not gotten much separation,” Aikman said. He then qualified his defense of Maye: “I’m not defending Drake, but in a way, I am. There’s a lot going on within that offense that has to be better, and Drake’s a part of that.”
Aikman also used a comparison to make his point about the Patriots’ previous postseason struggles, saying he thought even Joe Montana could have been the quarterback in that Super Bowl and the result would have been the same. That was Aikman’s illustrative opinion, not a factual conclusion about what would have happened.
He also pointed to the quality of the defenses New England faced in the playoffs last year and during the opening stretch of this season. Aikman’s broader argument was that the Patriots, as the AFC champions, must find answers against those opponents rather than treating every poor result as a direct reflection of the quarterback alone.
Maye’s reported numbers through three games
According to Boston.com, the Patriots opened the season 1-2. Through three games, the outlet reported, Maye had one touchdown pass, six interceptions and one lost fumble. Those figures describe his early-season results but do not, on their own, explain why the offense has struggled.
The turnover total includes both interceptions and the lost fumble, giving Maye seven reported turnovers through the opening three games. That production is a clear reason the quarterback has faced scrutiny, particularly when compared with his 2025 total of eight interceptions over the entire season. Still, statistics alone do not identify how protection, route separation, play design or the run game contributed to each possession.
Aikman’s argument was that Maye’s mistakes and the conditions around him both deserve attention. He specifically pointed to protection and the receivers’ ability to get open, while still saying Maye must make better decisions. Those points are Aikman’s assessment, rather than independently established findings.
The source also noted that Maye has faced questions about a shoulder injury and whether last season’s success was helped by a lighter schedule. Those questions add to the attention surrounding his start, but they do not settle the reasons for the Patriots’ current results.
Maye’s Jacksonville performance added to the scrutiny
Boston.com reported that Maye completed 14 of 25 passes for 199 yards against Jacksonville, with two interceptions, no touchdown passes and one lost fumble. The numbers show a difficult outing and help explain the scrutiny of his play. They do not, by themselves, resolve Aikman’s separate point about the support around the quarterback.
The Patriots lost that road game to the Jaguars, 35-6. According to the source, Jacksonville scored two touchdowns off Maye’s three turnovers, while one interception in the end zone took points off the board for New England just before halftime. Those situational details made the performance more damaging than the passing line alone suggests.
Aikman’s comments on the offensive line’s protection and the receivers’ separation should be understood as his evaluation of the offense. His criticism of Maye was also clear: in Aikman’s view, the quarterback needs to play better and make better decisions.
The Patriots’ run game added to the offensive difficulty
The rushing numbers reported from Jacksonville offer another piece of context. The Patriots averaged 3.2 yards per carry, with Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson combining for 50 yards, according to Boston.com.
That production was limited, but it should not be treated as a complete explanation for Maye’s turnovers or the passing offense’s struggles. It is one part of the performance to consider alongside the passing numbers and Aikman’s concerns about protection and receiver separation.
The source also criticized New England’s offensive game plans for not consistently calling runs up the middle for Stevenson and Henderson. With Maye struggling, a more reliable rushing approach was identified as an important potential emphasis, although the available information does not establish what adjustments the Patriots will make.
Aikman’s defense came with a clear challenge for Maye
Aikman did not argue that Maye was playing well. His comments paired criticism of the quarterback’s decisions with the view that New England’s offense had broader issues. Defending Maye from being made the sole explanation is not the same as excusing his mistakes.
That distinction is central to Aikman’s comments. He acknowledged that every quarterback receives much of the attention after a team’s loss, but he suggested that the surrounding performance can shape what the quarterback is able to do. His conclusion was not that Maye should avoid responsibility; it was that New England needs improvement in several areas at once.
The reported rushing output against Jacksonville adds context, but it does not reveal on its own what changes the team will make or what is driving each aspect of the offense’s performance. Aikman’s central point was that Maye has to improve and that other parts of the unit also need to be better.
What the Bills matchup can—and cannot—clarify
Boston.com identified a road matchup against the Buffalo Bills as New England’s next game. It offers the next opportunity to observe how Maye and the Patriots offense respond, but one matchup cannot establish the cause of the team’s early-season difficulties or determine its season outlook.
The Bills game will also put the Patriots against another strong opponent, with the source specifically describing the matchup as a difficult road test against Josh Allen. That makes Maye’s decision-making, the protection in front of him, and the ability of the receivers to create separation issues to watch, without making any one result a final judgment on the season.
New England may also need more from its wide receivers while A.J. Brown remains on the mend, according to the source. That context aligns with Aikman’s observation about separation, but it does not independently prove that receiver play is the cause of any particular interception or missed opportunity.
The takeaway from Aikman’s comments is two-sided: Maye must play better, and he should not be treated as the only problem. Boston.com reported the statistics and game details cited here; Aikman’s views on protection, separation and the offense are his analysis.
