A terrible start to the season for Drake Maye

Drake Maye is having a rough start to the season, and his game against the Jacksonville Jaguars has raised concerns even further.

The New England Patriots quarterback committed three turnovers on Sunday, bringing his total to seven so far this season. That puts him at the top of the NFL in that category.

His first turnover was particularly unusual.

With the Patriots on Jacksonville's 35-yard line during the game's second drive, Maye stepped back to throw a pass. He appeared to be aiming for Kyle Williams on a deep route, but the ball simply slipped out of his hands before he could even complete his throwing motion.

Yet Maye wasn't under pressure, and no defensive player had touched him. DaVon Hamilton recovered the ball, ending a drive that had looked promising for New England.

Three Turnovers That Really Hurt

The Jaguars immediately capitalized on the mistake, driving 62 yards on 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead.

Maye then had another mishap before halftime. Trailing 14-3 and facing a second-and-two, the Patriots attempted a pass to Efton Chism III in the end zone. Maye rolled to his right before throwing the ball, but it landed directly in the hands of Travis Hunter instead.

It was Hunter's first career interception in the NFL.

Maye added a third turnover in the third quarter. This time, Jarrian Jones anticipated a pass intended for Williams along the sideline and returned the interception 32 yards to the Patriots' 5-yard line.

Jacksonville scored on the next play to extend the lead to 28-3.

These three turnovers brought Maye's total to seven this season, even though he had thrown only one touchdown through three quarters of play. Since the start of last year's playoffs, he now has 15 turnovers in just over six games.

This stands in stark contrast to his 2025 season, during which Maye committed only 11 turnovers in 17 games, while finishing the campaign with All-Pro honors and a second-place finish in the Most Valuable Player voting.

For the Patriots, the priority is now clear: their young quarterback will need to quickly regain control of the ball if they want to continue aiming for the top of the AFC.

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