Through two games, New England‘s offense has not looked good. Not only did the unit lose its alpha receiver in A.J. Brown, but the franchise quarterback, Drake Maye, looks nothing like he did last season when he was the MVP runner-up.
With the team now also down its starting right guard after Mike Onwenu was placed on Injured Reserve with a broken ankle suffered against Pittsburgh, the outlook does not look good for Week 3 against Jacksonville.
Despite the unit’s recent inconsistent performance, New England’s OC Josh McDaniels does not appear worried.
“I love the fact that you have multiple guys that are kind of competing for the opportunity to get in there and perform,” McDaniels said.
For McDaniels, early-season football is about finding the team’s identity. While losing Onwenu forces a personnel shift, McDaniels views the adversity as a test the offense will have to pass before it finds its stride.
History is on McDaniels’ side
Over the years, the Patriots have been known for playing their best football when the weather turns cold. This season marks his 15th as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, and he, along with his six Super Bowl rings, knows a thing or two about how to turn a season around.
While this year has been off to a not-so-great start for the offense, we are only in the third week of 17, with plenty of time for the offense to turn things around and get healthy. There is time for Drake Maye to regain his rhythm and for the realigned offensive line to figure out its new combination.
Looking Ahead
Early-season inconsistencies are rarely fatal for an offensive coordinator as accomplished as Josh McDaniels. While the loss of Mike Onwenu and A.J. Brown creates immediate hurdles, McDaniels’ past success proves that September football is for building a foundation, not peaking.
A clean performance from Drake Maye and the offensive line in Jacksonville could be exactly what the Patriots offense needs to quiet the early-season concerns and jumpstart its 2026 season.
