Drake Maye and the New England Patriots stunned the world by kicking Josh Allen off the AFC North throne. Then, the team stunned the world again after receiving a backup quarterback in the AFC Championship as an opponent. However, since winning that game, things have turned for the franchise amid the lost Super Bowl and the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini scandal.
One NFL analyst believes the downturn will continue. In a Friday FanSided article, Jason La Canforna mentioned multiple reasons why he believed the Patriots were in for a rude awakening in 2026.
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“We have to mention the inevitable Super Bowl hangover for the losing team — you know the one that the mighty Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes fell prey to last year and the mighty 49ers the year before that,” he wrote. “The ’25 Commanders and ’24 Texans did not have to contend with that dynamic.
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“One year ago, everything seemed to break New England’s way. The proverbial magic carpet ride. That doesn’t happen in consecutive years very often.”
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The Patriots have also now given tape littered with hints to the rest of the league. While questions surrounded how Vrabel would use Maye in 2025, teams now have a decent idea.
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Drake Maye’s end to 2025 raises fears of slow start in 2026
The quarterback is the most important position on most teams, and Drake Maye’s performance down the stretch of the postseason offers more than a few reasons for Patriots fans to worry. Maye led the NFL in completion percentage during the season, but failed to finish a game with a 63% completion rate.
Only once in his four playoff games did Maye throw for more touchdowns than interceptions, and he finished with only 86 passing yards in the AFC Championship. Even when he did finish with three touchdowns and one interception, Maye also finished with just a 59.3% completion rate.
His performance in January and February could be waved off as a typical postseason amid improving competition, but it also could indicate that a blueprint has been collectively hammered down to stop Maye in his tracks.
It falls on Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels to dispel any notion of this and pivot the quarterback to a different method of operation. Failing this, Maye could start 2026 how 2025 ended, and that would be objectively a recipe for disastrous results for the New England Patriots.
Will Maye be able to get a new hot streak going in September?
Edited by Ian Van Roy
