If that Raiders loss showed us anything, it’s that Drake Maye has the potential to be the franchise QB the Patriots fans haven’t witnessed post-Brady. But until the Patriots build around him, it’s gonna be a lot of uphill battles. Everything around him needs fixing before week 2. And the good thing is, Mike Vrabel was quick to point that out and opened up on the issue post-game.

The head coach admitted he needs to rethink a lot of things after the week 1 loss. “We have to find out, is there something there? Or we’ve just got to figure out what our guys do best and do that. … We just make sure that we’re giving him answers by trying not to give him too much. I think that’s always the balance and the fine line,” he said, per The Athletic. Yes, there were flashes of promise from Drake Maye, but also enough roughness for the new coaching staff to hit the brakes and rethink plan A.

Drake Maye went 30-of-46 for 287 yards with a touchdown, a pick, and a fumble in the Patriots’ 20–13 loss to the Raiders. Stat line looks fine if you just scroll the box score, but watching it play out was a different deal. He dropped back, forced too many tight-window throws, and got zero help from the run game. Oh, and his turnover directly set up the Raiders’ go-ahead score. But this was a much broader issue. The Patriots’ run game never got off the ground. 18 carries for just 60 yards, barely 3.3 yards per attempt. That meant everything fell on Drake Maye’s shoulders, with 53 dropbacks in total, the most dropbacks of any quarterback in Week 1. That’s just not what this offense is built for. It’s far from it.

If a team can’t run the ball, defenses just attack the quarterback, he takes more hits, and his throws get shaky. That happened with the Patriots, as Maye was sacked four times in the game. Nevertheless, Mike Vrabel’s words bring positive update for Patriots fans, as he has already figured out the problem. And we might see some changes ahead of week 2. Vrabel’s line about needing to “evaluate that” gives us a roadmap. The Patriots have to figure out what they actually do well, then adjust the film and practice work so that becomes the offense’s identity, instead of trying to shape everything around a young player still finding his footing.

The primary objective: stop asking Drake Maye to drop back a million times on a day when the run game isn’t working. That’s not on the quarterback. It’s a structural fix, and it falls on Vrabel to make it. But as promising as Drake Maye was, it didn’t come with a wake-up call.

Drake Maye faces the reality!

The Athletic framed this one as a wake-up call for Drake Maye. Yes, he had some flashes — those play-action completions especially. But the bigger takeaway was clear: he’s not ready to be the steady, every-down centerpiece of an offense built to run the ball and control the clock. That’s again more on the offense than on him. “But the Patriots aren’t built to drop back 50-plus times on a rainy afternoon and expect success. This is a team that needs to sustain long drives with a tough running game, then complement it with play-action passes,” The Athletic’s report reads. Maye’s talent is obvious, but he needs help: quicker reads, sturdier blocking, and fewer plays where he has to improvise just to keep things moving.

Let’s emphasize that through numbers. The Patriots managed only 18 carries for 60 yards at 3.3 per rush, while Drake Maye shouldered 53 dropbacks under steady pressure. It was a clear clash between the team’s supposed identity and the actual play-calling. Play-action was the bright spot (7-of-10 for 71 yards), but it only works if the run game and protection hold up. And Vrabel has a big task on his hands. Give Maye more quick, high-percentage throws and cut down the long dropbacks when the pocket is collapsing. That’s how you limit sacks and off-platform heaves. Even the coaches admitted they need to be “more balanced,” and this is exactly what that means. He needs to stick to run concepts this O-line can actually win with. That’s what makes play-action believable.

PFF showed Will Campbell graded well in the run game, but he can’t carry the whole front. Shoring up those guard/center combos and leaning into run designs that fit the personnel will be the key. These changes are tough to carry out in a single week, but we hope to see glimpses in week 2.