Benedict Arnold looks like a saint in the presence of some of you rats. Long live Drake Maye.

Q: When you said that you don’t believe there’s a problem with your shoulder, are you saying your right shoulder and throwing arm feel 100% physically the same as they did before the injury with no lingering loss of strength or velocity of range of motion, or is there any difference at all?

A: Yeah, it’s similar question to the way I answered it in the post game. I think we gotta — I don’t think that has anything to do with executing and playing better football and realizing that’s the biggest thing that contributes to winning.

Q: Do you feel the same as you did before your injury, or is there still something that’s lingering?

A: Any time I’m out there, and I’m in uniform on the field, I’m gonna play 100% and give it my all. That’s kind of what I have to say.

Q: Is it something you’re managing every day?

A: I mean, any time that you come out from a game and you’re sore, everybody’s dealing with things from the game. I wouldn’t say that it’s anything in particular. I think it’s getting back out there and realizing it’s getting ready for this week in practice.

Dead arm is an informal term for a period when the throwing arm feels unusually fatigued or heavy, causing a drop in velocity, command, or overall throwing effectiveness, without necessarily involving a specific injury. It’s usually associated with accumulated throwing workload and muscular fatigue.

More from Evan Lazar's film breakdown: https://www.patriots.com/news/after-further-review-drake-maye-film-breakdown-defense-coverage-splits-and-quick-hit-film-notes-from-loss-to-jaguars

Offense

- On 15 carries, the Patriots RBs had a combined six(!) rushing yards before contact. That shows the lack of movement the Pats are generating in the run game, with New England finishing with a 16th-percentile rushing success rate (26%). It's tough to get on the backs when the Patriots are 29th in average rushing yards before contact (0.5) and 25th in expected rushing yards per carry (4.0), but some yards are being left on the field.

With his speed, Henderson could really use some more creativity with his runs. The Pats are heavily featuring duo schemes (double teams inside) that often create bounce-out opportunities when the edges/force defenders squeeze too far inside to play the double teams. Henderson could also manipulate second-level defenders a bit better to bounce into open gaps. It's nitpicky, but better vision and more imaginative runs are the next step for the second-year back.

- The right guard position with starter Mike Onwenu (IR) out long-term is worrisome. Greg Van Roten (two) and Walter Rouse (four) allowed six combined pressures and were on the scene for three stuffed runs. Van Roten struggled to stay square with rushers getting on his outside edge before leaving the game with a thigh injury, while Rouse's issues came in the second half, where maybe conditioning was a factor for the Pats third-string right guard. We knew Onwenu was a big loss, and the first test didn't go well.

- WR Mack Hollins seems to be the only receiver Maye has clear chemistry with right now. For example, Hollins's 21-yard deep curl on third down was an in-rhythm play where he ran off CB Travis Hunter, separated at the top of the route, and Maye was on time with the throw. They also connected on a 13-yard back-shoulder fade, but Hollins's taunting penalty forced the Pats to kick a field goal rather than go for a 4th-and-1 late in the game. Getting in the end zone would've been a nice boost for the offense.

- WR DeMario Douglas is the Patriots best downfield separator, but the inconsistencies in his connection with Maye remain. Douglas hit a 38-yard vertical route explosive on a "cheat" motion, but Maye threw too high for his 5-foot-8 receiver when he separated from man coverage on the "dash" protection play, and Douglas's landmarks/spacing still feel like an issue at times (second third-down play). It just doesn't feel quite detailed enough for Douglas's separation to translate into high-volume production.

- WR Romeo Doubs didn't hit on a 21-yard and 20-yard dig until garbage time, with one of those receptions coming from backup QB Tommy DeVito. He also got called for an OPI for pushing off at the top of his curl route and Maye threw too far inside on a back-shoulder fade intended for Doubs (more on the QB than Doubs). They need more from the Doubs-Maye connection, and they need it now. With Brown out, you wonder if Doubs is playing more 'X' than they envisioned with him repping mostly as the 'Z' in camp.

Full quote:

Is Maye being accountable in Vrabel’s view?

“I think accountability has to come to your teammates and from your actions, and how you play and how you work and how you prepare,” said the Patriots’ coach. “I can’t speak on what his shoulder feels like. That’s nothing that I even have ever heard anything about. If the center’s hand’s bleeding, then there’s going to be some things on the football at times. But those are facts, those are explanations. We can hear explanations, we can’t allow for excuses.”

Any notion that Maye might head to the bench was dismissed by Vrabel, however, who asserted that “Drake’s our quarterback.”

“We’ve got to get this thing right. All of us.”

More from his WEEI hit where he reaffirmed Drake Maye as starting QB: https://www.boston.com/sports/new-england-patriots/2026/09/28/mike-vrabel-drake-maye-patriots-vibe-defensive-struggles/

Drake doesn’t have the luxury of being able to lean on someone like James cook, Gibbs or Bijan. Rhamondre still has fumbling issues and he’s big but he doesn’t break many tackles and he’s pretty slow. I thought Henderson might be the guy but he needs wide open lanes to get to the second level. In many situations we hand the ball off on first or second down and it goes absolutely nowhere then we are faced with alot of third and longs.

To beat cover 6, SPEED & TIMING IS NEEDED TO STRETCH/STRESS THE DEFENSE.

Kyle Williams running numerous deep routes(crossers, go, corners, slot fades, mix in speed outs, jet motions, screens, glance, comebacks.

ATTACK SEAMS FROM SLOT

Douglas is too fucking small. Insert Raridon as the big slot. Mismatch vs everyone. Run Seams, slot fades, crossers, corners, whip, shallow, pivots. Constantly motion this guy & he helps in the run game too.

Doubs at the X until Brown is back.

You’re running trips to the quarters side. Spam Mills(Quarters), Smash(Cover 2), Dagger(Quarters) concepts. Motion constantly helping identify & create matchups. Condensed formations are a must. Find a receiver RB in the draft next year smh.

McDaniels & whoever is in charge of personnel need to go!

What is mutually as frustrating as watching Drake underperform is not seeing him come onto the field with a chip on his shoulder. He is as physically talented of a QB as there has ever been, rip that fucking ball into tight windows, get mean and take some hits and get fired the fuck up. Get loud, get cocky. Stop throwing these timid floaters, patting the ball as you triple confirm to yourself that the guy you’re thinking about throwing to is in fact open.. it’s like he’s convinced himself that he isn’t an absolute dawg that’s capable of setting throwing records. Step up in that mothafuckin pocket and deliver strikes.

Anyhoot