Maye’s Passing Growth
It shouldn’t go unnoticed how much of a jump Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has made this year. He’s been really impressive through three games, and although the Patriots are 1-2, most of the blame can be attributed elsewhere. Maye is averaging 73.8 more passing yards per game in 2025 than in his rookie year. That’s the third-largest jump in passing yards per game from Year 1 to Year 2 since 1980 (min. 10 rookie starts), per NFL Gen Stats.
The Patriots are challenged, particularly on early downs when they shift into heavier formations with two tight ends (12-personnel). This is partly due to opposing defenses loading the box. In 11-personnel sets (three wide receivers, one tight end, and one running back), the Patriots are at their best. They record a 52 percent success rate (9th in the league) and have found consistency in the run game. Their most effective look comes from a “trips” formation (3×1 set). Four of their five passing touchdowns have come from this set, which they use more than average. Stretching the field horizontally in these formations creates windows because the defense is so spread out and allows Maye to easily go through his progression.
Maye is most successful against zone looks. The quarterback has thrown for 624 passing yards vs. zone this season (2nd-most in NFL). The former first-round selection has a 51.5% dropback success rate vs. zone (4th-highest). The Patriots lead the league in passing yards vs. Cover 3 with 358 yards. That is significant this week with the Panthers running zone at the third-highest rate in the league.
Missed Tackles Continue to Haunt New England
Through three games, the Patriots’ defense has been haunted by missed tackles, with 35 already on the season. They are tied for the third-most in the NFL. The struggles came to fruition in Week 3 against Pittsburgh, where sloppy tackling cost New England several yards and momentum shifts. The Patriots whiffed 14 times in that game alone, posting a 23.3% missed tackle rate, their worst showing since Week 2 of 2018. Cleaning up these mistakes will be crucial if they want to turn things around.
Pass Rush Bright Spot
Interior duo Milton Williams and Christian Barmore have been a force up front through three weeks, ranking among the league’s best at their position. Williams has generated 11 pressures, the third-most among defensive tackles, while Barmore has added 10, tied for fourth. Both sit inside the top seven at the position, giving New England a disruptive pairing in the middle. Williams has been especially efficient, posting a 15.1% pressure rate that ranks fourth among defensive tackles with at least 50 pass rushes and puts him on pace for a career year.
That dominance will be tested this week against a Carolina interior offensive line that has quietly been one of the league’s most reliable. The Panthers have allowed just a 4.5% pressure rate, the sixth-lowest in the NFL. Center Austin Corbett has been a standout in pass protection, surrendering just one pressure in 87 pass-blocking snaps — a 1.1% rate that ranks second-best among all centers.
Run Defense Establishing Identity
The Patriots’ run defense has been one of the most consistent units in football to start the season. They’ve held opponents under 65 rushing yards in each of their first three games — limiting Miami to 61, Las Vegas to 60, and Pittsburgh to 64. It’s the first time since 2019 that New England has opened a season with three straight games of sub-65-yard rushing defense, per Patriots.com. They also join Cleveland, Green Bay, and Tampa Bay as the only teams in the league that haven’t allowed 100 rushing yards in a single game this season.
It’s not just the totals that stand out, but the efficiency numbers as well. Against Pittsburgh, the defense held the Steelers to just 2.5 yards per carry on 26 attempts. A week earlier, they were even stingier, holding the Raiders to 2.3 yards per carry on 24 attempts. If New England can limit Carolina to under 3.0 yards per carry this week, it would mark the first time since 2023 that they’ve held opponents under that threshold in back-to-back games.
Linebackers Making Plays
The Patriots’ linebackers have made their presence felt in coverage over the last two weeks, recording interceptions in back-to-back games. Marte Mapu picked off a pass against Miami in Week 2, followed by Robert Spillane grabbing one against Pittsburgh in Week 3. According to Patriots.com, if a linebacker comes up with another interception this Sunday, it would mark the first time since 1980 that the unit has recorded a pick in three straight games.
That 1980 season stands out in team history, as New England’s linebackers finished with nine interceptions, a mark that still shares the franchise record with the 1968 linebacker corps, per Patriots.com. For a defense that has emphasized creating more turnovers after a shaky start to the year, seeing the linebackers step up in coverage has been both a timely boost and a reminder of the group’s potential to impact games in multiple ways.
The New England Patriots kick off against the Carolina Panthers at 1 PM. The game will be broadcast on Fox.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 19-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Ben.BelfordPeltzman@gmail.com with any inquires.
