Patriots vs Jaguars was supposed to be a test of where New England stands in Mike Vrabel’s second season. It turned into one of the worst afternoons of Drake Maye’s young career. Jacksonville won 35-6 at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes, and Maye was pulled in the fourth quarter after two interceptions and two fumbles.
The result lifts the Jaguars to 2-1 and drops the Patriots to 1-2. According to ESPN’s game recap, it was Jacksonville’s sixth straight regular season win at home.
Lawrence runs the show
Lawrence was efficient rather than spectacular: 19 of 29 for 182 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, which came off a tipped ball. His scoring throws went to Josh Cameron, Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington, whose fingertip grab in the end zone was the catch of the day, as CBS Sports’ recap described it. The Jaguars then ran for two more scores after half time through Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten, and Tuten finished as the leading rusher with 73 yards.
Head coach Liam Coen is now 15 wins from his first 20 games. ESPN and CBS Sports both noted that no NFL coach had reached that mark since Matt LaFleur in 2020. “You get what you emphasize so much with this team,” Coen said afterwards, per ESPN.
Patriots vs Jaguars key numbers
| Stat | Jaguars | Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 35 | 6 |
| Starting QB | Lawrence 19/29, 182 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT | Maye 14/25, 199 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT |
| Turnovers | 1 | 3 (2 INT, 1 lost fumble) |
| Touchdowns | 5 (3 passing, 2 rushing) | 0 |
| Record after Week 3 | 2-1 | 1-2 |
Numbers from the ESPN and CBS Sports game recaps.
Why Maye’s turnovers are now the story
Maye completed 14 of 25 passes for 199 yards, so he did move the ball at times. The problem was what happened around it. One interception was taken in the end zone by Travis Hunter, the other went to Jarrian Jones, and he put the ball on the ground twice, losing one. Tommy DeVito came in for the final stretch with the game long gone.
Through three games Maye has one touchdown pass and six interceptions. Put simply, that’s two picks a game, and over a 17 game season that pace would get very ugly very quickly. That’s why the conversation in New England this week will be less about the scoreline and more about decision making. The Patriots’ only points came from two field goals, one in each half.
There was one strange footnote. Jaguars kicker Cam Little tried a 70 yard field goal and missed it wide right, according to both ESPN and CBS Sports. Even the misses from that range get talked about, because almost nobody attempts them.
What’s next for both teams
The Patriots stay on the road for an AFC East meeting with the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park at 1pm ET on Sunday, October 4. The Jaguars also travel, facing the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium at 1pm ET the same day, per the NFL’s official Week 4 schedule.
For more NFL action, see our report on Bijan Robinson and Drake London powering the Falcons past the Packers.
