Nick Coit: Why Drake Maye Is Struggling This Season

The New England Patriots are coming off a disastrous performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars that had fans leaping from the Drake Maye bandwagon. We caught up with Fun 107 Patriots Beat Reporter Nick Coit of Fox 61 in Hartford to break down what in the Sam Hill is going wrong and what Sunday's daunting matchup against the Buffalo Bills could mean for this team.

The Drake Maye Situation

Coit was direct about the state of New England's offense. "There's no chemistry with his wide receivers. His footwork seems off. His offensive line is starting to get banged up," Coit said. It's not just the quarterback. There are a number of problems facing the Patriots, including a lack of star receivers.

When asked about reported tension between Drake Maye and head coach Mike Vrabel, Coit wasn't buying it as the root of the problem. Vrabel himself addressed the rumors at the podium this week, saying he chose to coach in New England specifically because Drake was the quarterback here. Coit called it a strong denial.

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Where in the World are Drake Maye's Weapons?

The receiver situation is a major problem, Coit said. After a strong season from Stefon Diggs last year, he is now in Washington. "Kayshon Boutte, a player Maye clearly trusted and had natural chemistry with, was traded for a low round draft pick in the offseason," Coit pointed out. "Then A.J. Brown went down just 31 snaps into this season. Where's he going with the ball?"

Can the Patriots Bounce Back Against Buffalo?

Coit sees Sunday as genuinely unpredictable. The Bills came back to beat the Chargers last week, but turned the ball over five times, with Josh Allen throwing two interceptions. New England could feast on turnovers if those struggles continue. Coit also noted that last year's Buffalo game on Sunday night was the coming out party for Drake Maye, the moment fans first thought they might really have something in the young quarterback.

That being said, Nick Coit is picking the Bills to win 24-14. "I'm not optimistic," he admitted, while adding that he hopes he is wrong and that the Patriots at least show signs of getting back on track.