That wasn’t expected at all! The preseason game is on for the New England Patriots and the Washington Commanders. After a long debate on who would be the starter for the Foxborough team, Jerod Mayo picked the 21-year-old young QB, Drake Maye. Although under Maye, the Pats are leading the game with 7-3 in the third quarter, the offensive line has become the talk of the town.

According to Patriots reporter, Mark Daniel, on X, “Patriots offensive line tonight is 1 sack allowed, two bad snaps, a false start, two holding penalties, three illegal formation penalties, and an offensive lineman dislodging a quarterback’s shoe.” This OL of the Patriots doesn’t look good, as the online social media users reflect their emotions, stating “What an embarrassment.”

Additionally, there were other fans, who also worried about Maye and Mayo’s OL, with one adding, “1 sack allowed (almost k-lled the qb).” Another one clearly stated, “It’s gonna be a longgg season for either Drake or Jacoby [Brissett].” An X user chimed in and said, “Got one QB KO’d.” Not only that!

One social media user, on a serious note, made a point by commenting, “I’m dead serious when I say that any lineman that get cut before the regular season from any other team, would be better than these bums.” This frustration might be because of the Patriots’ bad snaps, penalties, and false starts. Another user summed up the game between the games the Pats have been playing. They said, “We’re gonna ruin another one. Smh.”

Either it was with regard to the upcoming season. An indication that the 2024 NFL might also fall short like the previous one or that the team might lose another talented QB because of offensive shortcomings. Well, this isn’t a peanut-like issue. In the games, the Pats have been unable to protect their QB.

Hence, these negative comments and critics make sure of one thing – Despite Drake Maye leading the team and looking good, the reality is that he might not get the next play if these kinds of game plays continue on the field. Are some of the incidents in the preseason games questions on Mayo’s OL line?

Have the Patriots done enough to support Drake Maye?

Drake Maye had a strong start on Sunday night, leading a touchdown drive right off the bat. However, the Patriots’ offensive line struggled throughout the game, and it showed in key moments. Early on, the line missed a couple of key pulls, one of which left Jacoby Brissett vulnerable to a hard hit. In addition to that, Maye himself had a rough start with a botched snap, and at one point, his cleat was stepped on by Sidy Sow, causing his shoe to fly off. Even so, Maye stayed composed, rolling out and completing a pass for a 14-yard gain.

As the first half continued, Maye showed flashes of his potential, especially during a two-minute drill. At that time, he launched a deep pass to K.J. Osborn, who would’ve scored a touchdown had it not been for an illegal formation penalty. This penalty was just one example of the offensive line’s issues, which plagued the Patriots throughout the game. And guess what? These poor OL plays were also seen in their preseason matchup against the Eagles.

At that game, Maye’s night ended abruptly after a big hit from Eagles linebacker Nolan Smith Jr., leaving fans wondering if the Patriots are truly ready to give Maye the full reins of the offense.

Executive VP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf repeatedly emphasized the importance of building the right infrastructure to support a rookie quarterback, particularly after the struggles seen with Mac Jones. And a key part of that infrastructure is a solid offensive line. Now, that is something the Patriots clearly need to improve. And it’s definitely not like the Patriots are unaware of their fault.

Probably, that’s why the head coach Jerod Mayo didn’t hold back when addressing the team’s offensive line problems, especially after they fumbled three center/quarterback exchanges in their recent preseason loss to the Eagles. He expressed, “There’s a dramatic drop-off — not really physically but just knowing what to do — between the first line and the second and third guys.”

With starter David Andrews seeing limited action due to a lack of depth, Mayo pointed out a significant gap between the first and second-string players, particularly when it comes to knowing what to do on the field. So, the question now remains – “Can the Patriots fix these issues in time to truly support Maye if he’s called upon to lead?”

Until then, do watch Chris Gronkowski on The Dual Threat Show with BG12, where he shared insights about his NFL journey, and other things.