Patriots Collapse in Week 3 Loss to Jets: Is This Rock Bottom for New England?
The New England Patriots’ 2024 season continues to spiral downward, hitting what feels like rock bottom in a brutal 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football. Coming off a shaky start to the season, the Patriots hoped to steady the ship, but instead, they were dominated from start to finish by a Jets team led by a vintage Aaron Rodgers.
For Patriots fans, this loss wasn’t just bad—it was an eye-opener. It’s no longer a question of whether the Patriots are a playoff-caliber team; the real concern is whether they can even put together a functional offense this season. Jacoby Brissett remains under center, but after three weeks of poor protection, lackluster offensive play-calling, and a defense that’s missing tackles left and right, it’s time for the Patriots to face some harsh realities.
The Jacoby Brissett Experiment Is Failing, But He’s Not the Biggest Problem
Let’s get one thing clear: Jacoby Brissett isn’t the reason the Patriots lost this game, but he’s also not the solution. He was never meant to be. Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for just 98 yards while being sacked five times and taking ten QB hits. The problem isn’t that Brissett is playing badly; it’s that he has no chance to succeed behind this crumbling offensive line.
New England’s O-line has become a complete liability, and it’s becoming clearer each week. Thursday marked the third straight game where the Patriots trotted out a new starting left tackle, and it was yet another disaster. The Jets’ defense feasted, pressuring Brissett constantly and giving him no time to operate. This unit is a mess, and unless something drastic changes, it’s hard to see how the Patriots can sustain any sort of offense going forward.
At this point, Brissett is just a placeholder until rookie Drake Maye is ready, but here’s the real issue: if the Patriots throw Maye behind this offensive line, they’re setting him up for failure. This is an offensive unit on the verge of total collapse, and the Patriots seem to have no answers on how to fix it.
Offensive Line Woes: A Broken Unit That’s Holding the Entire Team Back
The offensive line is the root cause of most of the Patriots’ problems. Injuries have ravaged this group, with New England now on their third starting left tackle in as many weeks. The lack of protection is glaring. Jets defenders, led by Quinnen Williams, manhandled New England’s offensive line, racking up five sacks and 15 quarterback hits. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
Brissett barely had time to look downfield, and when he did, the pressure was so intense that it threw off his rhythm. Even when the Patriots were able to string together some offensive momentum—like on a 34-yard pass interference call drawn by Tyquan Thornton—it was quickly erased by holding penalties and more sacks.
Let’s face it: this offensive line is a disaster, and it’s holding the team hostage. The Patriots can’t run their offense because the O-line can’t protect the quarterback long enough to make plays. Until this unit is fixed, any offensive game plan will continue to unravel, and the Patriots will be lucky to win another game this season.
Defensive Struggles Are Plaguing the Patriots
For all the focus on the offense, the Patriots’ defense wasn’t much better. While Keion White continues to show promise in his second year, stepping up in the absence of Matt Judon and Christian Barmore(NESN.com)(Patriots), the rest of the defense struggled mightily. The Jets racked up over 130 yards rushing, and Aaron Rodgers shredded the Patriots secondary, completing 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
The biggest issue? Missed tackles. The Patriots missed 14 tackles in this game. At times, it felt like Rodgers was playing against air, with Patriots defenders slipping off ball carriers and allowing big plays to develop. Ja’Whaun Bentley’s absence loomed large as Raekwon McMillan missed several crucial tackles that could have stopped Jets drives in their tracks. Even the usually reliable Christian Gonzalez gave up his first career touchdown in coverage to Garrett Wilson.
Without Judon, Barmore, and now Jabrill Peppers, the Patriots defense is hanging by a thread. What’s more troubling is the lack of discipline—penalties like Jahlani Tavai’s unnecessary roughness call gave the Jets free yardage at critical moments. This is a defense that’s used to being the team’s backbone, but right now, they look lost.
Aaron Rodgers Dominates: Is This Defense Good Enough to Win?
Aaron Rodgers looked like he was 28 again. In what was supposed to be a challenging matchup for the 40-year-old quarterback, Rodgers made the Patriots defense look amateurish, spreading the ball to eight different receivers and making New England’s pass rush look non-existent. The Jets didn’t just beat the Patriots; they dominated time of possession, holding the ball for an absurd 40 minutes to New England’s 19 minutes.
The Patriots' inability to get off the field on third downs was particularly alarming. Rodgers converted five of his first six third downs with ease, keeping drives alive and demoralizing a Patriots defense that was already reeling. Whether it was pinpoint passes up the seam to tight ends or quick outs to receivers, Rodgers consistently found ways to beat the Patriots’ coverage schemes. The Jets’ offensive playbook was wide open, and the Patriots defense had no answers.
Drake Maye Makes His Debut, But the Future is Clouded
With the game out of hand, rookie Drake Maye made his NFL debut in garbage time, completing 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards and taking two sacks. It wasn’t the debut anyone envisioned for the No. 3 overall pick, but at least he finally saw the field. However, the future for Maye looks murky. This offensive line isn’t ready to protect a young quarterback, and unless the Patriots address their protection issues soon, Maye’s development could be stunted before it even begins.
There’s no question that Maye is the future, but can the Patriots afford to throw him into the fire behind this atrocious O-line? That’s the million-dollar question, and right now, the answer seems to be a resounding “no.”
Where Do the Patriots Go From Here?
With the loss, the Patriots fall to 1-2, and the road ahead looks bleak. Next week, they head to San Francisco to face a 49ers team that was one play away from winning the Super Bowl last season. At this rate, the Patriots will be lucky to leave California without further damage.
Jerod Mayo’s first season as head coach is quickly turning into a nightmare, and the blame doesn’t rest solely on Jacoby Brissett’s shoulders. This team is broken from top to bottom, and unless significant changes are made, this season could spiral into one of the worst in recent memory.
The Patriots need to figure out their offensive line, get more disciplined on defense, and make some tough decisions about when to transition to the future with Drake Maye. But until that O-line improves, don’t expect anything to change. The 2024 Patriots look like a team in freefall, and there’s no easy fix in sight.
Final Thoughts: The Patriots’ Future Looks Grim
The Patriots' Week 3 loss to the Jets wasn’t just another defeat—it was a sign that this team is fundamentally broken. With a crumbling offensive line, a defense that’s missing tackles, and a quarterback situation that’s getting more desperate by the week, the Patriots are on the verge of a lost season.
Jerod Mayo has a mountain to climb if he wants to salvage this season, and the path forward is anything but clear. Drake Maye may be the future, but this team isn’t ready for him yet. Until the Patriots can fix their O-line and figure out how to stop opponents on defense, the losses will keep piling up.
For Patriots fans, the 2024 season is quickly becoming a test of patience. How long can they wait for this team to turn things around? At this point, it feels like we’re waiting for something that might not come at all.
Patriots fans better buckle up—it's going to be a long season.
