'Scared' Drake Maye singled out amid Patriots' offensive struggles

Drake Maye was one of the best quarterbacks in the game in 2025, even leading the NFL in completion percentage and passer rating.

But just months after finishing one vote shy of his first career MVP, he's looked like a shell of himself through two weeks. The New England Patriots offense has struggled, and while plenty of that has to do with the Seattle Seahawks' elite defense, the Patriots weren't much better in Week 2.

According to analyst Dan Orlovsky, that's on him and Josh McDaniels. In an appearance on "NFL Live," he pointed out that Maye isn't playing with confidence right now. 

Dan Orlovsky says Drake Maye is playing scared 

“He looks like a young man that’s scared to make mistakes right now,” Orlovsky said. “And I think the playcalling is part of it. Unaggressive playcalling will create unaggressive play... If you look at some of the throws that he’s not making, that’s more concerning than some of the throws he is making.”

Maye didn't hesitate to sling the football downfield last season, but he's been erratic and wary through the first two games of the season. Orlovsky believes he's just way too in his head after the heartbreaking Super Bowl loss.

“When I’m watching him, it’s like a young man right now that is thinking, ‘Don’t do the wrong thing.’ Worrying about making a mistake and trying to see the easiest thing the defense is giving to him, rather than being convicted and confident in his throws,” the analyst continued.