Score: Jets 24 – Patriots 3

After the New England Patriots Week 2 loss to Seattle, mutterings started about starting rookie first-round pick Drake Maye instead of journeyman Jacoby Brissett—talk that Pats head coach Jerod Mayo did his best to dispel while appearing on WEEI Radio earlier this week.

“As a coaching staff, as an organization, we’re 100 percent behind Jacoby,” Mayo said. “…We have a developmental plan for Drake. I mean, it’s not for you guys to know what the developmental plan is, but we’re developing him as well as getting Jacoby ready to go out there and be our starting quarterback and win games. I’m not sure what else I can say about that.”

Here’s hoping that Mayo actually means that—because there will be more than mutterings after the Patriots lost to the Jets at Met Life Stadium for the first time since 2015.

Frankly, Pandora’s Box may already be open at this point. Mayo can try to paint Maye playing late in Thursday’s blowout as just an opportunity for the youngster to get some game reps, but for many fans it was the turning of a page.

The problem is that you can turn the page, but the story will be just as sad.

It’s not Brissett’s fault that the Patriots have arguably the worst assemblage of pass-catching talent in the NFL. It’s not Brissett’s fault that New England’s offensive line left him with no time and running back Rhamondre Stevenson with nowhere to run.

Their Week 1 win over Cincinnati notwithstanding (Football is weird, man.), the Pats are who we thought they are. They are an abysmal offensive team, and the defense is starting to crack under the pressure.

Forget whether Maye is ready for the Patriots. The Patriots aren’t ready for Maye.

Start him, and you’re setting the third overall pick in the 2024 draft up to fail.