While the Patriots continue to sort through the reasons for Drake Maye’s uncharacteristic start to the season — whether it’s the impact of missing receiver A.J. Brown, the consequences of decision-making, or the possibility of a lingering shoulder injury — the reality is the quarterback’s turnover-plagued first three games have the team sitting 1-2 heading into Sunday’s road matchup against the undefeated Bills.
No Patriots quarterback had thrown as many as Maye’s six interceptions in a season’s first three weeks since Drew Bledsoe threw six in 1994. For Maye, who threw 10 picks as a rookie in 2024 and eight last season while leading the team to the Super Bowl, it is unfamiliar territory.
Across NFL history, though, he has plenty of company.
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From the 1970 AFL-NFL merger through last season, quarterbacks threw at least six interceptions in the first three weeks 146 times. The list includes Hall of Famers such as Peyton Manning and Joe Namath, quarterbacks whose careers never took hold such as Ryan Leaf, and others, such as Jameis Winston, whose talent came with a persistent risk of turnovers.
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Patriots Hall of Famer Steve Grogan did it five times (1976-78, ′84, and ′88). Hall of Famer Brett Favre did it three times, twice for the Packers and once with the Vikings. Peyton (Colts) and Eli Manning (Giants) each did it twice, as did another Hall of Famer, Drew Brees (Chargers, Saints).
Their seasons went in different directions. Some lost their starting jobs. Others kept playing, reduced the mistakes, and gave their teams a chance.
Steve Grogan threw 198 interceptions in 135 regular-season starts for the Patriots, a total which includes 25 games with at least three and six multi-interception games in Week 1.
Steve Grogan threw 198 interceptions in 135 regular-season starts for the Patriots, a total which includes 25 games with at least three and six multi-interception games in Week 1.
Two years ago, Anthony Richardson threw six interceptions in the first three weeks of his second season with Indianapolis.
“It’s always frustrating when I’m missing,” Richardson said at the time. “I’m throwing it to the other team and I’m hitting them right in the chest and it’s like, bro, you’re throwing to the wrong person. So I’ve just got to do better. I’m going to do better, I’m going to clean it up for the team.”
Related: Seemingly must-win games dot Week 4 — starting with the 1-2 Patriots needing to beat the 3-0 Bills in the AFC East
Overall, Richardson put together an uneven season. He was injured in Week 4 and missed the next two games. He returned for two starts, was benched in favor of Joe Flacco before Week 9, and regained the job in Week 11.
Richardson did cut down on the interceptions, throwing six more the rest of the season.
In 2023, Jimmy Garoppolo threw six picks in the first three weeks with the Raiders, including three in a Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh in which he suffered a concussion. To Josh McDaniels, then the Raiders’ coach, it was already becoming clear that the team would have to make choices.
“Jimmy makes a lot of good plays, but obviously when the quarterback holds the ball, he holds the fortune of our team also in his hands when he’s doing those things,” said McDaniels, now the offensive coordinator in New England.
Garoppolo missed the next game while in concussion protocol. He made three more starts, throwing an interception in each, before losing the job after an Oct. 30 loss to the Lions. He finished with nine interceptions and six starts.
An opening stretch like Maye’s can leave a mark on a quarterback’s final numbers. On average, the ones that threw six picks in the first three weeks finished with more than 17 interceptions.
Related: New book shows that after 25 years, there just might not be any mystery left to Tom Brady
For some, the opportunity to recover was short.
The Titans replaced Kerry Collins with Vince Young after Collins threw six interceptions in the first three weeks of 2006. The Patriots turned to Tony Eason during the third game of 1984, ending Grogan’s run as the starter. In 1983, Archie Manning threw eight interceptions in the first three weeks for the Oilers, lost the starting job, and was traded to the Vikings later that season. But roughly two-thirds of the quarterbacks still started at least 70 percent of their team’s games.
Trevor Lawrence had room to learn after throwing seven interceptions in the first three weeks of his rookie season in 2021. He started all 17 games and finished with 17 picks.
New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe passes for a completion during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions, inside the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan, on Sunday, Sept. 25, 1994. Bledsoe completed 21 of 33 passes for 251 yards in leading the Patriots to a 23-17 victory.
Drew Bledsoe's 27 interceptions in 1994 came in a year he also led the league in completions (400), attempts (691), and yards (4,555).
Bledsoe finished with a league-high 27 interceptions in 1994, but also led the NFL with 4,555 passing yards and helped the Patriots finish 10-6 and reach the playoffs.
But his season is far from the norm. Of the 146 teams with a six-pick quarterback through three weeks, only 28 (19.2 percent) made the playoffs. Forty-five (30.8 percent) put together winning seasons.
The most recent was the Bears in 2005. Rookie Kyle Orton threw five interceptions in a Week 3 loss to Cincinnati, bringing his total to six. He finished the season with 13 in 15 starts, and Chicago made the playoffs. (After Orton was benched in favor of Rex Grossman during Week 15, with Grossman starting the lone playoff game.)
Maye already has shown he can effectively run an offense at a high level. But he’s currently in a rut that many quarterbacks before him have had to survive.