A pivotal play in the Patriots' win on Sunday may prove this theory
It's no secret the New England Patriots offense is struggling. Many who report on the team can chalk Week 2's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers to a strong defensive front. The 20-3 win did have its fair share of pressure on veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a few bright spots for Drake Maye on offense.
All in all, Maye even said it himself: they are "definitely not where we want to be."
Still, this might put some Patriots fans at ease about Maye improving as the weeks go on. For some time now, it has been noted that Maye struggles against Cover 6. That type of coverage consists of split-field zone pairing quarter defensive backs on one side with a deep half on the other.
Maye ranks 32nd out of 33 QBs against Cover 6; in Week 1 against it, he went 0/5 past 20 yards with 2 picks in the opener against Seattle. That flaw was noted throughout the week leading up to the Steelers game.
Yet, one play in the matchup proved Maye might be edging out that flaw.
The 63-yard pass from Maye to Doubs was a prime example. Tight end Hunter Henry jammed Steelers edge rusher Jack Swayer inside, and DeMario Douglas ran a route that baits the safeties and eventually leaves Romeo Doubs open on a corner route.
Need a visual on that? Take a look at NBC Boston and retired Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson break it down in the clip below.
Maye's issues against the coverage date back to the second game against the Buffalo Bills last season, which may have been where the Seahawks picked it up (used on around 41–46% of snaps, including the Super Bowl and Week 1 2026).
The coverage manipulates the quarterback's eyes, leading to a lot of downfield overlooks. The answer to these issues is what the Patriots did on that play: deep-intermediate combo routes, plus scrambles, heavy run production, and quick-hitting routes to force linebackers out of drop zones.
The focus now shifts to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who under defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile have moved away from press-heavy, single-high looks to a Vic Fangio-style split-safety scheme that relies heavily on coverage like Cover 6.
There's a chance the Patriots may get another crack at exploiting this if given the chance, and if Maye has the confidence to face a coverage style that has plagued him since last season.
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