This is not good.
The New England Patriots will attempt to stop Buffalo Bills superstar QB Josh Allen without star Christian Gonzalez.
New England announced on Friday that Gonzalez will not play against Buffalo because of a shoulder injury.
Gonzalez was named to the Associated Press All-Pro second team in 2024. Last season, he was voted to the Pro Bowl after putting up 10 passes defended, 54 solo tackles and one tackle for loss.
The Bills are averaging 33.7 points per game and giving up 26.0 points per game. They are first in the NFL in points for and 21st in points against.
Meanwhile, the Patriots are averaging 12.0 points per game and giving up 17.0 points per game. They are 31st in the NFL in points for and sixth in points against.
Allen is the fourth player in NFL history with two or more rushing touchdowns in three straight games to start a season (1958 Jim Brown, 1999 Stephen Davis and 2003 Priest Holmes). He's the early MVP favorite.
The 2024 MVP, Allen has five passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns through three games. The future Hall of Famer is completing 65.1% of his passes for 786 passing yards.
Patriots QB Drake Maye is playing the exact opposite of Allen. He has six interceptions and only one touchdown pass through three games.
During his weekly press conference, Mike Vrabel fired back at a recent report stating he and Maye don't get along.
"Let me just tell you why I'm here," Vrabel said. "I'm here because Drake was the quarterback. Believe it or not, I had choices to where I wanted to coach. I wanted to coach here because Drake was the quarterback.
"So I don't have really much other to add to that about a comment from an unmade source. But I'll just tell you what I've told numerous people if they want to ask me why I'm here."
After going to the Super Bowl last season, the Patriots have started the 2026 campaign badly. They are 1-2 and QB Maye looks terrible. He has six interceptions and just one touchdown pass, bringing him to 15 turnovers in seven games since the start of last season's playoffs.
Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford won the MVP award last season over Maye, who led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in just his second NFL season. The UNC product finished the 2025 regular season with 4,394 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns while completing 72.0% of his passes.
New England beat the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos in the 2025 playoffs to reach the Super Bowl. Maye suffered a shoulder injury in the AFC Championship Game against the Broncos and that played a large role in why he struggled to throw the ball in the Super Bowl.
Maye entered this season with 6,670 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns. It's puzzling why he looks so bad right now.
The absence of A.J. Brown could be one reason. Since entering the NFL, Brown is fourth in the league in both receiving yards (8,029) and touchdown catches (56). Brown and Ja'Marr Chase are the NFL's only two players with at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown catches in each of the past four seasons.
Brown was placed on injured reserve after suffering a right high ankle sprain against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.
Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pro Bowler entered this season with 8,029 receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Eagles.
If the Patriots fall to 1-3, the noise in New England will get louder and louder.
