JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Patriots Jaguars Week 3 matchup ended in a 35-6 Jacksonville rout at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, as Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes and New England’s Drake Maye was pulled in the fourth quarter after two interceptions and a lost fumble.
The loss dropped the Patriots to 1-2 and sent them into a short week ahead of a road trip to Buffalo. Lawrence finished 19-of-29 for 182 yards and scores to Josh Cameron, Jakobi Meyers, and Parker Washington, while Maye went 14-of-25 for 199 yards with no touchdowns. Jacksonville improved to 2-1 and won its sixth consecutive regular-season home game.
How the Patriots Jaguars scoreboard got away
Jacksonville never trailed. Maye’s second-quarter fumble, recovered by DaVon Hamilton near midfield, set up Lawrence’s 12-yard touchdown to Cameron for a 7-0 lead. After Andy Borregales cut it to 7-3 with a 35-yard field goal—set up by Marcus Jones’s tip-drill interception off a deflection—Lawrence answered with a 10-yard strike to Meyers that made it 14-3 at half.
The third quarter sealed it. Washington’s 17-yard touchdown catch on a third-and-goal drive that chewed 8:42 pushed the margin to three scores, and Jarrian Jones’s 32-yard interception return set up Chris Rodriguez’s five-yard run for 28-3. Bhayshul Tuten’s one-yard plunge in the fourth finished the 35-6 final. Jacksonville went 8-of-12 on third down and 5-for-5 in the red zone, averaging more than 5.3 yards per play while New England’s nickel packages surrendered 6.5 yards per snap.
Drake Maye turnovers pile up in Week 3
Maye’s three giveaways Sunday brought his season total to seven through three games, with just one touchdown pass across that stretch—about one score against six interceptions when counting the first two weeks alone. Travis Hunter recorded his first career interception in the end zone late in the second quarter, and Jones jumped a sideline throw targeting Kyle Williams in the third. New England’s coaching staff eventually turned to Tommy DeVito once the game was out of reach.
“My concern level is very high for this football team,” head coach Mike Vrabel said afterward. Maye told reporters the offense was “unacceptable” and framed the loss as a turning point in Week 3. Pressure was constant: Maye was under duress on nearly half his dropbacks and was sacked three times. Completions downfield often looked hesitant, and even flashes to DeMario Douglas failed to become rhythm drives.
Depth and line injuries compound the collapse
New England played without A.J. Brown, Mike Onwenu, Dre’Mont Jones, Craig Woodson, and rookie tight end Eli Raridon. Greg Van Roten, filling in at right guard, left after about 20 snaps with a thigh injury, forcing Walter Rouse into the mix rather than Ben Brown. The thin group echoed the pregame Patriots injury report ahead of Jacksonville and the earlier decision to place Onwenu on injured reserve.
Saturday’s roster moves that elevated Mike Brown and Jeremiah Pharms Jr. underscored how far New England reached for depth. On Sunday, that depth was tested and came up short against a Jaguars offense that controlled the line of scrimmage with methodical runs from Tuten and complementary throws from Lawrence. Romeo Doubs was largely quiet until garbage time; Mack Hollins remained Maye’s steadiest target.
What’s next: Patriots at Buffalo in Week 4
New England has little time to reset before facing Josh Allen and the Bills on the road. Fixing Maye’s decision-making, stabilizing the offensive line without Onwenu and Van Roten, and generating stops on third down are the clearest priorities. Borregales also missed a 38-yard field goal that would have kept the game within two scores earlier. Jacksonville kept home momentum; the Patriots must prove the Florida trip was an outlier rather than a trend as the AFC East schedule stiffens.
Sources: Patriots.com Week 3 game observations; Jaguars.com Week 3 game report; NBC Sports Pro Football Talk.