What happened: A.J. Brown's injury shifts more of New England's offense onto Drake Maye. The quarterback's next step is keeping the passing game on schedule rather than forcing off-script plays to replace Brown's production.

Why it matters: Brown's absence puts pressure on the Patriots to protect structure in the offense instead of asking Maye to solve every snap alone. It also disrupts the Maye-Brown connection that drew focus before the opener, removing a pairing that had become central to New England's passing discussion.

What to watch: Watch for Brown's next status update and for how New England redistributes targets around Maye in the coming week.