For Drake Maye, life without A.J. Brown remains a work in progress | Karen Guregian

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FOXBOROUGH - The objective of Josh McDaniels’ passing offense - or any offense for that matter - is simple enough.

Throw to the open guy. First and foremost, that’s the quarterback’s mission.

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With a 72% completion percentage rate, Drake Maye had a pretty much aced the test last year.

Two games into this year, and the lines are blurred for the Patriots quarterback.

The objective remains the same. But Maye hasn’t been able to establish any kind of rhythm with his receivers. He’s been indecisive. The “open guy” has been elusive.

Either no one is getting open, or Maye isn’t seeing them.

The reality?

It’s probably a little of both.

Going forward, however, that dynamic has to change.

While the defense has carried the day thus far, the offense has to do more. It has to be more. Scoring 10 to 15 points isn’t going to beat Buffalo. It probably won’t beat Jacksonville.

Maye knows that. And on Wednesday, the Patriots quarterback described an offense that’s basically a work in progress.

“I think we’re finding ourselves. Every time you get into a new season with new guys, new players, and you’re battling injuries ... so for us, it’s about finding ourselves,” Maye said.

“At this time last year, I remember we were 1-2, and going into the Panthers (game) and we were trying to figure ourselves out. Finding rhythm on offense.”

Maye, however, wasn’t necessarily making excuses. He was simply drawing a parallel to the start of last season. He knows what’s happening now isn’t going to cut it going forward.

“We’re finding ourselves, but at the same time, we got plays that are there and realizing that execution and extra effort really make them go,” he said. “Coaches can call plays but we gotta make them go.”

Complicating matters is that Maye has had to adjust to life without A.J. Brown on the fly.

In a short time, Brown had moved into binky status as Maye’s security blanket receiver. He was someone the Patriots quarterback trusted to get open and make a play.

Last year, Stefon Diggs was that guy. He was the receiver Maye looked to in a pinch. Diggs got open quickly, and caught just about everything thrown his way.

And if defenses managed to eliminate Diggs, Hunter Henry and Kayshon Boutte were always on Maye’s radar both short and long. Maye trusted both of them to make a play.

Now there’s no Diggs. No Boutte. And, Brown isn’t expected to return until late October, and possibly into November.

It’s still early, but based on how things have played out, no one has really stepped into the role.

As we saw last week, defenses have a keen eye on Henry, knowing he’ll be on Maye’s radar. That was part of Pittsburgh’s plan on Sunday. The Steelers also made sure to keep Mack Hollins in check.

Patrick Graham’s no dope. The Steelers defensive coordinator did everything he could to make Maye uncomfortable during Sunday’s 20-3 win by the Patriots.

No doubt, Jacksonville will have a similar plan.

Maye, of course, needs to make better choices to combat what defenses are doing. He needs to be decisive with his reads and his throws, walking that fine line between being aggressive and reckless.

Maye called it being more “instinctive” and playing more freely while taking into account all of the coaching points he’s trying to rectify. He needs to let it fly, and not be tentative with his throws.

“I’ve never shied away from trusting (a play) and letting it rip and just knowing that, and knowing what I’m seeing in front of the guys,” Maye said.

“Sometimes you end up forcing the football and making decisions you’d like to have back trying to give guys a chance to go make a play. But one of the best things about getting new chances every week is letting the other ones go . . . you’ve gotta let plays go and you gotta attack the next play, learn from the ones in the past.”

Outside of Maye getting back to being the quarterback he was last year, it would help if one of the receivers emerged during this transition, someone he can count on no matter what.

Romeo Doubs seems like the logical choice to step in those shoes. He’s being paid to be that guy. But he’s still trying to get comfortable with Maye and the offense.

He did have three catches for 96 yards against the Steelers. And maybe that was a start for Doubs in gaining Maye’s trust.

Rookie tight end Eliot Raridon has also made a few plays. With defenses keeping a closer eye on Henry, he could take the baton.

Whether it’s Raridon, Doubs, DeMario Douglas. Kyle Williams. Efton Chism III, someone has to be that go-to-outlet for Maye.

Douglas, who caught Maye’s first throw against the Steelers, but wasn’t heard from after that, wants to be that guy.

“I feel like for him to have confidence in me, I have to keep doing things right and keep stacking those days,” Douglas said Wednesday. “I feel like we’re growing with each other and gaining more confidence in each other to where he knows I’m going to be open on certain routes.”

Williams conveyed a similar message.

“All of me wants to (be that guy), but I think that’s everyone in the locker room. They want to step up and be that guy when they can,” he said. “But for me, honestly, whatever’s in front of me that I can control, that’s what I’m trying to make the most of ... get that trust and then I can get more reps.”

In the end, it’s still going to come down to Maye elevating the cast around him. Maye has to find alternatives without Brown.

“He’s the one that’s going to orchestrate and conduct everything that we do and make sure that everybody believes that the play that we’re running is going to be the one that’s successful,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “And not every time it is, but he has to be able to take that demeanor and spread it to the football team, throw it to the guy that’s open, and again, make great decisions.”

Heading into Week 3, we’re still waiting on Maye to make it happen, and find a comfort level and rhythm with his current cast.

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