CHARLOTTE — The Panthers (1-2) are "Shipping Up to Boston" this weekend—or rather 20 miles west to Foxborough, to get technical—to take on the New England Patriots (1-2). It will be the first time since 2021 the two teams have faced off in the regular season (they have played each other twice in the preseason during that span) and the first time since 2017 Carolina will travel to New England for a regular season game.

The Panthers are 4-4 all-time against the Patriots. Carolina is 2-2 at home and 2-1 on the road at New England. The Panthers lost to the Patriots at a neutral site in Super Bowl XXXVIII. You can see the full series history here.

While this isn't Tom Brady's Patriots team, the club has reset this season under Mike Vrabel, and with the continued ascension of Drake Maye. With that in mind, get to know the 2025 New England Patriots.

Drake Maye's second season

Charlotte-native Drake Maye went through a lot as a rookie. He wasn't necessarily given tools around him to flourish last season, but still managed to throw his way into a Pro Bowl in first year based on his impressive play. Now, with an offensive line that added Will Campbell at tackle with the No. 4 overall pick in April and a receiving corps that added Stefon Diggs this offseason, Maye is fifth overall in the league in passing yards (785, averaging 261.7 per game) through three weeks.

Maye has five passing touchdowns, only one interception, plus a rushing touchdown. Where Maye has been susceptible is sacks. He is tied for the second-most in the NFL with 12 so far, including five that came on Sunday versus the Steelers.

"Good team, a lot of direct runs, talented quarterback," said outside linebacker Nic Scourton of his initial impressions after watching the Patriots Week 3 game. "Obviously they drafted Will Campbell. I've had competition against him in college. I mean, excited just to scout those guys and be able to go compete this week."

Secondary still unsure of Gonzalez' status

The Patriots have been without their All-Pro corner all season, with Christian Gonzalez sidelined. Gonzalez suffered a severe hamstring injury during training camp, back on July 28th. He returned to practice last week for the first time since the injury, and didn't play against the Steelers in Week 3 after being listed as questionable ahead of the game.

With the corner unable to go, the Patriots secondary has struggled, clocking in 29th in the league in passing defense, allowing an average of 256.3 passing yards a game. The unit did hold Aaron Rodgers to 139 passing yards on Sunday however.

Gonzalez' game status likely won't be known until the end of the week, meaning his participation in practice will be something to keep an eye on through Friday.

A tough identity under Vrabel

Mike Vrabel won three Super Bowls as an All-Pro and Pro Bowl linebacker with the Patriots during his playing days. But the same mindset that helped him find success during that time is helping him ignore it now as the first year head coach with his former team.

"I just have a lot of respect for coach Vrabel," said Dave Canales on Monday. "I know that he's going to have his guys ready to play good fundamental football. Other than a couple of turnovers last week from the film that I watched, they're playing really sound football, and I know that's what he's going to bring to that team.

"I can't wait to dig in more this afternoon, evening, to kind of see specifically what that looks like, but I thought they played the Steelers really tough."

Through three weeks, Vrabel—who was formally a head coach with the Tennessee Titans—is instilling toughness and production in the area of the squad with which he's most familiar, the front seven. That group is tied for sixth in the NFL with 9.0 sacks despite having none against the Steelers.

The Patriots invested heavily in the defensive line this offseason, bringing in former Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams. It's paid off, with two sacks from Williams thus far, and a push up front that's helped linebacker Harold Landry III rack up 3.5 sacks. Landry's number is tied for fifth highest in the league through three weeks.