Seattle's Julian Love intercepts a pass intended for New England's DeMario Douglas during last week's season opener in Seattle. (AP photo)

It’s been a tough 10 days in the world of the New England Patriots as it seems the majority of fans could be heard hating the Drake.

Yes, quarterback Drake May has been in the line of fire thanks to his three interceptions in the fourth quarter of the season opener in Seattle – as he should be.

Let’s see what this weekend brings.

The Patriots want to be physical. They want to dictate tempo. They want to wear you down so they own the fourth quarter. The season opener was the opposite.

Sunday, if Maye plays the way he did in Seattle, instead of hearing the big cheers, he’ll be hearing boos, because this one is in front of the home crowd. They haven’t seen Maye throw a pass at Gillette Stadium since the AFC Divisional Round win over Houston last January.

Maye will be able to handle it. The unit that will be under fire on Sunday will be the Patriots offensive line because T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward will be coming hard.

“Defensively, if you better don’t take care of the edges, it’s going to be an issue,” Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said. “Strip sacks, interceptions, um, [Cameron] Heyward and [T.J.] Watt have probably 64 PBUs in the last five years, and that’s pass rush PBUs. Their ability to create ball disruption even if they don’t get there. Great length, sound.”

That’s where the game is going to be won or lost on Sunday. If Maye feels the heat, he’ll likely throw a pick, no question. Remember, last year the Patriots committed five turnovers against the Steelers here.

What the Patriots will have to do is what they tried to establish last Wednesday in Seattle – run the football. Perhaps they overdid it, but they can’t let the Steelers pin their ears back and charge.

“We want to be able to run the football and be able to set some things up off of it, so that there’s not just a drop back pass,” Vrabel said. “There’s got to be play action, we got to be able to hit some screens. All these things that we looked at that we had chances for.

“We’re not just going to run it for the sake of running it. We’re trying to run it with a purpose and to be able to set some things up. And if you’re playing a team that is in split safety, like they’re in split safety to stop the pass, not to stop the run. So, we should be able to run the football.”

Defensively, we’ll see how much the Patriots unleash rookie edge rusher Gabe Jacas. The best thing you can say is he looked in the opener like he belonged. The game looked too fast for him in the preseason; not so once the lights came on for real.

The other key player is Mack Hollins. Once A.J. Brown went down, Hollis became Maye’s favorite target. Maye tends to lock in on a receiver, and he switched to Hollis after Brown got hurt and Hunter Henry got popped (he still played but wasn’t the same).

“Well, Mack’s always taking advantage of his opportunities,” Vrabel said. “I think that the quarterback knows he’s going to be in the right spot when he’s supposed to be there.

“He’s a competitive player, plays on special teams for us. He’s just ready to go and ready to take advantage of the opportunities. And you kind of go in thinking, ‘Here’s the, the plan. I may play X amount of snaps.’ “Something happens, and then that all of a sudden gets changed. So, uh, Mack’s been through that a lot, and we’re comfortable being able to move him around as well in those multiple positions.”

Hollins just goes out and plays. And makes plays. The Patriots have had time now to put a game plan together, not just for the Steelers, but going forward without Brown.

And that plan also makes better decisions.

“If the defense gives you something and the ball’s supposed to go somewhere, then put the ball there,” Vrabel said. “And if we’re supposed to be in a look where we’re supposed to can the play, then can it, alert it or whatever that may be.”

And live to see another day – and play, Drake Maye.