Drake Maye’s October surge earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors last week, but the version of him that showed up Sunday looked a lot more like the quarterback who struggled through the opening stretch of the season.
The New England Patriots were buried early and never recovered in a 45-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers, with Maye’s three first-half interceptions helping dig the hole. He finished with three turnovers overall, and while he flashed a few encouraging plays, the mistakes swallowed up everything else.
“We haven’t had a clean, a turnover-free game yet. It’s starting with me,” Maye said during his post-game presser at Gillette Stadium.
“It’s one of the biggest differences between winning and losing football games. I put our defense in a bad spot on the first drive, just gave them the football, had some other chances down the field, and have to see in front.”
That was the story of the afternoon. Maye’s first throw of the game set the tone immediately, as he worked through a muddy pocket and lofted a pass across his body for wide receiver Mack Hollins.
Xavier McKinney was waiting on the other end, snagging the interception and taking it 36 yards to the New England 9. Two plays later, Green Bay was in the end zone and up 7-0.
The Packers kept stretching the margin, and every time the Patriots seemed to get something going, another Maye mistake slammed the door. His second interception came early in the second quarter on a play that looked a lot like one from Week 1. Just as he had when he was targeting Romeo Doubs deep down the left sideline in that opener, Maye tried to hit Kyle Williams only to see the ball get tipped and intercepted.
Then, after New England trimmed the deficit to 17-7 on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Maye to Rhamondre Stevenson, McKinney struck again. He jumped in front of a throw intended for Eli Raridon and came away with Maye’s third pick of the day.
“Just throwing the football in spots that I don’t think I should have thrown it,” said Maye about his three INTs. “The first one, I think I just got to see the guys deep, see the safety positions.
The second one happens, maybe throw it a little farther. And the third one, they’re jumping cross routes, so I got to see in front.”
Those turnovers didn’t just stall drives. They handed Green Bay two touchdowns and helped the Packers build a 24-7 lead at one point. New England’s problems only deepened in the third quarter when Rhamondre Stevenson lost a fumble, giving the Patriots a fourth turnover on the day.
The loss left New England without a takeaway and sitting at -11 in turnover differential, tied for the worst mark in the league through nine weeks.
“When you’re playing a good football team, and when you turn the ball over like we did and give them plus field position, obviously it just wasn’t good enough,” said tight end Hunter Henry. “We’ve got to find a way to play a clean game offensively and not give them chances. It’s continued to bite us against the better teams that we play, and they’re going to take full advantage of that.”
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