Getting into the 2026 NFL Kickoff Recreation, Drake Maye argued the Patriots’ rematch with the Seahawks was nowhere close to as important because the Tremendous Bowl in February.
A win would not stage the enjoying discipline or erase the sting of dropping on the large stage in San Francisco.
Maye did not say earlier than the sport what a full-blown collapse within the sequel might do for his confidence and the assumption of the others in his huddle.
Nicely, we will make that learn for you. It is Maye Day in New England.
An unabashed catastrophe unfolded within the second half at Seattle the place the Patriots allowed a win on a platter to plummet into doubts Maye is not the subsequent Sam Darnold.
On the largest stage and within the greatest video games, Maye has a two-game streak of falling face first.
There was no offensive line or suspect play-calling accountable Wednesday evening. Aside from a Romeo Doubs drop the blame falls squarely on Maye. He was the wrongdoer on every of the interceptions that ended New England’s remaining three drives and led to a 10-0 lead changing into a 13-10 letdown.
With Darnold on the sideline after 5 snaps resulting from a hip harm, Drew Lock rallied Seattle and had an opportunity to place New England away after a 9-yard scramble contained in the 5 arrange 2nd-and-1 with the sport tied 10-all. Then Lock received caught taking a look at his playcall wristband for too lengthy, pushing Seattle again 5 yards earlier than lacking on consecutive throws. As an alternative of a TD and a seven-point lead, the Seahawks needed to accept a 26-yard discipline objective and gave the ball again to Maye.
To be honest, Maye was distinctive on the ultimate drive and transformed a 4th-and-2 together with his toes and a second fourth down with a pointy completion to Mack Hollins.
And he was superb for 3 quarters enjoying extraordinarily secure, borderline conversative, with no achieve of greater than 15 yards till Rhamondre Stevenson turned a brief completion right into a 17-yard achieve.
To be trustworthy, Maye folded once more below strain. Seeing ghosts, maybe.
His first choose was his first dangerous determination of the evening, going lengthy for Doubs down the left sideline into double protection. Doubs was open two ticks earlier, however nickel cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett closed on the underthrow to corral the tipped ball. New England was immediately deflated from 10-0 and in place to pressure Lock right into a two-minute offense kind of state of affairs to on their heels.
Mike Vrabel stated lots of the identical issues he shared after the Tremendous Bowl defeat. He expects Maye to bounce again. The Patriots are trying forward, not again, to the Sept. 20 dwelling opener towards the Steelers.
Maye can win beat Pittsburgh. Most likely the subsequent week at Jacksonville, too. We all know he can win video games. He has months earlier than his subsequent likelihood to show able to delivering within the clutch.
