FOXBOROUGH – “Yeah, it was heartbreaking.”
Those were the first words out of Drake Maye’s mouth on Sunday evening. As the Patriots rookie stood at the post-game podium, he explained why he was upset following a heartbreaking loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
His offense moved the ball. On paper, they were the better team.
The Patriots outgained the Colts 442-253. They had more first downs (23-20). They won the time of possession (34:12 to 25:48). They even won the turnover battle (2-1). The Patriots offense ran for more yards (200 to 144) and passed for more yards (222 to 109).
Those stats usually lead to a win.
“I think we were efficient in the passing game, and just came up short. It’s a bummer,” Maye said. “I hate it for these guys, and I hate it for these coaches. We’re practicing hard. We’re fighting hard, and just came up short.”
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The problem for the Patriots falls in the face of the two categories they didn’t beat the Colts in – red zone and penalties. The offense was in the red zone six times. They scored two touchdowns. Out of those trips, four of them put the offense inside the 10-yard line. The Patriots converted just one touchdown. Jerod Mayo’s team was also penalized seven times for 88 yards compared to the Colts being penalized twice for 15 yards on Sunday.
This loss didn’t fall on the shoulders of Maye. That was evident throughout the game. It was clear in the Patriots dejected post-game locker room. While sitting quietly at his locker, Jabrill Peppers walked over to Maye, patted him on the back, and told him to keep his head up. Before long, a Patriots assistant coach walked by and said something similar.
The Patriots 25-24 loss on Sunday was another example of the team’s ineptitude. The 3-10 Patriots are letting Maye down. The No. 3 overall pick is talented enough to dig his offense out of deep trenches but a talented young quarterback can’t save this season.
Drake Maye deserves better. He won’t get that until another offseason (or two).
Maye’s wise beyond his years
Sunday’s game was a matchup between the two youngest starting quarterbacks in the NFL. Both Maye and Anthony Richardson are 22 years old. The Colts quarterback, however, is 100 days older than the Patriots rookie.
Maye’s not only the youngest player on the Patriots roster but the youngest starting quarterback in the NFL. It’s taken him less than eight starts to show he’s one of the best players on the Patriots roster.
On Sunday, Maye had several highlight-worthy moments, including a 41-yard rush and a 16-yard tight-window touchdown throw to Austin Hooper.
“I always say, I love playing with that guy,” receiver Kendrick Bourne said. “That throw to Hooper was incredible. That’s an NFL throw. That’s insane. Those little things excite me. I’m proud of how he played. Whatever the run was, was even more impressive.”
Unlike the last four seasons, with Cam Newton, Mac Jones, and Bailey Zappe, the Patriots offense doesn’t feel stymied by one (or two penalties). Since Tom Brady left, it felt as though a punt was inevitable any time an offensive penalty occurred.
With Maye, the feeling is different. This 22-year-old is routinely showing he can make chicken salad out of chick bleep.
For example, in the second quarter, the Patriots offensive line was called for its third holding penalty. On the next play, second-and-15, Maye hit Bourne for 16 yards. In that same drive, the fourth holding penalty came. On second-and-19, Maye connected with Kayshon Boutte for 29 yards.
Whether it’s a penalty, sack, or drop, with Maye there’s a chance of hope.
“Drake brings that swagger. That confidence to the whole offense,” DeMario Douglas said. “When you know you have somebody like Drake, you know something is liable to happen. We all just got to play together. Play as one.”
Patriots aren’t good enough to support Maye
Despite some outstanding plays, there’s only so much a rookie quarterback can do. The Patriots offensive line was called for five holding penalties on Sunday. Maye was sacked an additional four times.
Worst of all, the Patriots squandered several golden opportunities to put the Colts out to pasture. The offense got inside the 10-yard line four times on Sunday. They scored two field goals and not one touchdown. Each trip felt more doomed than the last.
“It’s just – you have to make the right call. It’s all scheme,” Bourne said of the issues. “AVP is doing his best to try to make the right call. At the end of the day, we have to go out there and make the plays as players. It’s tough. He has to make the call and we have to make it work. Sometimes it might not be the best call. Sometimes we might not run the best routes. Sometimes it works out perfect. Sometimes it don’t.”
In their first drive, the offense had a first-and-goal from the 7-yard line. Maye was sacked twice – including on third down at the 5-yard line. They settled for a field goal. The decision to pass the ball twice there was questionable.
In their next series, the Patriots had a first-and-goal from the 2-yard line. This resulted in a Rhamondre Stevenson run being negated due to a Michael Onwenu holding call. The next play turned out to be a Layden Robinson holding call. The two penalties cost the Patriots two yards. They settled for a field goal.
In the second quarter, they had a first and goal from the 11 when Stevenson gained eight yards on two carries. That set up a third-and-3 where Maye was sacked (Vederian Lowe was also called for a hold but it was declined). That set up a game-changing 25-yard missed field from Joey Slye.
When you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the Patriots opened up the second half with Maye being intercepted while the team was on the 7-yard line.
“Penalties. Setbacks. Little things. The NFL is all about details,” Bourne said about the red zone woes. “Whoever is more detailed. Whoever is on top of the little things more likely is going to come out on top. We just got to be more detailed.”
Those missed opportunities were a major reason why the Patriots didn’t win on Sunday. It certainly wasn’t because of their young quarterback but that’s been the case this season.
Maye keeps the Patriots in the game while being outmanned against teams with better rosters and at times, better coaching staffs. The rookie gives the Patriots hope and it’s on the front office can do him the service of finding him a better offensive line with an elite offensive weapon.
Until that happens, the Patriots will be a team not good enough led by a young quarterback who deserves better.
