The identical records wouldn’t last past Sunday. That much was certain. When the dust settled at Gillette Stadium, the Green Bay Packers had absolutely flattened the New England Patriots, 45-27, behind a monstrous 478 yards of offense and four defensive takeaways. Ouch, seriously. It was a rough one that sends head coach Mike Vrabel’s squad into the midway point of their regular season at a decidedly meh 5-4.
Maye’s Rough Outing: Three Picks and a Deep Hole
What happened to the reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Month? Drake Maye just couldn’t keep his foot on the gas. The numbers tell a brutal story: 21-of-38 passes for 299 yards, with three touchdowns. Sounds okay, right? Until you add the three interceptions that torpedoed the whole effort. Right out of the gate, with a jumbo “12” personnel, the first series was dead on arrival. An illegal shift, a play action call, and then, boom, a bad decision that Xavier McKinney turned into the first of his two picks against the Patriots quarterback.
After that gut punch, it was back-to-back punts, and then fellow Packers safety Evan Williams swooped in. A tipped ball down the left sideline, a perfectly timed toe-tap, and just like that, another interception. Suddenly, it’s a fast, ugly 17-0 deficit. They did manage to piece together a five-play, 68-yard touchdown drive, including a sweet 36-yard, across-the-body completion that ended in paydirt on a go route to their starting running back. But by halftime, Maye was staring at three interceptions and just two touchdowns, completing only 43.5 percent of his throws for 176 yards. The second half didn’t start much better with a three-and-out. And while he did lead a seven-play, 77-yard TD drive later, the damage was done. By the time that score made it 42-21, everyone knew how this was ending. Backup QB Tommy DeVito even had to step in and take things home for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense.
Injuries Mounting, Douglas Steps Up for Wideouts
The Patriots’ receiving corps is looking like a MASH unit, but at least there was one silver lining. Mack Hollins, the eldest statesman on the depth chart, finally got the green light to return after four games away dealing with a calf injury. He logged three limited practices before getting back on the field against Green Bay. Before his October exit, he was actually leading the aerial attack in targets, catches, and yards. His return saw him reel in three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown. The only downside? The very first throw his way became an interception when he sat down on a route, and the ball didn’t.
Adding to the woes, A.J. Brown missed his second straight week with a knee issue, and Romeo Doubs is still stuck on injured reserve due to a shoulder problem. With those key guys out, DeMario Douglas absolutely stepped up, pacing the position with five catches for 102 yards on nine targets. Rookie Efton Chism III also chipped in with a touchdown catch, while Kyle Williams was shut out. Even tight end Hunter Henry, who was questionable with a foot injury, managed three receptions for 35 yards, and rookie Eli Raridon added three catches behind his captain.
This kind of performance, especially from your quarterback, puts a serious dent in any team’s season aspirations. The Patriots have to figure out how to protect the ball and get their offense firing consistently, especially with all the injuries. It’s going to be a long week of film study after this one.
Oh, and speaking of wins, your Seahawks took down the Arizona Cardinals, 17-3. Big win for the boys!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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