Drake Maye had a first half to forget against the Packers on Sunday, throwing three interceptions and putting his team in a tough spot. Green Bay is up 24-14 at the break, and a huge chunk of that lead came directly from Maye’s struggles. Talk about a rough start.
Maye’s Interception Nightmare Continues
It wasn’t just bad, it was immediate. Maye’s first pass of the game was snagged by Packers safety Xavier McKinney, who then went on to pick him off again later in the half. As if that wasn’t enough, safety Evan Williams also got in on the action with a pick of his own. The Patriots almost saw it get even worse when Kamal Hadden dropped what would have been Maye’s fourth interception of the afternoon right before halftime. The Packers didn’t just thank Maye for the gifts, they cashed them in, turning two of those picks into touchdowns. You can’t give away points like that and expect to be competitive.
Love’s Hot Hand and Golden’s Shine
While Maye was struggling, the Packers’ offense was riding a completely different wave. Jordan Love was dealing, going 11-of-16 for a massive 219 yards and tossing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Matthew Golden. Golden was an absolute beast in that first half, hauling in seven catches for 150 yards. Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez found himself in coverage for a number of those huge plays by the second-year wideout. It wasn’t all perfect for Green Bay though, their run game took a hit when Josh Jacobs left the game in the first quarter with a hand injury. Still, Love and Golden kept the scoreboard moving.
Injury Woes Mount for Patriots
The Patriots are not only staring down a double-digit deficit, but they also have some injury concerns heading into the second half. Cornerback Carlton Davis and right guard Ben Brown both left the game with injuries. They’re going to be hoping for some better news on that front once play resumes, because digging out of this hole will be even tougher without key players. Green Bay has all the momentum right now, and the Patriots need to figure something out, fast, to turn this around in the second half.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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