FOXBORO — Drake Maye wasn’t alone in his second-half struggles Sunday towards the Payments, but it surely was uncommon to see the Patriots quarterback battle to generate any semblance of offense for 2 quarters within the 35-31 loss.
The Patriots, as an entire, obtained off to a sizzling begin, with Maye scoring two speeding touchdowns as his workforce obtained out to a 21-0 lead. However everybody — apart from operating again TreVeyon Henderson — cooled down within the second half.
Maye was simply 5-of-12 for 47 yards with an interception within the second half Sunday. He additionally took three sacks because the Patriots’ offense picked up simply three first downs within the ultimate two quarters of play.
“We simply need to be higher once we’re up,” Maye stated. “It begins with me making some throws. And from there, like Coach (Mike Vrabel) says, ‘no naps, not stress-free.’ I didn’t really feel like we relaxed, simply didn’t make sufficient performs. Credit score to them. And I feel it’s one of many issues that we’re emphasizing throughout the week. And gotta do a greater job.”
Vrabel stated he was assured in his offense to drive down the sector and rating, down 35-31 with 2:43 left within the sport. They turned the ball over on downs after selecting up simply 5 yards. Maye, who has but to generate a fourth-quarter comeback in his NFL profession — although he’s solely had a handful of alternatives this season — was 1-of-3 with a sack on the ultimate set of downs. Dealing with fourth-and-5 from the Patriots’ 22-yard line, Maye’s ultimate go was tipped by Payments defensive finish Joey Bosa and fell incomplete.
“Got here out within the second half and simply gotta make a play, decide up the primary first down, I feel that’s the largest factor,” Maye stated. “Have been some throws I want I had again, however on the finish of the day gotta preserve the foot on the pedal and preserve it going and form of don’t allow them to dictate. It begins with me. And we form of felt throughout the week that we had an opportunity this was going to occur, and simply gotta preserve our foot on the pedal.
“It occurred within the first sport, they got here again, got here again. Simply gotta make a play and do my half once we had the ball and an opportunity to win the sport, go win the sport.”
The Patriots are 11-3 on the season now that their 10-game successful streak has ended. It’s additionally the second straight sport that their offensive manufacturing has stalled within the second half. Towards a workforce just like the Giants, the Patriots can nonetheless maintain on and win. They need to show they’ll preserve their foot on the gasoline for all 60 minutes subsequent week towards the Ravens and in any potential playoff matchup.
