NASHVILLE — Two things can be true.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye is one of the only reasons for optimism for Patriots fans forced to watch this year’s 2-7 squad, but he’s also one of the reasons why the team lost on Sunday.
Sunday’s game ended when Maye launched a deep ball intended for wide receiver Kayshon Boutte that was picked off by safety Amani Hooker in double coverage. Maye threw two interceptions in Sunday’s loss and coughed up a costly fumble on a strip-sack.
“Look, he’s a guy out there trying to make a play. He’s just trying got make a play,” head coach Jerod Mayo said after the loss. “Sometimes — as well as he has played — sometimes you forget how young he is. He’s going to continue to develop, and he’s going to be a good quarterback in this league. Look, we’ll all learn from this, myself included.”
But he was also the only reason why the game was competitive and why the Patriots were able to send the game into overtime.
The Patriots’ defense was rocked on the Titans’ drive to begin overtime, allowing them to steamroll 72 yards down the field on 13 plays, setting up a field goal from Nick Folk to take a 20-17 lead.
The Patriots had the ball for just three plays before Maye tossed the game-clinching interception. He threw incomplete to Hunter Henry on first down and then scrambled 11 yards for a first down before the pick.
Tied 10-10 with 7:03 left in the game, Maye left the pocket looking for an open receiver. Titans pass rusher Arden Key looped around and strip-sacked him from behind. Running back JaMycal Hasty couldn’t corral the ball, and Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons jumped on it to give his team the ball at the Patriots’ 26-yard line.
Just five plays later, Titans quarterback Mason Rudolph hit wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the corner of the end zone on a 6-yard pass for a touchdown over Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones.
But the game was far from over.
After both teams were forced to punt, Maye led his team on a game-tying 10-play, 50-yard drive that ended with some Maye magic as he scrambled around for 11.8 seconds and avoided pressure before finding running back Rhamondre Stevenson in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass. Joey Slye knocked through the extra point to send the game to overtime, as Mayo elected not to go for two to end the game in regulation.
“Obviously, disappointed in the outcome of the game. We had our chances. We always talk about it’s not just one play. It’s not the interception, it’s not not going for two. There’s multiple plays that happen within a game that can change the tide of it,” Mayo said.
Overall, Maye was 29-of-41 for 206 yards with one touchdown pass and two interceptions. He lost a fumble but also scrambled eight times for 95 yards.
The Patriots’ defense came out flat and allowed the Titans march 75 yards downfield on just eight plays. Cornerback Marco Wilson was in coverage on tight end Nick Vannett’s 8-yard touchdown reception from Rudolph.
The Patriots couldn’t respond even after Maye gained 26 yards on a scramble on the second play of the drive. Slye missed a 56-yard field goal after Maye was sacked for a 4-yard loss on third down.
A 44-yard punt return from Marcus Jones gave the Patriots good field position late in the first quarter, but Maye threw his third interception of the season. The Patriots responded with their own interception on a goal-line pass from Rudolph to tight end Chig Okonkwo. Okwonko tipped the ball in the air, and it was picked by linebacker Jahlani Tavai. The Patriots used the takeaway to drive 46 yards down the field on 10 plays to set up a 52-yard field goal from Slye to cut the Titans’ lead to 7-3.
The Patriots started the half with a 12-play, 70-yard scoring drive that ate 7:21 off the clock. It ended on a 1-yard touchdown plunge from running back Rhamondre Stevenson to go up 10-7.
The Titans had their own marathon series with a 14-play, 67-yard drive that ate 7:05 off the clock and ended with a 21-yard field goal from former Patriots kicker Folk to net the game at 10-10.
Switch up, switch back on offensive line
Mayo called the Patriots’ offensive line a “strength” after their Week 8 win over the Jets. Actions speak louder than words, however, and the Patriots benched right tackle Demontrey Jacobs, moved Mike Onwenu from right guard to right tackle and inserted right guard Layden Robinson off the bench.
The starting combination, their eighth in nine games, lasted less than a half. The Patriots benched Robinson, moved Onwenu to right guard and pulled Jacobs off the bench to play right tackle when the offensive line was not protecting quarterback Drake Maye well enough.
Overall, Maye was sacked four times, and the Patriots’ running backs couldn’t find any room to run.
No designed run game
The Patriots had little success when they were trying to run the ball. Stevenson had 10 carries for 16 yards with a 1-yard touchdown, and the running backs in total gained just 15 yards on 12 carries.
Maye, however, scrambled seven times for 84 yards. He actually averaged more yards scrambling than he did when he dropped back to pass.
Special teams uneven
Patriots punter Bryce Baringer has overall been a strong spot for the team through the first half of the season, but he shanked two punts in Sunday’s game. The Patriots’ defense is inconsistent enough, as is. They don’t need to be put in tough situations from special teams.
Punt returner Marcus Jones, however, continued to shine. He returned two punts for 69 yards, setting up a field goal from the Patriots.
The Patriots also forced two fumbles on special teams but didn’t recover either.
UP
LB Jahlani Tavai: The veteran linebacker picked off Rudolph, stopped wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson for a 5-yard loss and brought pressure as a blitzer. He also led the team with eight tackles.
CB Christian Gonzalez: The 2023 first-round pick drew Calvin Ridley in coverage. He let up just three catches on five targets for 51 yards with a pass breakup. He was helped out by two drops from Ridley.
DOWN
RG Layden Robinson: The rookie was benched before halftime. He let up one pressure and was flagged for holding.
WR Ja’Lynn Polk: The rookie wideout returned from a concussion, didn’t make a catch and was penalized for holding and an illegal shift. His only target was intercepted by Titans safety Amani Hooker.
Run defense: The Patriots’ defense isn’t beating the soft allegations quite yet. They allowed 167 yards on 39 carries.
C Ben Brown: Brown had a tough assignment against Simmons, but he let up a sack and was flagged for two holding penalties.
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