BSJ Game Report: Texans 41, Patriots 21 - Maye has ups (3 TDs, 243 yards) and downs (three turnovers) in debut

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ loss to the Texans in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

A little bit of everything from Maye in debut: Pretty much a typical rookie QB from Drake Maye. He got off to a bit of a shaky start as he had to get adjusted to the speed of the game and had a bad overthrow of Demario Douglas for an interception. The Patriots' offense couldn't do much of anything, but then Maye threw an absolute dime to Kayshon Boutte against top corner Derek Stingley to give the Patriots hope down just 14-7 at halftime.

Maye was strip-sacked and shaken up to start the second half. He led a 75-yard scoring drive to make it 27-14 late in the third quarter. But then a screen was deflected and picked off. Texans scored on the next play to make it 34-14 with 13:14 and most of Gillette Stadium started to empty out.

Maye came back and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Demario Douglas on the same route he threw behind him earlier, so good to see him learning on the job.

Maye's final line: 20 of 33, 243 yards, 7.4 yards per attempt, 4 sacks, 3 TDs, 2 INTs, 88.3 rating.

Some good things, some bad things that need to be cleaned up. But about what we expected: Maye would make some plays, give some to the other team (Texans had 17 points off turnover after forcing just three in the first five games). Now you just need to get better each week. He definitely injected some life into the offense, that's for sure.

"I thought he showed a lot of poise," Jerod Mayo said. "I thought he went out there and controlled the huddle, got those guys out of the huddle, and once again, made some plays. And it's definitely encouraging from a team-wide perspective right now, we let him down. It was his first game, and I feel like I let him down. I'm sure all the coaches feel like we let everyone down. And it's gotta be better."

Too many mistakes: To hang with a team like the Texans, you pretty much need to play mistake-free and the Patriots did not do that from the jump. They had nine accepted penalties. They turned it over four times (Austin Hooper had a fumble) and converted it into 17 points. Five times the Texans stated in NE territory and went TD, missed FG, TD, FG and TD. Maye was sacked three times, all by Will Anderson.

The defense allowed a 59-yard run, 54-yard run, a 20-yard TD run and three passes of at least 20 yards.

Defense held its own, although the Texans made some critical mistakes (missed FG, CJ Stroud poorly thrown interception in end zone). Stroud finished 20 of 31 (64.5%) for 192 yards, 6.2 yards per attempt, 3 TDs, 1 INT, sacked twice, 100.5 rating.

Offensive line tossed in a blender again: The Patriots did not start the same offensive line as last week, so make it five combinations in five weeks. Ben Brown, who was signed Wednesday and arrived on Thursday, started at center for Nick Leverett, who was battling an ankle injury. During the game, the Patriots lost LT Vederian Lowe to a left ankle injury and Zach Thomas replaced him. LG Michael Jordan was injured and replaced by Sidy Sow.

Oh, and by the way, WR Tyquan Thornton was a healthy scratch.

TURNING POINT

A stop could have made this real ballgame but ...

SECOND GUESS

I was going to say the approach to the end of the half as they took a timeout to force a punt but then ran on first down, but Maye rescued that with his touchdown to Boutte.

Didn't love too many single blocks on the edges in pass blocking.

I don't really have anything. The Patriots made too many mistakes, and the Texans are flat-out better than them.

One more: why his Hasty returning six kickoffs for a 23.2 average?

THREE UP

WR Demario Douglas: Had six catches on nine targets for 92 yards and a touchdown.

S Marte Mapu: Created the end zone interception for Marcus Jones and had half a sack.

WR Kayshon Boutte: Caught all three of his targets for 59 yards and the 40-yard touchdown.

THREE DOWN

Running game: Antonio Gibson and Ja'Mychal Hasty combined for 32 yards on 18 carries (1.7 average). That's horrendous for everyone involved, especially the offensive line,.

S Kyle Dugger: Seemed like he had issues in the pass and run game.

WR Ja'Lynn Polk: Had, what, three drops? I mean, come on...

INJURIES

LT Vederian Lowe (ankle): Did not return.

LG Michael Jordan: Did not return.

TOP PLAYS

THREE TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

All things considered, pretty good debut from Maye: It was far from perfect as there were turnovers and errant throws, but Maye's debut was about what you're looking for from a rookie in his first career start. He certainly made plays and it was entertaining, now you just need to see him make the corrections and get a little bit better every week.

The coaching staff has to get things cleaned up: The ship is just too loose at this point. There's just not enough consistency in all three phases. Too many penalties, turnovers, big plays allowed on defense, some poor special plays as well. Things just aren't dialed in enough.

"We talk about it all the time ... but way too many penalties in the game," Jerod Mayo said.