SEATTLE — I'm not going to call it a debacle, even though it was, especially concerning Drake Maye.
It's the first game of the season in the new NFL. The Patriots lost the opener — at home — last year to the Raiders, who wound up owning the first overall pick by the end of the season. Didn't matter by the end of the season. Jerod Mayo beat the Bengals on the road in his first game. We know that didn't mean anything.
The only thing that matters is what the Patriots — especially Maye — learn from this one, and how they apply those lessons going forward.
This felt like the Steelers game last year, where Maye threw an interception at the end of the first half on the 2-yard line, and later lost a fumble in field goal range in a tie game. The Patriots won their next 11 games after starting the season 1-2.
Let's go through the second half, where the Patriots built a 10-0 lead against a backup quarterback, but ended up losing the game.
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1-10-NE 29 (14:53) D.Maye pass short right to H.Henry to NE 42 for 13 yards (J.Love).
The Patriots actually pass on first down off play-action and, perhaps in a sign of things to come, Maye throws to the inside of Hunter Henry, turning him right into a huge hit by Julian Love. Ball placement was not optimal.
1-10-NE 42 (14:18) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short right.
Alijah Vera-Tucker (mostly) and Jared Wilson can't pick up a T/T twist, and Maye has to throw the ball away.
2-10-NE 42 (14:11) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson up the middle to NE 48 for 6 yards (D.Witherspoon; D.Thomas).
3-4-NE 48 (13:30) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short left to A.Brown (N.Pritchett). NE-A.Brown was injured during the play.
Maye's feet are poor, parallel to the line of scrimmage, and he throws a poor ball to A.J. Brown, who ends up getting injured as a result.
"I threw one low to him and should have hit him in the chest, so I got to make a better play and make a better throw for him," Maye said.
1-10-SEA 37 (13:20) R.Stevenson left end to SEA 37 for no gain (E.Jones).
Patriots get a break with the roughing the punter penalty to maintain possession. Hunter Henry and Mack Hollins both blow their blocks on the edge for the run stuff.
2-10-SEA 37 (12:41) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short left to R.Stevenson (U.Nwosu). The incomplete pass was assisted by replay.
This swing pass to the left was nearly a disaster because Nwosu doesn't rush up the field, so Will Campbell doesn't have the opportunity to execute his cut block. Would be nice for Maye to see that, not throw the ball, and possibly hit Pop Douglas on the backside. This play could have been a pick-six or a 6-yard loss. They were lucky it was incomplete.
3-10-SEA 37 (12:38) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to R.Stevenson to SEA 32 for 5 yards (J.Love; D.Witherspoon).
Patriots obviously just want to get into field goal range and take a two-score lead over Drew Lock. I have no problem with that. This play could have been better had Eli Raridon (had blocking issues all game) and Romeo Doubs executed their blocks.
Patriots go up 10-0, which feels like 20-0 with Lock on the other sideline. It's not pretty, but the Patriots are in control.
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An underrated play happens on the punt when Marcus Jones fails to field it. The ball bounces first at the 12-yard line. That's a big difference from the 6, where the Patriots end up and just hope to survive without a turnover.
1-10-NE 6 (9:29) R.Stevenson up the middle to NE 4 for -2 yards (J.Love).
There's some confusion on this play before the ball is snapped. The Patriots end up running into a terrible look, as Love is unblocked for a tackle for a loss. I wonder if this was one of the plays Maye referenced after the game about poor decisions he made.
"On the road, it's hard to get in and out of plays that you can get into," he said. "There's just plays out there where I can think of some, whether it's a run look or getting out of a run look that put us behind the chains. It's bad football."
2-12-NE 4 (8:54) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to D.Douglas to NE 5 for 1 yard (R.Thomas).
Devon Witherspoon is not picked up on one of his blitzes, but Maye calmly finds Douglas. But safety Rodney Thomas, off the practice squad, comes up and makes a great open-field tackle against the slippery Douglas.
3-11-NE 5 (8:11) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short middle to R.Stevenson to NE 11 for 6 yards (E.Jones).
This was supposed to be a fake in the flat to Douglas, hoping to get the linebacker to bite, and then hit Mack Hollins on a slant behind him. Ernest Jones drops right into the throwing lane, and Maye has no choice but to check it down to Stevenson.
A delay of game and punt gives Seattle its best field position of the game at the New England 43.
Cooper Kupp makes a ridiculous catch on 3rd and 3. But the Patriots hold to a field goal, 10-3, with 3:06 left in the third quarter.
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1-10-NE 32 (3:06) PENALTY on NE-M.Moses, False Start, 5 yards, enforced at NE 32 - No Play.
Well, that's not a good start. It's New England's first penalty of the game.
1-15-NE 27 (3:06) D.Maye pass short left to R.Stevenson ran ob at NE 44 for 17 yards (E.Jones).
Campbell picks up the Witherspoon left, and Stevenson is uncovered for a big gain.
1-10-NE 44 (2:29) R.Stevenson right guard to NE 45 for 1 yard (D.Thomas; U.Nwosu).
Love is in the box again, which frees up the linebacker to make the tackle. I wonder if Maye could have flipped this run to the other side.
2-9-NE 45 (1:48) (Shotgun) R.Stevenson left end to NE 49 for 4 yards (D.Hall; R.Thomas). PENALTY on NE-W.Campbell, Illegal Block Above the Waist, 10 yards, enforced at NE 45 - No Play.
Campbell misses the block on what should have been a good run, and then compounds it with the block in the back.
2-19-NE 35 (1:26) D.Maye pass short left to R.Stevenson to NE 46 for 11 yards (D.Thomas; E.Jones).
Nice job by Maye faking the swing pass to Doubs but finds Stevenson to give them a chance on third down.
3-8-NE 46 (:43) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to D.Douglas to SEA 46 for 8 yards (R.Thomas).
Great call by McDaniels catching the Seahawks in a blitz, and the Patriots convert.
Ok, back in control now. Confidence is high as the quarter ends. Patriots are in Seattle territory. Time to get that field goal back.
1-10-SEA 46 (15:00) C.Kiner right end pushed ob at SEA 45 for 1 yard (D.Lawrence).
Ok, this toss play was a bad play. Need to junk that one. Mike Onwenu, Hunter Henry and Morgan Moses all struggle with their blocks. Another short gain on first down.
2-9-SEA 45 (14:27) D.Maye pass deep left intended for R.Doubs INTERCEPTED by N.Pritchett (R.Thomas) at SEA 3. N.Pritchett to SEA 33 for 30 yards (J.Wilson).
McDaniels must have thought this might have been a high-percentage blitz — odd on 2nd and 9 — because he called a play that only has two players out on a route. The Seahawks were sitting back. A.J. Brown is not on the other end. This was a very poor decision by Maye, who has Corey Kiner open in the left flat for a play that probably gets them into field-goal range.
Not only does Maye likely cost them points, but he just got the 12s back into the game. Huge swing right here.
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Lock makes a great throw on first down to Jaxon Smith-Njigba while getting belted by Dre'Mont Jones.
On 4th and 1, Patriots sell out against the run and get burned. Craig Woodson can't make the tackle on JSN from distance, and Carlton Davis and Robert Spillane don't cover themselves in glory with their pursuit. I have a feeling this will be replayed over and over again in the team film session.
Now it's 10-10, and Lumen Field is alive.
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Gabe Jacas gets a penalty for an illegal block in the back, which backs up the Patriots.
1-10-NE 14 (11:23) R.Stevenson up the middle to NE 21 for 7 yards (J.Reed).
2-3-NE 21 (10:49) R.Stevenson left tackle to NE 26 for 5 yards (D.Thomas).
Two good runs get a much-needed first down to calm things down, and get the Patriots out of the noisy end of the stadium.
1-10-NE 26 (10:11) R.Stevenson up the middle to NE 22 for -4 yards (B.Murphy).
Maye alerts the play, and even if Jared Wilson isn't whupped by Byron Murphy (he is), there's an unblocked linebacker right next to him. Huge loss on first down. Not great.
2-14-NE 22 (9:32) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete deep right to R.Doubs.
A wide-open Doubs drops a pass that should have gotten them a first down near midfield. Just a horrible miss. The Patriots are melting down as a team.
3-14-NE 22 (9:25) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep middle intended for D.Douglas INTERCEPTED by J.Love at NE 47. J.Love to NE 47 for no gain (D.Douglas).
Love sees this all the way, as Maye throws off his toes, which he tends to do when he is unsure of a pass. This was just not there. Maye had Henry and Stevenson as checkdowns to get something. Can't turn it over there. Just live to fight another down.
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The Patriots are very lucky they only gave up a field goal after the Seahawks had a delay-of-game penalty on 2nd and inches on the 3-yard line.
The Patriots are fortunate to trail only 13-10 with 5:50 remaining.
1-10-NE 27 (5:45) R.Stevenson left tackle to NE 33 for 6 yards (J.Love). PENALTY on NE-W.Campbell, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at NE 27 - No Play.
Really iffy holding call on Will Campbell.
1-20-NE 17 (5:22) (Shotgun) D.Maye sacked at NE 16 for -1 yards (L.Williams).
Vera-Tucker gets whipped and is fortunate Maye only lost 1 yard. Going backward is not good.
2-21-NE 16 (4:41) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep middle to M.Hollins to NE 35 for 19 yards (R.Thomas).
Big-time play to Money Mack Hollins to give the Patriots a chance.
3-2-NE 35 (3:55) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short left to R.Doubs.
Oh, man, Maye had Pop Douglas open for a touchdown with great protection.
4-2-NE 35 (3:49) (Shotgun) D.Maye scrambles right end pushed ob at NE 40 for 5 yards (D.Thomas).
Maye keeps the drive alive with his feet.
1-10-NE 40 (3:42) R.Stevenson right guard to SEA 48 for 12 yards (D.Witherspoon; R.Thomas).
Huge gain behind Onwenu and Moses.
1-10-SEA 48 (3:03) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short right. PENALTY on NE-A.Vera-Tucker, Ineligible Downfield Pass, 5 yards, enforced at SEA 48 - No Play.
This was supposed to be a TE screen to Eli Raridon, but Dante Fowler Jr. completely foiled the play.
1-15-NE 47 (2:59) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to L.Larison to NE 45 for -2 yards (J.Jobe).
This was a great pressure by the Seahawks that fooled Maye. They bluffed one way, came the other. Smothered this play. Sometimes you just have to tip your cap.
2-17-NE 45 (2:16) (Shotgun) D.Maye sacked ob at NE 43 for -2 yards (D.Thomas).
Another great pressure. Not sure why Maye didn't just throw it away.
3-19-NE 43 (2:10) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left to H.Henry to SEA 47 for 10 yards (E.Jones).
4-9-SEA 47 (2:00) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to M.Hollins to SEA 36 for 11 yards (E.Jones).
Money Mack again.
1-10-SEA 36 (1:30) R.Stevenson up the middle to SEA 28 for 8 yards (D.Hall; D.Witherspoon). Timeout #3 by SEA at 01:22.
Really tough run by Stevenson, and a good one. Seahawks take their final timeout.
2-2-SEA 28 (1:22) D.Maye pass short left to D.Douglas to SEA 27 for 1 yard (N.Pritchett). Timeout #1 by NE at 00:44.
Immediate tackle here. Patriots obviously wanted to stay in bounds and keep the clock running.
3-1-SEA 27 (:44) G.Van Roten reported in as eligible. D.Maye scrambles left end ran ob at SEA 21 for 6 yards (J.Jobe).
Maye picks it up with the boot action. Patriots are in business.
1-10-SEA 21 (:38) (Shotgun) D.Maye sacked at SEA 28 for -7 yards (D.Hall). Timeout #2 by NE at 00:32.
Vera-Tucker really needs to pick up this stunt better. He failed.
2-17-SEA 28 (:32) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short right to M.Hollins pushed ob at SEA 16 for 12 yards (J.Jobe).
Hollins gets them back into third and manageable, and in comfortable field-goal range.
3-5-SEA 16 (:26) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep right intended for M.Hollins INTERCEPTED by J.Jobe [D.Lawrence] at SEA -3. Touchback.
Moses does not execute his cut block, on what was supposed to be a quick out to Henry for the first down (he was well covered), and Maye panics with pressure in his face. He tries to throw the ball where either Hollins catches it or it's incomplete, but his feet aren't under him, and it's a complete disaster for the Patriots.
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There was plenty of blame to go around in the second — some playcalls by McDaniels and Zak Kuhr, Maye not getting them out of bad plays, Marcus Jones not fielding a punt, the defense breaking down on Smith-Njigba's touchdown — but most of this falls on Maye.
His first interception probably took at least three points off the board, and led to the Seahawks' only touchdown.
His second interception led to a field goal that gave the Seahawks the lead (it could have been a touchdown).
And his third interception ... we all saw it. It simply can't happen.
Maye cost his team the game.
"Yeah, we had the game under control," Maye said. "Thought we had a good plan to start chipping away and be patient and lost patience and it cost us, decisions that cost us the game on my part, on my end. I vow to myself to be better and realize it's a long season but at same time we can't have those. We can't have those. It's unacceptable and I know we got to get back to work. That wasn't how I play football and how I want to represent my game and playing quarterback for the Patriots."
I do think the Seahawks' defense changes so much before and after the snap that Maye isn't sure what he's throwing into. That's why he looks so tentative, to the point that he doesn't fire many passes; he just guides them, hoping they'll be completed.
You could make the case, especially after last postseason, that these kinds of multiple defenses give him issues. I mean, look at his stats over the last season plus against teams that finish with a losing record:
Winning records (including the Seahawks on Wednesday night):
Pretty dramatic difference.
Of course, I'm sure you could say the same about a lot of quarterbacks, especially those who just turned 24.
Maye is talented, but he still has a lot to learn, obviously. That's not an issue, that's just reality.
How much he learns, and how quickly he learns it, that's what matters. Season-opening game or not.