Breaking down the key sequences in the Patriots' blowout loss to the Jaguars, including:
• Drake Maye's three turnovers;
• Four Jaguars touchdowns, including Trevor Lawrence's masterclass in throwing with anticipation and conviction;
• The end of first half sequence;
• Some questionable defensive calls.
1-10-JAX 35 (3:58) D.Maye sacked at JAX 42 for -7 yards. FUMBLES, RECOVERED by JAX-D.Hamilton at JAX 38.
2-10-NE 12 (13:30) (Shotgun) T.Lawrence pass short middle to J.Cameron for 12 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
2-10-NE 10 (4:28) (Shotgun) T.Lawrence pass short middle to J.Meyers for 10 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Obviously, the fumble is what it was. Maye needs to stop saying stuff like blood on the ball (and entertaining any questions about his shoulder), when it's as old as time in football, along with butt sweat on a hot day in Jacksonville. He just dropped the ball. Chris Simms said something about Maye has started to point the ball backward before he throws, which could factor into the drop, but nothing looks out of the ordinary, at least for Maye. He's never been a classic thrower of the football. His motion and release is far from textbook, which I've had issues with going back to his college tape.
I did like the decision to give Kyle Williams a chance on a ball he hit the receiver on last year, and also Kayshon Boutte. The safety to that side initially turned his back to Williams, which means that's a go read. Maye just dropped the ball.
I will say, it probably didn't help matters that Maye didn't appear to be in a good headspace before the play. He alerted the play initially, which Mack Hollins, Hunter Henry and Rhamondre Stevenson disagreed with. Henry and then Stevenson reloaded the play to the original call, and Maye was the last person to reload the play. I'm guessing the alert was a check to a run, but there were basically nine Jaguars in the box. So you have to wonder where Maye was mentally even before he started turning the ball over.
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The Jaguars' touchdown is when Elijah Ponder drops into coverage, but basically into the same spot as Marcus Jones, which left the middle wide open for the easy touchdown thrown. Someone was wrong between Ponder and Jones, and I'm guessing it was Ponder. But that's a big ask for an end to drop as the middle linebacker. Maybe that one looked better on the whiteboard than in reality.
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If you want to see a perfect illustration of where Maye is in terms of throwing with anticipation and conviction to the middle of the field between 10-20 yards and the better quarterbacks, watch Trevor Lawrence's throw to Jakobi Meyers. From the end zone view, Lawrence starts to throw when Meyers isn't even in the picture. He just throws it high and to a spot. Perfect.
I have a hard time remembering Maye making one throw in the middle of the field this season on time. I don't think he has. This is where Maye has to confirm it, which is too late to throw in the middle of good NFL defenses. The good quarterbacks throw with anticipation without seeing it.
2-10-JAX 33 (2:53) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete deep right to D.Douglas.
1-5-JAX 5 (1:12) (Shotgun) D.Maye left end to JAX 4 for 1 yard (J.Hines-Allen; J.Jones). Timeout #2 by JAX at 01:07.
2-4-JAX 4 (1:07) C.Lomu reported in as eligible. R.Stevenson up the middle to JAX 2 for 2 yards (D.Hamilton). Timeout #3 by JAX at 01:02.
3-2-JAX 2 (1:02) D.Maye pass short right intended for E.Chism INTERCEPTED by T.Hunter [F.Oluokun] at JAX -9. Touchback.
Hunter Henry whiffed on his crack block (a recurring theme), but Maye made a great play to get outside of the pocket. He had DeMario Douglas wide open for a likely touchdown. In 2025, Maye makes that throw in his sleep. This version of Maye is trying to be overly precise on every throw, and it's leading to inaccuracy that we haven't seen previously. It's not physical. It's Maye gripping the steering wheel too tight every time he makes a throw. He's just in his own head.
Then I got into the end-of-first-half sequence.
I'm still dubious about Mike Vrabel saying they were not worried about burning Jacksonville's timeouts, but we'll go with it.
Maye might score on the QB keeper if Josh Hines-Allen falls for the playfake, but the end makes a terrific play.
If Josh McDaniels wasn't ordered to run the ball on second down, then I have a hard time not running some sort of play-action on this down. That being said, that play might also score, but we'll never know because jumbo TE Caleb Lomu came in and got absolutely blown up by 6-foot, 32-year-old OLB Dennis Gardeck, which wiped out most of the Patriots' blockers.
On third down, the Patriots were expecting the Jags to jump Maye's rollout to keep him from running the ball in, which would allow Efton Chism to sneak into the back of the end zone, but it didn't happen. At that point, Maye just needed to chuck the ball into the stands. I think he initially saw Travis Hunter's back to the QB — which gives the QB a green light to throw it to one of the defender's earholes — but Hunter puts eyes on Maye with enough time for him to throw the ball away.
3-6-JAX 20 (9:59) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass incomplete short right to R.Doubs (M.Brown).
I had no issue with Maye throwing to Romeo Doubs in man coverage on third down, but his ball wasn't close to accurate, despite throwing with one of his best bases so far this season. That ball needs to be on the backshoulder, and Maye threw it low and to the inside. This is just another example of Maye trying to be too precise and guiding the ball, instead of just letting it rip (that's all Lawrence did all day).
I will say, Douglas made a great route on the other side and may have scored if Maye wasn't locked in.
3-17-NE 17 (1:13) (Shotgun) T.Lawrence pass deep left to P.Washington for 17 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
THIRD AND GOAL FROM THE 17.
This is Lawrence throwing a guy open, giving one of his guys a chance to make a play, another thing Maye is not doing. Lawrence knows it's Parker Washington against a flat-footed Jones, and he takes his shot with a freaking missile. I do think it appeared Jones interfered with him (because Jones kind of bearhugs him), but it really should have been a no-call either way.
The main culprit for this touchdown was absolutely zero pass rush from the Patriots. In fact, the middle is completely cleared out, making it even easier. Not even an arm in the passing lane. But I also didn't like the coverage call, making those guys cover way off on the goal line. There has to be something else they could have run, like 2-man or Cover-1 robber with Washington doubled.
1-10-NE 27 (1:03) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left intended for K.Williams INTERCEPTED by J.Jones at NE 36. J.Jones pushed ob at NE 5 for 31 yards(D.Maye).
I think Maye gets fooled by Cover 6, because I thought he should have worked the other side of the field to Douglas (if Maye ever completes a seam pass) and Mack Hollins.
I'm dubious that Williams ran his route correctly. Can't remember seeing very many Patriots running a comebacker after a poor stutter step. But, for that pass to have a chance at being completed, Maye has to throw way earlier and with anticipation. It was picked off because of the tardiness of the throw.
And Williams needs to make an effort to tackle the defender immediately. That will not go over well in the film session.
1-5-NE 5 (:54) C.Rodriguez up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN
This was one of the worst examples of red zone run defense that you'll ever see. It appeared that Milton Williams and Cory Durden were running run stunts, but Gabe Jacas and Joshua Farmer failed to loop. Somebody was very wrong, because this was ugly.