Rookie Edge Shines in Loss
Gabe Jacas made his mark right away. The second-round pick from Illinois recorded a sack in his very first NFL game. He blew past a 317-pound tackle with a quick move to get to the quarterback. While the rest of the team struggled, Jacas stood out. He also chased down a running back on a speed break to limit a gain to just four yards. Head coach Mike Vrabel noticed this specific play.
Vrabel praised the young defender’s instinctive reaction. “I thought (he) continues to improve,” Vrabel said Thursday, per the Boston Herald. The coach noted how Jacas set good edges and made a tackle for loss. Jacas played 19 defensive snaps and another 20 on special teams. He finished with three tackles total. The rookie seems ready to handle a big role early in his career.
Jacas stayed humble after the game. He knows he has work to do. “Not bad. I mean, there’s a lot of stuff I can clean up,” Jacas told reporters in Seattle. He plans to study the film and fix his mistakes. As the weeks progress, his sole aim is simply to keep improving.
Maye’s Mistakes and Injury Woes
The defense played well, but the offense fell apart. Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter. He let a 10-point lead slip away in a 13-10 loss to the Seahawks. The final pick came in the end zone when Maye forced a pass to a covered receiver. It looked like rookie year Drake Maye all over again, according to NBC Sports Boston.
Former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson said Maye seemed to get bored after the first interception. The quarterback changed his approach when he should have stayed patient. This was not a learning experience for a player who has already played in a Super Bowl. It was a costly error that cost the team the game.
To make matters worse, star receiver A.J. Brown left with an ankle injury. He was hit by a defender’s knee while falling to the ground. His availability for next week is now in doubt. “I don’t know if he’ll be available going forward here for the next week, but we’ll see,” Vrabel said, per Newsday. The team will get a report before deciding on a treatment plan.
Time to Turn the Page
The Patriots built a shutout lead into the third quarter. They had every reason to win. Instead, they let the Seahawks score 13 unanswered points. Three bad throws by Maye turned a promising start into a painful defeat. The crowd noise in Seattle was loud, but New England only committed one false-start penalty. They handled the environment well until the fourth quarter collapsed.
Coach Vrabel has a clear message for his team now. They cannot dwell on this one bad night. “We never accept losing, but we have to embrace moving on,” Vrabel said during his postgame press conference. The next game is the home opener against Pittsburgh on September 20. The team must fix the protection issues and get Brown healthy fast.
Winning starts with protecting the ball. The defense is showing great potential with players like Jacas. But the offense needs to stop turning the ball over. If Maye makes better decisions, this team can still fight.
