The Patriots lost Wednesday because they failed to answer Seattle when the game mattered most. A 13-10 loss feels like a collapse for New England, and the stats prove it. The Seahawks defense recorded three on the night and New England went just two for nine on third downs after the break.
Drew Lock stepped in after Sam Darnold left with a hip injury and played well, but the Patriots had no answer for the sudden surge. The score was tight, but the momentum shifted hard when Seattle started hitting.
The Second Half Wake-Up Call
New England looked like they could hold on early, but that changed fast. Head coach Mike Macdonald noted the shift in his post-game comments. “I want give our team a lot of credit because things weren’t really going our way going into the half and we didn’t panic,” Macdonald said. He was right to point out the resilience, but the result is what hurts for Patriots fans.
Drake Maye addressed his performance following the loss.
“I lost patience, and it cost us. Decisions that cost us the game on my part…you can’t have those, it’s unacceptable. I gotta get back to work, because that wasn’t how I play football,” Maye said.
The front seven in Seattle trusted each other to do their jobs. This trust turned into real pressure. Seattle finished with 68 tackles, 3.0 sacks, and nine tackles for loss. Every single sack and interception happened after the break.
The Patriots offense simply could not move the ball when it mattered. They were two for nine on third downs in the final twenty minutes. That stat is the difference between a win and a loss.
The Pick That Sealed It
The last throw was the one New England could not afford. Maye had the Patriots at Seattle’s 16 with a chance to tie or take the lead. He lofted one for Mack Hollins in the end zone. Josh Jobe toe-tapped the sideline, hauled it in, and the game was over. “Super happy for Jobe,” Jaxon Smith-Njigba said. Jobe’s feet were in by a hair.
That was the third fourth-quarter interception. Nehemiah Pritchett’s pick had set up Lock’s touchdown to Smith-Njigba. Julian Love’s pick set up Myers’ go-ahead field goal. “Nehemiah Pritchett had a helluva game today,” Smith-Njigba said. The defense took the ball away three straight times.
Seattle’s front and secondary shut the Pats down when the lead was there to protect.
All we can do now is look ahead to Week 2 against Pittsburgh.
