No matter how you slice it, the New England Patriots’ biggest issue during Sunday’s 29–13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX came on the offensive side of the ball.
New England struggled up front, allowing star quarterback Drake Maye to be sacked six times. Maye also turned the football over three times, while Seattle committed no turnovers.
Despite experiencing his first heartbreaking loss on the NFL’s biggest stage in just his second year, Maye responded professionally after the game. He didn’t blame his teammates, instead taking responsibility and emphasizing that he needed to make better decisions and execute plays when they presented themselves.
“It definitely hurts. It’s been a long ride. They played better than us tonight,” Maye said via ESPN. “They deserved to win that game, and for the whole team and myself, what a journey it’s been for us. I love this team. I love those guys in the locker room. We leave it all out on the field, and I know a lot of guys did that tonight, we just came up short. Didn’t play our best — that’s what happens.
“Credit to them. We were moving it solid on the first couple of drives and just had a couple negative plays that kind of put us behind the chains… and from there we just couldn’t stay ahead of the chains. They brought pressure a few times and got to us. Just have to be better with the football, make better decisions, and I have to make better throws. When the game goes like that, I’ve got to make throws to help us move the football.”
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The Patriots generated little offensive production until the fourth quarter, when Maye finally began to find a rhythm. By that point, however, Seattle was holding a 19–0 lead, which made New England’s offense somewhat one-dimensional. Maye was forced to attempt several difficult passes down the field, and ultimately, just as the Patriots seemed to gain momentum — down 12 and driving — he threw a costly interception.
New England’s offense had been questioned all postseason, and in the biggest moments, those issues came back to haunt them. Still, under Maye and first-year head coach Mike Vrabel, the team put together a remarkable season, setting the stage for a bright future in Foxborough.
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