New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye gave a candid review of his performance after he threw three interceptions in a season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
“I thought we had the game under control,” Maye, 24, told reporters after the Seahawks’ 13-10 win on Wednesday, September 9. “I thought we had a good plan to try to start chipping away and be patient. 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 the same time, you can’t have those. It’s unacceptable.”
He added, “That wasn’t how I play football and how I want to represent my game and play quarterback for the Patriots.”
The Patriots led 10-0 in the third quarter, which included a 2-yard touchdown pass from Maye to rookie tight end Eli Raridon in the first quarter.
But mistakes were ultimately too costly for Maye and the Patriots to overcome. Maye threw three picks, including one with 21 seconds left as New England was driving and within field goal range to tie the game.
“It was just unacceptable,” Maye said of his final interception. “With a chance to send it to overtime at the worst, the only thing you can’t do is turn the ball over. And that’s what I did.”
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about his message to Maye after the game, reiterating that it’s “a long season.”
“We’re going to hold our head up high, and we have nothing but the utmost confidence in him and everybody on this football team, and he’s going to make a lot of plays for us,” Vrabel, 51, said.
Still, Vrabel asserted that while the Patriots want to play “aggressive” football, Maye became too “reckless” on Wednesday night.
“You can’t throw three interceptions,” Vrabel said. “Drake knows that.”
The head coach added, “We can’t turn the ball over, and we have to create more turnovers. There’s a few things we have to eliminate that get you beat in this league.”
Maye’s final interception drew shock and awe from the NBC broadcast booth, with play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico calling it “a terrible decision.”
“I can’t believe that throw,” color analyst Cris Collinsworth added. “Wow. I mean, there are certain things you just can’t do or try when you have field goal range and overtime in your grasp.”
The Patriots return to action when they host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, September 20.
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