FOXBOROUGH, MA (WTIC News) -- Deploying the kind of firepower at wide receiver that the Patriots currently lack, Green Bay’s Jordan Love kept throwing the ball over the Patriots defense, while New England’s Drake Maye kept throwing it to the Packers defense.
Maye cancelled out his 3 touchdown passes with three interceptions, two to Xavier McKinney, and Love threw for 3 touchdowns without a pick as the Green Bay Packers won for the first time in New England since 2002, 45-27.
The trouble for Maye (21-38 for 299 yds. passing, 3 td, 3 int) started on his first throw of the game, when he badly overthrew Mack Hollins with a ball that was easily picked off by Packers safety McKinney. Two plays later, Love scrambled for a 13 yard touchdown that put Green Bay up early and for good.
The Patriots’ next drive didn’t last much longer, as Maye was sacked on third down by linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, forcing a three-and-out.
Then, Love (23-29 for 372 yds. and 3 td plus 1 rushing td) and speedy wide receiver Matthew Golden went to work. Immediately after Love hit a diving Golden on the right sideline for 16 yards, Love dropped back and fired very deep down the right side to a wide-open Golden for a 49 yard gain. A few plays later, Golden was wide open again, this time over the middle. The 5 yard touchdown put Green Bay up 14-0.
There would soon be more work for Golden, who caught 6 balls for 126 yds. in the first quarter alone (winding up with 10-164). Golden got past star Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez, and Love found him for 43 yards on a drive that later stalled on the 7th sack of the season by Patriots linebacker Elijah Ponder. The Packers settled for a 41 yd. field goal by shaky kicker Trey Smack to take a 17-0 lead.
An interception of Maye by Evan Williams off a deflection gave the Packers a chance to go up by 4 scores early in the second quarter, but the Patriots defense momentarily found its footing. This time, a Christian Barmore sack forced a punt.
On the ensuing drive, Maye finally hit on some downfield strikes of his own. He found DeMario Douglas (5 catches for 102 yds.) for 36 yards, then hit Rhamondre Stevenson on the run for a 30 yd. touchdown pass to put the Patriots on the board.
Unfortunately, Maye would then throw his 3rd interception of the first half—with McKinney (2 int, 5 on the season) stepping in again. Love’s 43 yard bomb found a diving Christian Watson, who slid to the 2 yard line. Kaleb Johnson plowed over for the touchdown from there. It was 24-7 Packers.
Maye’s 8 yard touchdown pass to Efton Chism in the second quarter gave him two or more TD passes in a career-high 6 games. 24-14 Packers.
Green Bay, which has had trouble mounting a consistent running game throughout the season, went back to the air to put the game away in the third quarter.
Love, in rhythm all night, hit Watson (7 catches for 171 yds.) in stride for another 28 yards then found Savion Williams for a 10 yard touchdown. Trey Smack’s second field goal made it 34-14.
Then, McDuffie stripped the ball from Stevenson, setting up the Packers at the Patriots’ 39. From there, Love went back to the air for a perfect touchdown toss to Watson, then successfully ran the two-point conversion himself to effectively put the game away at 42-14.
--Tommy DeVito finished the game at quarterback for the Patriots.
--The Patriots extensive injury list got longer: Stevenson (knee), LT Will Campbell (knee), OL Ben Brown (knee) and S Brenden Schooler (hamstring) left the game.
--The 45 points allowed by the Patriots was the most they’ve ever given up at Gillette Stadium, which opened in 2002.
--The 45 points allowed by the Patriots were the most they’ve given up in any regular season game since 1993.
--Ponder wound up with 1.5 sacks in the game, for a total of 7.5 on the season.
