“Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?”
As the Patriots stare down the dawn of the New Year following Week 17’s loss against the Chargers, the answer to that old Scottish folk song has to be an emphatic yes.
Forget any auld acquaintance currently attached to the Patriots not named Maye (and maybem Gonzalez), and that goes right up to the front office. Because excepting the five-play scoring drive that culminated in a 36-yard touchdown launched from Drake Maye to DeMario Douglas in the second quarter, the day was yet another giant step backwards for the once-untouchable franchise.
New England is regressing so far, they’re now throwing backwards and fumbling the ball.
Fans who braved the cold, wet weather Saturday were treated with extra room in their rows - thanks to empty seats - and the gloomy prize of wondering whether Maye would be out for the remainder of the game after sustaining a helmet-to-helmet hit from Cam Hart that went unpenalized in New England’s first drive.
After returning from an evaluation in the locker room, Maye’s deep ball connection with Douglas was a singular ray of light, and emblematic of this whole season. The offense could barely string together back-to-back gains.
Maye could only offer a spark when he ran for first downs and his life. He didn’t have a great day himself, but he was tasked with donning a Superman cape against one of the league’s more formidable defenses in the Chargers. The offense wrapped up the day with a sorry 11 total first downs (compared to the Chargers’ 29), and only converted 11% of third downs until the last two minutes of the game. They had 181 total net yards compared to L.A.’s 428.
New England’s secondary struggled everywhere. Kyle Duggar blew red zone coverage, Christian Ellis missed a solo tackle at the sideline, and Alex Austin got beat by Quintin Johnston. Let’s get to Jon Jones, who was tasked with covering Ladd McConkey and got fully exposed on a 40-yard endzone grab on 2nd-and-10 in the third quarter.
McConkey brought a blizzard road crew’s worth of salt to pour in the wound against New England. Eliot Wolf and company could have had the slot receiver with the 34th pick last Spring, but traded it to L.A.
to move back get a bonus pick. McConkey finished the day with two touchdowns and 94 yards – more receiving yards in one game than Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker – the Patriots’ ultimate plan at rookie receiver – have compiled together all season. Those two only got into the game in garbage time.
The cherry on top of this slop sundae was how head coach Jerod Mayo told the Patriots Radio Network pregame show that Antonio Gibson would start at running back ahead of Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson’s costly fumbles have plagued the team all year. Lo and behold, who was out there for the first handoff of the game?
Stevenson.
"That was just a coach's decision," Mayo said when asked about the change postgame.
Okay?
The only thing consistent about this team is their inconsistency. Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills was refreshing because Mayo’s group showed the sort of moxie he’s been after since October. It was a still a loss but it hinted at momentum to round out a rookie head coach’s season. Then they came back home and looked flat and outmatched by a team less talented than Josh Allen’s crew.
“Fire Mayo” chants broke out in the stands early in the fourth quarter as Bryce Baringer punted to returner Derius Davis. One year after Herbert and the Chargers couldn’t hang more than six points on the Patriots, they posted 40 to the home team’s 7. Jim Harbaugh offered mercy, tossing backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke with half the quarter left. And yet, Mayo continued to trot Maye out with second stringers as the clock ticked down.
How can anyone outside of the rookie quarterback be considered safe when ownership witnesses this nightmare right in front of their faces? Such dysfunction requires thorough analysis, and no one outside of the quarterback should be penciled in for the New Year.