Liam MacKenzie – Treasurer/Sports Editor
Jacksonville, FL – Not every game goes according to plan, and Sunday was a challenging afternoon for the New England Patriots in Jacksonville. New England struggled to find its rhythm throughout the afternoon, unable to reach the end zone as the Patriots fell to the Jaguars, 35-6, at EverBank Stadium.
The loss dropped New England to 1-2 on the season, leaving the Patriots with plenty to take away from their trip to Florida. While this was certainly a game to forget, the season is still young, and the only direction for the Patriots to go from here is forward as they look to regroup, make the necessary adjustments and turn the page toward Week 4.
An Early Turnover – The Patriots faced an early setback with 3:57 left in the first quarter when Drake Maye lost control of the football at the New England 42-yard line while looking to make a pass to wide receiver Kyle Williams. The turnover gave Jacksonville possession in Patriots territory and gave the Jaguars an opportunity to take control early.
Following the game, Maye explained that center Jared Wilson had a cut on his hand, which resulted in blood getting onto the football. Maye said the ball slipped out of his hand on the play, while Wilson said he was unsure exactly when the cut occurred. The circumstances surrounding the football may have played a role in the fumble, but Maye also took responsibility for not being able to secure the ball.
Jacksonville Opens the Scoring – The Jaguars turned the turnover into points early in the second quarter, with Trevor Lawrence finding Josh Cameron for a 12-yard touchdown pass with 13:25 remaining in the half. The score capped a 10-play, 62-yard drive and gave Jacksonville a 7-0 advantage.
New England’s defense responded with a takeaway of its own when Marcus Jones intercepted Lawrence after the pass was tipped by safety Jaylen Reed. The interception gave the Patriots possession at the Jacksonville 21-yard line, but New England was unable to find the end zone and settled for an Andy Borregales 35-yard field goal to make it 7-3.
Jaguars Extend Their Lead – Jacksonville answered New England’s field goal with another scoring drive, as Lawrence connected with former Patriot Jakobi Meyers for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 4:23 remaining in the second quarter. The nine-play, 65-yard drive pushed the Jaguars’ lead to 14-3.
The Patriots had a chance to respond before halftime, but Maye’s pass intended for Efton Chism III in the end zone was intercepted by Travis Hunter. The play marked Hunter’s first career NFL interception and preserved Jacksonville’s 14-3 lead heading into halftime.
A Missed Opportunity to Start the Second Half – New England came out of halftime looking to cut into Jacksonville’s lead, but the drive stalled inside scoring range. Borregales’ 38-yard field-goal attempt then missed wide right, keeping the Patriots from adding to their total.
The missed opportunity proved costly as Jacksonville continued to build momentum on the following possession. Lawrence eventually found Parker Washington for a 17-yard touchdown with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter, giving the Jaguars a 21-3 lead.
Washington Makes a Big Play – Washington’s touchdown was one of Jacksonville’s more impressive plays of the afternoon. On third-and-goal from the 17-yard line, Washington adjusted to Lawrence’s pass and made an impressive catch near the front of the end zone to complete a 15-play, 72-yard drive.
The Jaguars’ offense had now found the end zone three times through the air, with Lawrence connecting with Cameron, Meyers and Washington. Jacksonville’s lead continued to grow as the Patriots searched for an answer on offense.
Another Turnover Leads to Another Score – New England’s next possession quickly came to an end when Maye threw his second interception of the afternoon. This time, Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones stepped in front of a pass intended for Kyle Williams and returned it 32 yards, setting Jacksonville up in Patriots territory.
The Jaguars took advantage of the short field immediately, with Chris Rodriguez Jr. scoring on a five-yard touchdown run on the following play. The quick sequence pushed Jacksonville’s lead to 28-3 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter.
Borregales Adds Another Field Goal – The Patriots finally added points again early in the fourth quarter when Borregales connected on a 40-yard field goal with 13:17 remaining. It marked New England’s first points since the second quarter and brought the score to 28-6.
The field goal brought the Patriots within 22 points, but Jacksonville continued to maintain control of the game. With the fourth quarter underway, the Jaguars remained in command as they looked to close out the victory.
Tuten Finishes the Scoring – Jacksonville put the final points on the board with 8:02 remaining when running back Bhayshul Tuten powered his way into the end zone from one yard out. New England left Jacksonville with its second loss of the season and plenty to address heading into Week 4.
A Difficult Start for Maye – Maye finished the afternoon 14-of-25 passing for 199 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a lost fumble. His three turnovers brought his season total to seven, while he has accounted for one touchdown through the Patriots’ first three games.
New England has now started 1-2 for the second consecutive season, but this year’s team faces a challenging stretch ahead. The Patriots have also yet to secure a road victory, while their turnover issues will need to be addressed with a difficult schedule continuing to unfold.
Onto Buffalo – The Patriots now have to put Sunday’s loss against Jacksonville in the rearview mirror. Their attention now turns to Buffalo, where they will face a Bills team that enters Week 4 with a 3-0 record after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers.
Interestingly, this situation has some similarities to what New England faced back in 2014. The Patriots hosted a 3-0 Cincinnati Bengals team at Gillette Stadium after a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and responded with a 43-17 victory. This time around, however, New England will travel to Buffalo to face a 3-0 Bills team led by Josh Allen.
Allen has been playing some of his best football through the first three weeks, giving the Patriots another major challenge on the road. New England will need to clean up its mistakes, especially when it comes to protecting the football, if it hopes to leave Buffalo with its first road win of the season.
