FOXBORO – In his first career start, Drake Maye led the New England Patriots in a Week 6 matchup against the Houston Texans, but the outcome remained disappointing as the Patriots fell 41-21, marking their fifth consecutive loss and dropping their record to 1-5 for the season.
Despite the defeat, there were promising signs for the future. Maye threw three touchdown passes, taking the lead in the team’s season total, and the Patriots scored more points in this game than in any of their previous five outings. With Maye under center, there seems to be a potential path forward for the team.
The Texans, however, proved to be too strong for New England on this day. Houston scored touchdowns on their first two possessions, and capitalized on three second-half turnovers by the Patriots to add 17 more points. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud matched Maye’s performance with three touchdown passes on 20-for-31 passing, while running back Joe Mixon returned to action with 102 rushing yards and a touchdown.
New England struggled with turnovers, giving the ball away four times, including two interceptions and a fumble by Maye, as well as a fumble from tight end Austin Hooper. The Patriots’ rushing attack faltered without Rhamondre Stevenson, averaging a mere 3.2 yards on 26 carries for a total of 82 rushing yards.
“Drake made some good decisions out there. I thought he had some good reads, and he tried to get the ball out quickly. He did well extending plays with his legs to get first downs. We just need to improve,” commented New England head coach Jerod Mayo. “We let him down. I feel like I let him down.”
Drake Maye’s debut was a mix of highs and lows. He showed potential with a beautiful deep touchdown pass but also struggled, throwing an interception and losing a fumble. The Patriots started the game with a quick three-and-out, followed by Maye’s interception, which fortunately did not result in points for the Texans.
Just before halftime, Maye connected with Kayshon Boutte for a 40-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 14-7. The team appeared to have momentum at the start of the second half until Maye was strip-sacked, allowing the Texans to score again and extend their lead to 21-7.
Maye did manage to lead another touchdown drive later in the third quarter, throwing for 64 yards and finishing with a six-yard touchdown to Hunter Henry, making it 27-14. In the fourth quarter, he scrambled for 15 yards and delivered a pass to DeMario Douglas, who took it 35 yards for a touchdown, cutting the score to 34-21 with just under 10 minutes left. However, the Texans quickly responded with another touchdown.
Although the Patriots didn’t secure the win, the offense showed signs of life, particularly with Maye providing a deep threat and making plays with his legs. In total, he completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions, and a fumble, while also leading the team in rushing with 38 yards on five attempts.
Turnovers proved crucial for the Patriots, resulting in 17 points for the Texans. Despite the Texans’ turnover struggle throughout the season so far, they managed to turn this game around, leveraging New England’s mistakes to their advantage.
Next, the Patriots will travel to London to face the 1-5 Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. The Jaguars, already in the UK, suffered a defeat to the Chicago Bears, losing 35-16, with the Bears’ rookie quarterback Caleb Williams throwing four touchdown passes against Jacksonville’s defense.