LONDON — The New England Patriots returned home from London after suffering a 32-16 defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. This loss marks the Patriots’ sixth consecutive defeat, leaving them with a disappointing 1-6 record for the season, and making the flight back to New England a tough one for head coach Jerod Mayo and his team.
“We’re a soft football team overall,” Mayo remarked following the game. “A tough team can run the ball, stop the run, and cover kicks. We failed to do any of those things today.”
The game began positively for the Patriots, who scored their first opening-drive touchdown of the season, thanks to a solid effort from rookie quarterback Drake Maye. The initial drive culminated in a 16-yard touchdown catch-and-run by running back JaMycal Hasty, giving New England a 7-0 lead after converting three critical third downs.
The Patriots extended their lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter with a field goal, but things quickly deteriorated from there. The Jaguars capitalized on the Patriots’ defensive struggles, rushing for a total of 171 yards on 39 attempts, averaging 4.4 yards per carry. Jacksonville baffled the New England defense during a stretch where they executed an impressive 19 consecutive rushing plays. Tank Bigsby stood out for the Jaguars, accumulating 118 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Maye had a robust performance in his second start, completing 26 of 37 passes for 276 yards along with two touchdown passes that instilled hope among Patriots fans for the future.
The Jaguars turned the game around in the second quarter, scoring touchdowns on their last three possessions of the half. After the Patriots’ field goal, Jacksonville notched their first touchdown with an eight-play, 68-yard drive, culminating in a six-yard touchdown reception by Brian Thomas, who was left open in the end zone.
Following a three-and-out from New England, Jacksonville seized their first lead with a quick six-play, 82-yard drive, highlighted by a 58-yard completion from Trevor Lawrence to Thomas. Shortly thereafter, Bigsby scored from a yard out, giving the Jaguars a 14-10 advantage.
After another quick possession from the Patriots, Jacksonville extended their lead through a spectacular 96-yard punt return touchdown by Parker Washington, which was complemented by a successful two-point conversion, bringing the score to 22-10 just before halftime. New England’s offense struggled during this span, managing just 19 yards across three consecutive drives.
The second half saw the Jaguars add a field goal on their first drive, further complicating matters for the Patriots. New England managed a first down on their initial second-half possession, but a near interception led to another punt.
In a moment of urgency, the Patriots’ defense stepped up, halting a lengthy Jaguars drive deep in their territory, notably stopping Bigsby on a crucial fourth-and-1 situation. Following this defensive stand, Maye orchestrated a 94-yard drive, capped off by a 22-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Osborn. Unfortunately, New England’s attempt at a two-point conversion was unsuccessful, leaving them trailing 25-16 with 8:22 left in the game.
Despite a last-ditch effort to mount a comeback, New England’s offense faltered after receiving the ball again with just under four minutes to go. Maye’s attempt to convert a third-and-2 ended with an incomplete pass, leading to a critical sack following a holding penalty. Maye’s final pass on fourth-and-26 was knocked down, and Bigsby responded by adding another touchdown for the Jaguars, finishing the game with a wide margin.
Next, the struggling 1-6 Patriots will face the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium in Week 8, a rematch after their earlier 23-3 loss to Jets in New Jersey this season. The Patriots’ home performance has been lackluster, with only one victory at Gillette Stadium in the past two seasons.