FOXBORO — It’s premature to say the Patriots have hit rock bottom, if only because there’s a possibility that they could still lose to Bills backups in Week 17. But Saturday’s 40-7 loss to the Chargers was certainly the low point in the season for Jerod Mayo’s Patriots.
Playing in front of a crowd at Gillette Stadium with plenty of empty seats and to an unfortunate nationally televised audience with no other game to watch in the Saturday at 1 p.m. ET window, Jerod Mayo’s Patriots were embarrassed by the Chargers.
They weren’t deafening, but there was an audible “fire Mayo” chat in the second half as the Patriots fell to 3-13 on the season.
Rookie quarterback Drake Maye didn’t look like himself after getting evaluated for a head injury, and the Patriots’ running backs were treading water in the backfield. Defensively, the Chargers’ rushing attack beat the Patriots with death by a thousand cuts while quarterback Justin Herbert torched a secondary that lost its best player early in the contest with a player that New England could have drafted.
The Patriots’ defense forced a punt on the Chargers’ first drive, but things started ominously on offense. They went three-and-out and Maye took a helmet-to-helmet shot scrambling on third down. He missed a drive while being evaluated for a concussion, and backup Jacoby Brissett went three-and-out in Maye’s absence.
Meanwhile, the Chargers’ offense put together three consecutive scoring drives. They scored on a 23-yard pass from Herbert to wide receiver Derius Davis, again on a 27-yard field goal from kicker Cameron Dicker, and on a 6-yard pass from Herbert to wide receiver Ladd McConkey. The Patriots handed the ball back to the Chargers on their third series, leading to the McConkey score, when a lateral from Maye fell short to wide receiver DeMario Douglas. It was recovered by Chargers safety Derwin James at the Patriots’ 44-yard line.
Cornerback Christian Gonzalez was ruled out with a concussion after leaving the field with trainers during the Chargers’ third offensive series.
Maye made the most of a free play when Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree jumped offsides during the Patriots’ fourth drive. Maye heaved it up into the end zone, and wide receiver DeMario Douglas made a last-second adjustment to haul in the pass for a 36-yard touchdown. It was Maye’s eighth straight game with a touchdown, which is a rookie franchise record.
Dicker hit another field goal at the end of the first half to give the Chargers a 20-7 lead. The kick went above the uprights, but it looked like it might have been missed wide right. Patriots team personnel was not happy about the ruling at halftime. A personal foul penalty on Patriots defensive end Yannick Ngakoue gave the Chargers a free 15 yards on the drive.
McConkey scored his second touchdown reception of the day on a 40-yard deep pass from Herbert over cornerback Jonathan Jones and safety Kyle Dugger on the Chargers’ first possession of the second half.
The Patriots went for it on fourth-and-2 from their own 38-yard line, but Maye at a 15-yard sack to immediately give the Chargers the ball back in field-goal range. Three plays later, Dicker kicked a 41-yard field goal to give the Chargers a 30-7 lead.
The Chargers extended their lead to 37-7 with a two-yard rushing touchdown from running back J.K. Dobbins after a 10-play, 63-yard drive. They kicked a field goal later in the fourth quarter to go up 40-7.
Two best players suffer head injuries
The Patriots couldn’t catch a break even after Maye returned from his head injury, since Gonzalez was ruled out shortly after the rookie quarterback returned.
Stevenson starts
Usually, it’s not a headline when Rhamondre Stevenson starts, but head coach Jerod Mayo said before the game on 98.5 The Sports Hub that Antonio Gibson would take the start because of Stevenson’s fumbling issues.
Stevenson actually started Saturday despite the fact that he has fumbled seven times on the season. He lost another fumble last week against the Bills.
Gibson and Stevenson combined for 57 yards on 13 carries, and 50 of them came in the final drive in garbage time. It was an abysmal performance in the run game.
Reviewing draft-day trade
The Patriots held the No. 34 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. They traded Nos. 34 and 137 to the Chargers for Nos. 37 and 110. The Chargers took McConkey 34th and CB Taheeb Still 137th. The Patriots selected Ja’Lynn Polk 37th and Javon Baker 110th.
McConkey on the day: eight catches on nine targets, 94 yards, two TDs.
Polk and Baker on the day: 0 catches, 2 targets.
McConkey has over 1,000 yards now on the season. Polk and Baker haven’t combined for 100 yards.
Coverage an issue
Sure, having Gonzalez for the whole game would have helped. But he wasn’t taking Jones’ or Dugger’s spots on the field. And Justin Herbert finished the game 26-of-38 for 281 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions before Taylor Heinicke took over at quarterback early in the fourth quarter.
WR DeMario Douglas: Maye put the ball in the right place, but Douglas’ adjustment was key on his 36-yard receiving touchdown. He was also involved in a failed toss that hit the turf and was recovered by the Chargers for a turnover.
S Kyle Dugger: The veteran safety was in close proximity on all three of the Chargers’ passing touchdowns.
CB Jonathan Jones: Jones was beat on McConkey’s 40-yard touchdown reception.
DE Yannick Ngakoue: The veteran pass rusher made a rookie mistake with a late hit on Herbert that put the Chargers easily in field goal range before the half.
Pass protection: Whether it was Cole Strange snapping the ball early, Gibson getting steamrolled by Derwin James on fourth down or no one blocking James in another fourth-down situation, the Patriots did not do a good enough job of protecting Maye, who took four sacks.
Maye also didn’t look like himself in this game, going 12-of-22 for 117 yards with a touchdown and a lost fumble.
DE Keion White: The Patriots’ pass rush was absent again Saturday. White was also charged with a 15-yard horsecollar tackle penalty.