FOXBOROUGH — Three weeks, three losses. And the kind of stretch that can turn a promising season into a desperate one before Halloween.
The Patriots went toe-to-toe with Buffalo and New Orleans, only to let both games slip away in the fourth quarter. Then, in Nashville, they didn’t even have the dignity of heartbreak. They melted down.
Head coach Eddie Todd didn’t mince words when he sat down postgame. “We’ve shown flashes of being a really good football team, but flashes don’t win games,” Todd said flatly. “If we keep this up, we’re going to be picking in the top five of the draft. That’s the truth. And nobody in this building wants that.”
Week 5: Bills 36, Patriots 28 — Outgained, Outplayed
On paper, New England did everything right. They ran the ball down Buffalo’s throat, 216 yards on the ground. They moved it through the air, 299 yards passing. They controlled possession, controlled tempo. But football is cruel — it only rewards the scoreboard. And when the final whistle blew in Orchard Park, the Patriots trailed 36–28.
Quarterback Drake Maye stood in front of his locker afterward, his voice calm but sharp. He had thrown for 304 yards, two touchdowns, and completed 71% of his passes. But the three interceptions — all costly, all momentum killers — hung around his neck.
“I felt like I had control most of the game,” Maye admitted. “But three bad throws can erase everything else. That’s on me. I can’t give Josh Allen those extra chances.”
The run game was spectacular, at least. Antonio Gibson, who has carved out a niche as the thunder to TreVeyon Henderson’s lightning, ripped off 102 yards on just five carries, including a highlight-reel touchdown.
“We knew we could run on them,” Gibson said. “But a couple of big runs don’t mean much if the game gets away from us.”
Henderson, the rookie, churned for 72 yards on 14 carries, showing patience beyond his years. “I felt like we could’ve kept leaning on it,” Henderson said. “I didn’t think they had an answer.”
Maye himself tucked it four times for 42 yards and another touchdown, flashing the athleticism that has kept this offense from completely stalling.
The receiving corps was steady but not flashy. Demario Douglas caught a touchdown among his 67 yards. Hunter Henry hauled in another score, finishing with 45 yards. Kayshon Boutte added 49 yards, Gibson 48 more through the air. Enough production to win. But not enough execution.
On defense, Marte Mapu played like a man possessed, racking up 14 tackles. “I’ll take 14 tackles any day, but I’d trade every one of them for a win,” he said. Edge rusher Harold Landry had the lone sack, shaking his head when asked if the defense did enough. “One sack isn’t enough against Josh Allen,” Landry said. “We had to disrupt him more, and we didn’t.”
It was the story of the game: the Patriots were better everywhere but where it mattered.
Week 6: Saints 32, Patriots 28 — Déjà Vu in the Dome
A week later, the story was eerily familiar. Again, New England outgained its opponent — 439 yards to 363. Again, they controlled much of the afternoon. And again, they found themselves on the wrong end of the score.
Maye threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns, but also tossed two interceptions. They came at crushing moments, flipping momentum when the Patriots had a chance to close the door. “I feel like I’m giving us a chance,” Maye said, his tone more frustrated this week. “But I’m also giving the other team chances too. That’s the part I have to cut out.”
If there was a silver lining, it was Henderson. The rookie looked every bit the bell cow, pounding the ball for 97 yards and two touchdowns on only 12 carries. His balance and burst made Saints defenders look stuck in mud. “I felt like I could’ve gone for 150 if we stuck with it,” Henderson said. “The lanes were there.”
Through the air, Kayshon Boutte had a career day — 162 yards and two touchdowns on just six catches. He torched single coverage, looked unguardable at times, and carried himself afterward like a man tired of losing. “That’s who I am, man,” Boutte said with a grin that quickly faded. “But what’s 162 and two if it’s another loss?”
Veteran Stefon Diggs was his usual reliable self, adding 73 yards on five catches. “I’ve been in this league a long time,” Diggs said. “Stats are stats. Wins are what matter.”
On defense, Mapu once again led the way with 10 tackles. Corner Marcus Jones was unleashed on a blitz package and delivered, sacking Derek Carr with authority. “Coach dialed it up, I just had to finish,” Jones said. Carlton Davis came up with an interception, a play that looked like it might flip momentum for good. “We had momentum after that pick,” Davis said. “We just couldn’t finish the job. Story of the last two weeks.”
Todd, for his part, defended his quarterback but was blunt about the collapse. “You can’t let games slip in the fourth quarter. You can’t. We have to learn how to close.”
Week 7: Titans 36, Patriots 10 — Ghosts in Nashville
And then came Tennessee. No heartbreaking near-miss this time. Just humiliation.
Maye looked composed in the first half, leading the Patriots to 10 points and moving the ball with rhythm. But the second half was a nightmare. He finished with 155 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions — all after halftime. Two of them went back for touchdowns.
“I was seeing ghosts out there,” Maye admitted, echoing Sam Darnold’s infamous line from 2016. “It was like every throw I made in the second half was wrong.” His body language told the story — shoulders slumped, helmet tugged down, staring at the turf between series.
Henderson was again steady with 80 yards on 14 carries, while Gibson added 32 on five. But the running game vanished once the Titans pulled ahead and forced New England into obvious passing situations.
Hunter Henry was the lone bright spot on offense, pulling down four catches for 94 yards and the Patriots’ only touchdown. “I just tried to keep fighting,” Henry said, his voice low. “But when you’re the only one finding the end zone, it’s not enough.”
On defense, rookie safety Craig Woodson led with nine tackles, continuing to show promise. “I’m still learning every week, but effort has to be there no matter what the scoreboard says,” Woodson said. Keion White provided rare spark up front with two sacks. “I was just trying to keep pressure on,” White said. “But you can’t sack your way out of two pick-sixes.”
This was no unlucky break. This was a meltdown.
Todd’s Closing Message
When Coach Todd returned to the podium after the Titans debacle, his tone had shifted from frustration to resolve. “We can’t dwell on these three weeks,” he said. “We’ve got Cleveland next, and that’s our focus. If we let these games linger, this season will unravel. We’ve got to flush it and get back to playing Patriots football.”
The Patriots don’t lack talent. They don’t lack flashes of brilliance. What they lack is consistency, poise, and the ability to close. Unless those show up soon, Todd’s warning about a top-five pick won’t sound like hyperbole. It’ll sound like destiny.
