The Patriots delivered their most disappointing effort of the season, falling 45-27 to the Packers in a home blowout.
Green Bay’s 45 points were the most New England has allowed at Gillette Stadium and the most in a game for the franchise since 1990. Head coach **Mike Vrabel’s** squad showed fight early after falling behind 17-0, but four turnovers, zero takeaways, and virtually nonexistent red zone defense doomed any chance of a competitive contest.
A stock report doesn’t feel appropriate after such a lopsided defeat, so here are three players/units who were most responsible for tonight’s poor showing.
### **Secondary**
The Patriots’ secondary hasn’t lived up to expectations this season, and today was the most glaring example.
**Christian Gonzalez** had a career-worst performance in a game where the Patriots desperately needed his best. The corner fell while trying to defend a **Matthew Golden** go-ball on a field-flipping catch that set up a red zone possession, and Gonzalez admitted he failed to communicate with **Marcus Jones** on a bust that led to Green Bay’s second touchdown. **Christian Watson** had two explosive grabs against the All-Pro corner, winning on a corner from a bunch and running away from coverage on a post touchdown. Gonzalez also had an interception overturned after committing pass interference against **Bo Melton**, wasn’t competitive on a 3rd & 7 out conversion to Watson, and missed an open-field tackle on an explosive **Kaleb Johnson** carry.
**Kevin Byard III** was late covering Golden on a deep ball that would’ve been six points if it hadn’t been underthrown, potentially because Green Bay went hurry-up after a shaky completion call. Byard also didn’t give Gonzalez inside help on Watson’s post score.
Other secondary issues included **Carlton Davis III** getting sucked in by play action on a Watson bomb that set up a two-yard rushing touchdown by Johnson, Watson running away from Marcus Jones on a crosser, and Golden getting wide open on another crossing route.
### **Drake Maye**
**Drake Maye’s** performance resembled his first three games this season more than the MVP-caliber play he showed over the last five. Overall, there was far more good than bad, but the bad was egregious and actively hurt the team. Maye threw three interceptions for the second time this season, and two of those turnovers eventually led to Packers touchdowns.
The first pick was a forced, cross-body throw to **Mack Hollins** on his first dropback. Hollins stopped running his route when Maye thought the veteran would keep running across the field, but it was still a poor decision, and the toss went directly to **Xavier McKinney**. Maye’s second interception wasn’t turnover-worthy because it came off a deflection, but he contributed to **Brandon Cisse’s** breakup and **Evan Williams**’ theft by underthrowing a go ball to **Kyle Williams**. Maye’s final interception was his worst: he threw late over the middle and never seemed to notice McKinney ready to jump **Eli Raridon’s** route.
The defense’s lack of turnovers and bevy of explosives put the offense in difficult spots, but if Maye wants to be considered one of the game’s true top-tier passers, he must eliminate, or at least dramatically scale back, the mistakes he made today.
### **Red Zone Defense**
The Patriots allowed touchdowns on four of the Packers’ five possessions in scoring territory, including the aforementioned bust between Gonzalez and Jones.
**Christian Elliss** overcommitted to **Jordan Love’s** eyes while the rest of the defense played man coverage, leading to a scramble touchdown right after Maye’s first interception.
**Christian Barmore** was uprooted on Johnson’s two-yard score, leading to a relatively easy punch-in.
**Karon Prunty** was put in a tough spot when Davis left the game with a knee injury, but he gave **Savion Williams** a free release on a slot fade as the point-man in a bunch, and the rookie wasn’t very competitive at the catch point.
Gonzalez and **Craig Woodson** did a nice job taking away a Watson slant on a two-point attempt after the receiver’s deep touchdown, but Love tucked the ball and walked untouched into the end zone to convert.