Patriots Super Bowl Takeaways: Drake Maye Gets No Help

Drake Maye Under Fire

To say that Maye struggled in the first half would be an understatement. According to NFL NextGen Stats via Brady Henderson of ESPN, the Patriots quarterback had an average time to throw of just 2.56 seconds in the first two quarters — his fastest average time in any game this season, including playoffs. In addition, he averaged just 3.2 air yards per completion in that half — his lowest number of the season. He completed only 2 of 5 passes thrown five or more yards downfield for 30 yards.

Maye found a bit of rhythm in the second half — primarily in the fourth quarter, as he began to read the Seattle scheme with a bit more ease. With just over 12 minutes remaining, Maye capped the team’s first scoring drive of the night with a 24-yard completion to receiver Mack Hollins. On the next throw, he connected with Hollins again, this time for a 35-yard touchdown.

On his ensuing drive, Maye appeared to be gaining some comfort, earning a much-needed first down on a 16-yard scramble. Unfortunately, the clock proverbially struck midnight on the 23-year-old’s magical season when he sailed an ill-advised deep toss into the hands of Seattle defensive back Julian Love, preserving the win for the Seahawks. Seattle added insult to metaphorical injury when cornerback Devon Witherspoon sacked Maye at the New England 46-yard line. The UNC product fumbled the ball, while Seahawks’ defender Uchenna Nwosu recovered and returned it for the touchdown.

Christian Gonzalez is an Elite Cornerback

Gonzalez clearly put the NFL on notice with his elite-level play in Super Bowl LX. Leading 3-0, the Seahawks got the ball back on their own 24-yard line with 14:10 left in the second quarter after a three-and-out. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold saw speedster Rashid Shaheed downfield, with the stage set to orchestrate an explosive play of over 50 yards to set the team up around the New England 20-yard line. However, Gonzalez made a huge play to prevent the big gain. Gonzalez later had another crucial pass breakup, preventing a touchdown pass from Darnold to wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba with 11 seconds left in the second quarter.

Gonzalez finished the game with four total tackles and three passes defensed. Yet, the Oregon product deserves a massif amount of credit for preventing the game from becoming an early blowout for Seattle in its early stages. With Gonzalez’s rookie contract set to expire after the 2026 season, the 2023 first-round selection is making himself quite the case to be among the NFL’s elite-paid defensive backs.

Patriots Running Game Also Stymied by Seattle

New England entered this game needing to establish the run. Not only did they need the ground game facilitate play-action, but they also needed to gain significant yards on early downs to keep Seattle’s defense on its heels. Unfortunately, Seattle’s four-man rush allowed them the chance to stifle the run. Rhamondre Stevenson had a quiet game, rushing for 23 yards on seven carries and one receiving touchdown late in the game. Rookie TreVeyon Henderson managed only 19 yards on six rushes.

Despite the need for Maye to both create and extend plays with his legs, the Pats’ starter carried the ball only five times for 37 yards.

Craig Woodson: Honorable Mention as Patriots Rookie of the Year?

While most eyes were justifiably on Christian Gonzalez, rookie safety Craig Woodson quietly had one of the best performances of any defender on New England’s roster in Super Bowl LX. The Cal product finished the night with 10 total tackles, three tackles-for-loss and two passes-defensed. His total field coverage was impressive, as the fourth-round (No. 106 overall selection) in last April’s draft showcased his value on a national stage.

Highly touted for his ability to read opposing receivers, Woodson has already made a notable impact on the team’s defensive backfield in short order. Still, Woodson’s greatest asset is his versatility. Whether playing safety or nickel corner, his hard-hitting style has assimilated well into New England’s aggressive defensive style. His intelligence, maturity, and penchant for being a quick study have enabled him to become a leader, as well as a tone-setter at the back of New England’s secondary.