3 winners and 3 losers for the Patriots in Week 6 loss to the Texans

Even with the Patriots mired in a four-game losing streak entering Sunday’s game against Houston at Gillette Stadium, there was an air of optimism in the air with rookie quarterback Drake Maye making his first NFL start. 

The positives certainly outweighed the negatives for the 22-year-old Maye, but at the end of the day, it’s a team game, and the Texans simply have more talent across the board, which they showed in the 41-21 victory.

All in all, it was the Patriots’ defense, the unit that was supposed to keep this flawed team in games, that let the team down against Houston, surrendering 192 yards rushing as their losing streak grew to five (1-5). 

Three winners for the Patriots in Sunday’s loss to the Texans. 

Drake Maye 

This first one is pretty cut and dry. 

There was a lot to like about the 22-year-old Maye making his big-league debut, no less against one of the league’s premiere defenses. In the early going, Maye looked like a rookie, as the Patriots managed only 38 yards, four punts and an interception on their first four drives, with Maye being sacked twice.

But as the first half was winding down, Maye engineered an 80-yard drive culminating with a 40-yard touchdown bomb to Kayshon Boutte. 

Maye would finish his day with 243 yards and three touchdowns, looking every bit like the talented, No. 3 overall pick tasked with leading this franchise back to its glory days. He also rushed for 38 yards.

Yes, at times, Maye looked like a rookie. He sailed a third-down pass over the head of Demario Douglas that was easily intercepted. He was strip-sacked on the second play of the second half, leading to a Houston touchdown. But there is reason for optimism. The touchdown pass to Boutte was an absolute beauty of a throw. Maye’s third touchdown pass in which Douglas raced 35 yards after the catch was another thing of beauty. 

The decision to go to Maye this week was the correct one. This is his team now, and while he showed flashes on Sunday, he’ll continue to grow with a little more consistency.

DeMario Douglas

The second-year speedster continues to be a shining light in an otherwise mediocre-at-best wide receiver room. Douglas finished the day with 92 yards on six catches and a touchdown while being targeted nine times. 

Perhaps he could become Maye’s favorite receiver and that duo could develop Tom Brady-Julian Edelman-esque chemistry? 

Douglas has exceptional speed and that was on display on his touchdown catch in which Maye hit him with a perfect throw and he beat the Houston defense to the pylon. 

Marcus Jones

The cornerback has a penchant for making big plays, and that continued Sunday as he eradicated a Houston drive with an end zone interception in the first half.

That came at a crucial point in the game, with the Texans on top 14-0, having scored on their first two drives and looking like they were going to run the Patriots out of their own building before the fans could even settle into their seats.

Christian Gonzalez is undoubtedly the Patriots’ top cornerback and probably their best defensive player at the moment, but Jones’ playmaking ability needs to keep showing up.

Three losers in the Patriots loss to the Texans

Christian Gonzalez

I never thought I’d put his name here, but it was a tough day for the Patriots’ premier cover man against Stefon Diggs. The receiver would finish with six catches on seven targets for 77 yards and a touchdown. 

Gonzalez has all the talent in the world and is going to be a great shutdown corner for the Patriots, but what we have to remember is he missed about 75 percent of last season with an injury. He’s going to have growing pains, and Sunday’s loss was one of them. 

Look for a bounceback game from Gonzalez against Jacksonville in London. The Patriots’ offense certainly didn’t help him out with four turnovers giving Houston short fields.

The offensive line 

Need we say more about this group? 

The Patriots started their sixth different group up front in six games. That’s not exactly a recipe for success. It didn’t help when Michael Jordan went down with an injury in the fourth quarter. 

They nearly got Maye killed on the third-quarter strip sack when he was flattened by Danielle Hunter, and Will Anderson had his way en route to three sacks.

Ben Brown, who was signed off Las Vegas’ practice squad last week, played admirably at center, but Vederian Lowe also left the game with an injury.

Penalties 

Situational football is one trait the Patriots have preached for years, and penalties do not help with that.

The Patriots have committed 21 penalties (12 against the Dolphins, nine on Sunday) in their last two games. Yes, the officials missed a blatant face mask on Antonio Gibson, but the Patriots need to clean these things up and show more discipline. 

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