Patriots lose to Texans in Drake Maye’s first start, by 41-21 final

The New England Patriots fell to 1-5 on the 2024 season on Sunday, dropping a 41-21 decision to the Houston Texans in the first career start of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Maye finished the game 20-of-33 for 243 yards, three touchdown passes, and two interceptions. He also lost a fumble on a strip-sack. Texans QB C.J. Stroud, meanwhile, went 20-of-31 for 192 yards, three touchdowns and one pick, as the Texans netted 368 yards of offense and won the turnover battle 4-1.

The Patriots did not get off to the start they were looking for, after deferring to the second half and putting their defense on the field. Stroud promptly went 5-of-6 for 54 yards and a touchdown pass to put the Texans up 7-0, finishing off the drive with a 2-yard pass to Tank Dell for the score.

Maye's first drive as the Patriots' starter didn't go nearly as well. The Patriots went three-and-out, calling two runs for a total of one yard, then Maye threw the ball away on third-and-10 with nobody open.

Stroud followed up his strong first drive with another one, capping it with an easy pitch-and-catch to running back Joe Mixon, putting the Patriots in an early 14-0 hole.

Maye's second drive didn't exactly go as planned. He made a good play to escape pressure and hit Kendrick Bourne for a completion on the run to start things off, but on third down, he sailed a pass high intended for DeMario Douglas and Texans safety Calen Bullock came down with the interception.

Gifted another drive, Stroud and the Texans came up empty. Patriots defensive end Keion White forced a field goal try with a pressure on third down, then Ka'imi Fairbairn missed the kick wide right to keep it at 14-0. Maye and the Patriots had to punt on the ensuing drive, however, after two penalties and a third-down sack by the Texans' Will Anderson Jr.

The Patriots showed a brief sign of life on the next Texans drive, as Stroud rolled out to escape pressure by defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, then heaved the ball into double coverage in the end zone. Patriots safety Marte Mapu disrupted the pass, then cornerback Marcus Jones made the interception.

Maye and the offense couldn't do anything with the fresh drive, as a third-down attempt fell incomplete after getting tipped at the line. The teams traded punts until Maye and the Patriots got the ball with 59 seconds left in the second quarter. Out of nowhere, Maye and the Patriots put together a big-time drive.

The rookie went 3-of-4 for 69 yards and a touchdown, capping the end-of-half drive with a 40-yard pass to Kayshon Boutte, cutting the deficit in half at 14-7, and that's how the game went into halftime.

Unfortunately, the Patriots couldn't carry any momentum into the second half. Given a chance to go for the classic double-score, Maye instead took a hard hit that resulted in a strip sack and a fumble recovery by the Texans. Two plays later, Stroud hit Stefon Diggs in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown pass of the day, extending the Houston lead to 21-7.

The Patriots couldn't get those points back, punting it back to Houston after Maye's third-down attempt for Douglas was a little off the mark. Stroud and the Texans then drove 59 yards in 10 plays before kicking a field goal to go up 24-7.

Another turnover cost the Patriots another three points, as tight end Austin Hooper lost the ball after making a catch. The defense was able to hold the Texans to a field goal to make it 27-7.

Maye gave the Pats another small sign of life on the next drive. He went 5-of-5 passing for 69 yards and his second touchdown pass of the day, this time to Hunter Henry, cutting the Texans' lead to 27-14.

The Patriots got another defensive stop to set up Maye and the offense for a chance to cut further into the deficit. Instead, disaster struck. Maye's first pass attempt of the drive got tipped by Anderson, then intercepted on a ridiculous play by safety Eric Murray. The Texans hit the end zone just two plays later for another touchdown, and a 34-14 lead.

Maye once again gave the Pats a glimmer of hope with his third touchdown pass of the day, this time on a 35-yard catch-and-run by Douglas to the pylon. This made it 34-21. The Texans answered, however, converting a key third down then ripping off a 51-yard touchdown run by Dameon Pearce to make it 41-21.

The Patriots will try to regroup after falling to 1-5, as they get ready for a game across the pond in London, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are also 1-5.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.

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