Through the first three quarters, Maye completed 17 of 22 passes and threw a touchdown without an interception. New England’s defense did its part as well, stifling Seattle’s offense and limiting the Seahawks to a single scoring drive. Seattle weathered an early setback when quarterback Sam Darnold exited with a hip injury, opening the door for Drew Lock to step in. Lock provided stability and helped keep Seattle within striking distance as the game progressed.
The Patriots’ lead began to slip in the fourth quarter, when Maye threw three interceptions. Nehemiah Pritchett, Julian Love, and Josh Jobe all contributed picks, turning potential gains into immediate opportunities for Seattle. Jobe’s interception with 21 seconds remaining sealed the result and ended New England’s late push to even the score. Notably, Maye became the first quarterback since Tua Tagovailoa in 2022 to throw three interceptions in the fourth quarter of a one-score game.
The late surge for Seattle was fueled by two of Maye’s first two picks. Each turnover quickly translated into points for the Seahawks. A 45-yard connection from Lock to Jaxon Smith-Njigba followed Pritchett’s pick, tying the game, and Seattle then moved ahead after Love intercepted Maye on the very next Patriots possession. Jason Myers added a 26-yard field goal to push Seattle in front, 13-10.
New England did have one final chance to salvage the game. After reclaiming possession late, Maye and the offense drove into Seahawks territory, but Jobe’s end-zone interception with 21 seconds remaining halted the comeback attempt. Maye finished the night 23-of-33 for 178 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
Beyond the sacks, the Patriots’ protection in the first three quarters had been solid, but Seattle racked up three sacks in the final frame. The Seahawks’ defense managed six pivotal plays in the fourth quarter alone, a stark contrast to the first three quarters when New England had kept Seattle largely in check.
Looking ahead, the Patriots will aim to regroup as they prepare to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20. Seattle will stay on the road, traveling to face the Arizona Cardinals on the same date, hoping to continue its early-season momentum as it carries an 11-game road-winning streak into that matchup.
