Patriots' Issues on Full Display in Rough Loss to Cardinals

All of the New England Patriots' problems were on full display during their Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) throws against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots entered their Week 15 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals hoping to play spoiler. Instead, they were absolutely hammered.

The Patriots fell to the Cardinals by a score of 30-17, dropping to 3-11 on the season. While it was certainly good for their draft positioning, it highlighted all of New England's issues in one fell swoop.

Here is the main positive: Drake Maye looked good. He went 10-for-10 in the first half and was delivering the ball quickly and precisely.

Now, for the negatives.

First of all, Maye totaled just 71 yards over those first 10 passes. Why? Because he was forced to make quick snap throws due to his poor protection up front, and the Pats simply don't have the weapons to turn those throws into big plays.

Overall, Maye went 19-for-23 with 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also carried the ball four times for 14 yards and a touchdown. He wasn't using his legs as effectively as usual, but he still kept the defense honest. Well, as honest as he could, anyway.

All things considered, it's hard to pin any of this loss on Maye.

Once again, the Patriots' defense looked flat, as it immediately fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter and surrendered points to Arizona in every period. That included a 14-point spot in the final frame.

Remember: the Cardinals entered this matchup having lost three straight games, but apparently, the Patriots were the perfect team for Kyler Murray and Co. to face in order to get back on track.

Running back James Conner in particular punctured New England's defense, carrying the ball 16 times for 110 yards and a couple of scores.

The Pats definitely have a future with Maye. That much is obvious. But they have a lot of other work to do heading into the offseason in order to make that future a fruitful one overall.

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