Drake Maye, DeMario Douglas explain "miscommunication" on game-ending interception vs. Rams
FOXBORO -- Drake Maye and the New England Patriots had another chance at some late-game heroics on Sunday afternoon against the Rams. But the rookie quarterback's last pass of the afternoon was picked off, ending any comeback chances for New England and sealing a 28-22 victory for Los Angeles.
Maye and the Patriots were facing a third-and-13 at their own 25-yard line out of the two-minute warning. Down by six, it was four-down territory for New England, but Maye went for it and took a shot downfield.
Maye went looking for DeMario Douglas on the play, who had booked it downfield to be a deep option for his quarterback. But Maye's throw was behind his receiver, and Douglas didn't turn his head until the last second. Maye's pass was picked off by Kamren Kinchens to seal the win for the Rams.
Maye, Douglas, and head coach Jerod Mayo all explained that pick as a "miscommunication" following the loss.
Maye, Douglas explain their "miscommunication" on final play
The quarterback and wide receiver clearly weren't on the same page on that play, and both shouldered the blame of their miscommunication after the loss. Maye took most of the onus and didn't want to put much blame on his receiver, saying Douglas ran the right route.
"It was a two-high look and Pop's up the middle, and they're pretty good up front rushing five. I tried to kind of put it on them and kind of hit them over the linebacker, and Pop was thinking probably deep," said Maye. "At the end of the day, just got to be on the same page, and I think Pop did the right thing."
"I was running my route," said Douglas. "It was just a miscommunication on both of us."
Maye said he'll do a better job communicating and going through the different situations with his targets throughout the week.
"I got to just talk through more conversations. Just goes back to me during the week doing more, talking through different situations, 'Hey, I may put this one on you versus let it rip.' That's about it," explained Maye.
It was a tough way for the day to end for the Patriots offense, and the second time Maye has thrown a pick to end a contest in the last three weeks. He didn't have to go for the kill at that point, and had other options downfield in Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte.
That pick wasn't his only turnover of the day either, as Maye was strip-sacked in the second quarter for the third time this season. The Rams turned that turnover into an easy touchdown to take a 14-7 lead.
"Just can't hurt our defense on the fumble," said Maye. "Third down, got to get the ball out. Can't take a sack there. Same thing I talked about in previous press conferences: Punt, ending the drive with a kick. Coach Mayo preaches ending every drive with a kick. I thought we did some good things, but at the end of the day just wasn't good enough."
Those two turnovers spoiled an otherwise solid day from the rookie, who completed 30 of his 40 passes for a career-best 282 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also scrambled three times for 27 yards.
While the turnovers were crushing, they are the kinds of growing pains that are expected from a 22-year-old rookie quarterback. The hope is that Maye is making -- and learning from -- these mistakes now so they don't happen in the future when the wins and losses will mean a lot more for the New England Patriots.
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