Jets Struggle Against Patriots’ Drake Maye in 26-19 Loss

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Just a week after the Jets managed to sack Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson eight times, they faced a different challenge on Sunday against New England’s quarterback Drake Maye. They didn’t record a single sack in a 26-19 defeat.

“It’s tough to explain, to be honest with you,” Jets coach Aaron Glenn remarked after the game. “I have all the confidence in the world in our front and being able to cause havoc.” Yet, that havoc just didn’t materialize.

What’s interesting is that the Patriots were already down three offensive linemen during the game. Morgan Moses, Alijah Vera-Tucker, and Ben Brown were all sidelined, yet the Jets still couldn’t capitalize on that advantage.

David Bailey, who had performed well the previous week with three sacks against the Browns, did force a fumble on Sunday but couldn’t bring Maye down, similar to the rest of his teammates. It was a frustrating performance for them.

Bailey acknowledged New England’s strategy to chip block, especially given their reduced numbers on the line. Meanwhile, Demario Davis pointed out Maye’s talents made it especially tricky to finish him off. “Maye is a very savvy quarterback,” he noted. “We knew that going in.”

Glenn expressed admiration for Maye’s ability to evade pressure, stating that the Jets needed to improve their execution. “We’ve got to do a better job,” he added.

The Patriots relied heavily on a robust running game which eased the pressure on Maye, allowing him to maneuver when necessary. “He does a good job getting rid of the ball,” Davis observed. “They were able to stay in favorable situations where he didn’t have to hold the ball long. He did a good job extending plays and keeping his eyes down the field… They’re very well-coached. That’s why they were where they were last year.”

At halftime, Braelon Allen had recorded 12 carries for 65 yards and added two receptions for 26 more yards. However, he largely disappeared in the second half, managing just five rushes for 13 yards and no catches as the Jets shifted focus away from the running game.

“He was popping runs,” Glenn acknowledged about Allen’s early efforts. “That’s got to continue, but down 10 [points], you have to make sure you get back in the game. We were very aware of how he was running the ball, but it was time to get the ball down the field.”

Glenn also bemoaned the performance of the special teams, aside from Jason Sanders, who successfully made all four of his field goal attempts, including a long one of 42 yards. Unfortunately, the Jets’ return game didn’t yield much either and they conceded two decent returns by Corey Kiner, particularly following a Sanders field goal that narrowed the score to 23-16 with 7:20 remaining.

Lastly, linebacker Kiko Mauigoa left the game due to a thigh injury and did not return.