Patriots' Drake Maye longs for do-over as record Super Bowl bid ends in defeat

[p]The 23-year-old came into the NFL championship clash with a chance to become the youngest ever quarterback to win the NFL's top prize.[/p][p]But [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maye-drake/A5SpHBoA/"]Maye[/a] was sacked six times and gave up two interceptions and a fumble as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-england-patriots/G6oNfmi8/"]New England[/a] slumped to a one-sided [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/football/new-england-patriots-G6oNfmi8/seattle-seahawks-f5h1oOee/?mid=foA5Uxwq"]29-13 loss[/a] to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/seattle-seahawks/f5h1oOee/"]Seattle Seahawks[/a].[/p][p][b]"I'd like to have the game back and go back to the beginning and redo it,"[/b] admitted Maye.[/p][p]Maye did manage two passing touchdowns, and both out-passed and out-rushed his victorious counterpart [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/darnold-sam/zykWdDh4/"]Sam Darnold[/a] by yardage.[/p][p]But Maye faltered badly at key moments during Super Bowl LX. On a crucial play in the fourth quarter he was strip-sacked, allowing Seahawks linebacker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nwosu-uchenna/Gr0YhFYL/"]Uchenna Nwosu[/a] to race into the end zone for a game-sealing touchdown.[/p][p][b]Maye had failed to get the Patriots offense moving throughout, as New England was forced to punt away eight of its first nine possessions.[/b][/p][embed guid="e8b56685-5de0-450e-a0c0-afa1d49d998e" url="https://x.com/Patriots/status/2020696248349847625" social-type="twitter" /][p]It was a bitter pill to swallow for a young man who had spoken to AFP before the game about wanting to be an "all-time great" and to emulate his illustrious Patriots predecessor Tom Brady.[/p][p][b]"There were so many plays that could decide and change the game,"[/b] Maye reflected after the stinging defeat.[/p][p][b]"I have the fumble and they returned it for a touchdown.[/b][/p][p]"There were so many times in the first half when I felt like I could have made a better throw or make a better decision and just... it comes down to who makes the better plays and who doesn't.[/p][p][b]"And they made the better plays tonight."[/b][/p][h2]"Behind the chains'[/h2][p]North Carolina-born Maye was the third overall pick in the 2024 draft, quickly becoming the Patriots' starting quarterback.[/p][p]Despite its disappointing end, this season was undoubtedly Maye's breakout campaign.[/p][p]He threw for 31 touchdowns in the regular season, managing the league-best completion percentage (72 percent) and yards per pass attempt (8.9), and rushed for four more.[/p][p][b]Maye managed six more TDs in the playoffs, including three in a dominant win over the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/houston-texans/SIj9q2Q7/"]Houston Texans[/a], and another two on Sunday.[/b][/p][p]He was the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach a Super Bowl, after Dan Marino with the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/miami-dolphins/WQivmqEf/"]Miami Dolphins[/a] in 1985.[/p][p]But his sophomore season ultimately fell just short of being truly historic as a slow start doomed Maye's bid to lift the Lombardi Trophy.[/p][p][b]"We were moving it solid the first couple drives and just had a couple negative plays that put us behind the chains,"[/b] he said.[/p][p][b]"And then from there we just couldn't stay ahead of the chains."[/b][/p][p]He added: "They had brought some pressure where they got us a few times."[/p][p][b]"Just got to be better with the football and make better decisions.[/b][/p][p][b]"I've got to make better throws when the game is like that. I've got to make some throws to help us move the football."[/b][/p]