SEATTLE — Mike Vrabel waited for Drake Maye, hidden beneath the tunnel, out of sight from the fans here celebrating a Seahawks win that arrived swiftly thanks to a shocking interception. The whole scene looked a like February, when Vrabel waited to hug Maye.Back then, after the Seahawks trounced the Pats in the Super Bowl, Vrabel’s message was simple. They’d barely worked together. Wait until they had a full offseason to tweak things and make additions.So Vrabel went out and bolstered the roster. He prioritized finding a way to run the ball better and more consistently. He traded for a No. 1 wide receiver. He put faith in the quarterback who finished second in MVP voting a year ago.And then on Wednesday night, in the Patriots’ first chance to show improvement from the Super Bowl drubbing, the Pats fell flat on their face, giving away a totally winnable game, losing to a backup quarterback, blowing a fourth quarter lead. They lost 13-10, but this was about more than a three-point loss that might’ve seemed tolerable at the outset of the day.Top Plays from Patriots @ SeahawksThis was concerning because everywhere the Patriots hoped would be different, so much of what they planned for since February, simply didn’t work.The running game was supposed to be a new-and-improved unit. It averaged 3.5 yards per carry. The receivers were supposed to give Maye so many better options, but it ended with Romeo Doubs dropping a wide-open pass after A.J. Brown left with an ankle injury that could linger for weeks.And, most important of all, the Patriots planned to put more on Maye’s plate, hopeful he’d build on an MVP-level season. Instead, he delivered one of the biggest duds of his career, throwing three interceptions, none more costly than the final one when the Pats were already in position to tie the game with a field goal.
From Drake Maye on down, the Patriots thoroughly failed first post-Super Bowl test
Every area in which the Patriots were supposed to be most improved came up short against the Seahawks, starting with their quarterback.













