It's rare to hear Cris Collinsworth at a loss for words, but Wednesday night's matchup between the Seahawks and Patriots left the NBC analyst momentarily stunned. With just 26 seconds on the clock and the Patriots trailing 13-10, quarterback Drake Maye made a decision that will haunt him and the franchise for a while.
Instead of throwing the ball away and settling for a game-tying field goal, Maye forced a pass toward Mack Hollins in the end zone. The result? A crucial interception by Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe, effectively sealing New England's fate in their season opener.
Collinsworth, known for his rapid-fire analysis, needed a beat to process what he had just seen. "I can't believe that throw," he said, followed by a long pause. "Wow. I mean, there are certain things you just can't do or try when you have field goal range and overtime in your grasp. And that was the play… Ouch."
Mike Tirico, his broadcast partner, was equally blunt, calling it a "terrible decision." The reaction from the booth captured the frustration of Patriots fans everywhere, who watched a winnable game slip away in the final moments.
Maye, who was an MVP finalist last season, didn't shy away from accountability after the game. He explained that the play was designed to get the ball to Hollins, but he acknowledged the execution was poor. "It was something where we had a certain protection on, we were cutting with offensive tackles, and I was trying to get rid of it," Maye said. "I realized Mack was there in the back and didn't put enough on it to get it out of bounds. It was just unacceptable."
The young quarterback knows the stakes. "With a chance to send it to overtime, the only thing you can do is turn the ball over—that's what I did," he admitted, taking full responsibility for the loss.
The Patriots now shift focus to a tough matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers next Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. For Maye, it's a chance to rebound and prove that this costly mistake won't define his season.
As for Collinsworth, he'll likely be a bit more cautious with his words the next time Maye drops back to pass in a critical moment. The broadcast booth's reaction was a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in the NFL.
For more on the game and its aftermath, check out the Patriots' response to Tom Brady's criticism and the Seahawks' injury concerns.
