The Patriots’ loss at Arizona came down to the goal line.
The Pats got stuffed on consecutive hand-offs at the Cardinals’ 1-yard line in the third quarter of a 16-3 game and ultimately turned the ball over on downs, when Rhamondre Stevenson was stopped short running left on fourth-and-goal. Three possessions later, Arizona running back James Conner punched in a 1-yard rushing touchdown to lead by 20 and effectively put the game away.
Asked about his offense’s failures near the goal line, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo seemed to question the team’s play-calling when it was mentioned rookie quarterback Drake Maye could have been used as a potential rushing threat.
“You said it,” Mayo told a reporter post-game. “I didn’t.”
Maye has yet to take the ball on a designed quarterback run or option play this season. Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who calls the team’s offensive plays, have both sounded more open to utilizing Maye as a runner in recent weeks. Despite not being involved in the Patriots’ run game, Maye entered Sunday as the team’s rushing leader since making his starting debut in Week 6 thanks to his scrambles.
Mayo later attempted to take ownership of the decisions near the goal line, where the Patriots handed off to Antonio Gibson on third-and-goal and then Stevenson.
“It’s always my decision. I would say the quarterback, obviously, has a good pair of legs, and does a good job running the ball,” he said. “We just chose not to do it there.”
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