The New England Patriots have suffered a devastating 20-17 loss at home against the Washington Commanders, pushing their season record to a disappointing 2-7. In a game that could have been leveled with a field goal or even won with a touchdown, the Patriots’ hopes were crushed when Mac Jones’ pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster was deflected and intercepted by Jartavius Martin in the final minute. This interception allowed Washington to run out the clock and secure the victory.
Mac Jones had a decent performance, completing 24 of his 44 passes for 220 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. On the opposing side, Sam Howell threw for 325 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, completing 29 of his 45 attempts.
The Commanders started strong, taking a 10-0 lead with a late first-quarter field goal, followed by an impressive 80-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 9-yard run from Brian Robinson. However, the game turned in favor of the Patriots when Jahlani Tavai forced a fumble from Robinson in the second quarter, resulting in a turnover.
The Patriots quickly capitalized on the turnover, scoring a 25-yard touchdown pass from Jones to Hunter Henry. They then took the lead with a career-long 64-yard touchdown run by Rhamondre Stevenson, making it 14-10 in favor of the Patriots at halftime. Kyle Dugger managed to intercept Howell in the end zone, ensuring the Patriots maintained their lead.
The Patriots extended their lead to 17-10 with a field goal at the start of the third quarter, thanks in part to a questionable roughing the passer penalty against Washington. However, the Commanders fought back, tying the game at 17-17 with a 75-yard touchdown drive that ended in a 33-yard connection between Howell and Jahan Dotson.
In the fourth quarter, the Commanders regained the lead with a short field goal from Joey Slye, making it 20-17. The Patriots had a chance to regain possession and potentially win the game in the final minutes after forcing a Washington punt. However, a costly penalty on Mack Wilson for being offside on Washington’s punt gave the Commanders a fresh set of downs, allowing them to run down the clock.
Despite Washington only consuming 22 seconds on their ensuing drive, the Patriots had to use their last two timeouts on defense. The Patriots made a final drive in search of a tying or winning score, but a pass from Jones to Smith-Schuster was deflected and intercepted by Martin, sealing Washington’s victory.
With this loss, the Patriots are facing a gloomy season, and they will look to regroup as they prepare to face the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, next week. It remains to be seen if they can turn their fortunes around and salvage the remainder of their season.
