New England Patriots-Washington Commanders Notebook: Another Mac Jones Final, Fatal Drive

The New England Patriots once again squandered several opportunities to seize control of their Week 9 matchup against the Washington Commanders, instead falling to 2-7 on the season.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots continued their 2023 downward spiral with a 20-17 loss to the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. 

Using a familiar, yet fatally-flawed formula, New England once again fell short in attempting to snatch victory from the hands of defeat in the game's closing moments. Facing second-and-8 at the Washington 41 with 30 seconds remaining in the fourth-quarter, quarterback Mac Jones attempted to find receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster with a strike through the middle from the shotgun. However, the ball sailed through Smith-Schuster’s hands for a game-sealing interception by Washington safety Jartavius Martin. 

With the loss, New England dropped to 2-7 for the first time since Bill Belichick’s first season as coach in 2000. The Patriots are now 0-5 in non-division games and remain the NFL's only team without a win outside of their division.

While mathematical elimination from postseason contention is presently impossible, the team remains perched at a precipice from which they appear destined to fall sooner rather than later. 

Accordingly, here is a deeper look at the Patriots 17-10 halftime lead eroded into their fourth loss at Gillette Stadium this season. 

No Chance for Comeback, Mac? 

Jones completed 24-of-44 passes for 220 yards with one touchdown and his aforementioned interception on Sunday. While the Pats third-year starter will once again shoulder the blame for this loss from a large section of the fanbase, there were some signs of his ability to adequately run the team's offense. Jones executed a precision 14-yard strike to tight end Hunter Henry for the Patriots first touchdown. His impressive 20-yard completion to Smith-Schuster set the table for a 64-yard touchdown run by running back Rhamondre Stevenson. 

Still, Jones continued his trend of making questionable decisions with the football, as well as subpar throws in key moments. Early in the first quarter, Jones widely missed an open Tyquan Thornton on a would be fourth-down conversion. In the second half, he nearly threw a deep-ball interception into the hands of Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, which was thankfully knocked lose by receiver Jalen Reagor. Jones also underthrew Stevenson on a wheel-route, which had the potential for a significant gain. While his supporting cast may lack the talent to effectively complement his playing style, Jones must exhibit more control and confidence to give his team a chance to win. 

Offensive Line Kept the QB Clean

With starting left tackle Trent Brown sidelined due to both ankle and knee injuries, practice squad elevation Conor McDermott got the nod as the team's starter. Cole Strange started at left guard with David Andrews at center, Sidy Sow at right guard and Michael Onwenu at right tackle.

While the offensive line has been one of the most maligned units on the Patriots this season, their performance was far from the main reason for New England's struggles in Week 9. Save for one being nullified by a roughing the passer call, New England's line succeeded in preventing a single sack on Jones by a defense which recently lost its top two pass rushers — Montez Sweat and Chase Young — via trade. 

Rhamondre Stevenson's Career-Long Run

Despite the dismal aura surrounding the Patriots offense, Stevenson made a strong case to be one of its cornerstones moving forward. The Oklahoma product finished the afternoon having compiled 87 yards on nine carries, while adding four receptions out of the backfield for 41 yards. His 64-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the longest of his career. In fact, Stevenson's scoring rush ties him with Damien Harris (who also had a 64-yard run against the Buffalo Bills in Dec. 2022) for the third longest run by a Patriots player behind only Curtis Martin (70 yards vs. Chicago in 1997) and LeGarrette Blount (73 yards vs. Indianapolis in Jan. 2014) atop the franchise's record chart. Stevenson also averaged 9.7-yards-per-carry in Week 9, the highest average of his career and the third time he has at least a 9.0-yard average.

Jahlani Tavai Provided Defensive Pop

While linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley led the Pats with 13 total tackles, and saftey Kyle Dugger notched his second interception in as many games, linebacker Jahlani Tavai delivered arguably the top defensive play of the afternoon. Tavai recorded his first forced fumble as a member of the Patriots by jarring the ball loose after a short gain by Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. The forced fumble was recovered by defensive tackle Davon Godchaux at the Washington 25-yard line. 

The turnover helped setup the Patriots first touchdown on the previously-mentioned 14-yard pass from Jones to Henry just three plays later. In addition to his forced fumble, Tavai finished the day having registered six total tackles.

Up Next: 

The Patriots will remain in New England until Thursday, when they travel to Frankfurt, Germany for a Week 10 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts as a part of the NFL's International Series of games. New England will be designated as the home team for the 9:30 a.m. ET kickoff from Frankfurt Stadium.  

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