The two teams that met in February’s Super Bowl are off to a combined 1-5 start after a brutal Week 3, according to reporting from Sport & State, the outlet founded by Clay Travis.
The New England Patriots, last season’s AFC champions, were dismantled 35-6 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hours later, the reigning champion Seattle Seahawks dropped a 33-31 decision to a Washington Commanders team that had yet to win a game this season.
Maye’s Turnover Woes Continue
The defining storyline of New England’s young season has been the uneven play of quarterback Drake Maye, and Sunday offered little relief. Maye completed 14 of 25 passes for just 199 yards, throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble. It was his second three-turnover outing in three games, following a similar performance in the season opener — a Super Bowl LX rematch.
The Jaguars’ control of the game was so complete that Jacksonville was already managing the clock with nearly nine minutes still left in the fourth quarter. In one notable sequence, quarterback Trevor Lawrence broke free toward the end zone but chose to give himself up at the one-yard line rather than score, keeping the clock moving.
Frustration showed on the Patriots’ sideline as well. Wide receiver Mack Hollins drew a taunting penalty for celebrating a first down while his team trailed by 25 points.
Head coach Mike Vrabel did not downplay the situation after the loss.
“My concern level is very high for this football team. I just wanna coach and improve,” Vrabel said. “I think that’s the biggest thing when you come off a game like that. You just wanna get back and work.”
At 1-2, New England now faces a daunting rebound task: a matchup with the undefeated Buffalo Bills.
Seattle Squanders Opportunity Against Backup QB
In the NFC matchup, the final score flattered Seattle. The Seahawks trailed for most of the afternoon against a Washington team playing without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Backup Marcus Mariota made the most of his opportunity, throwing three touchdown passes and sealing the game with a late first-down run that allowed Washington to run out the clock for its first victory of the season.
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold actually finished with more touchdown passes than Mariota — four in total in his return — but his two interceptions proved costly. The most damaging came late, a pick-six that swung control firmly to Washington.
The loss drops Seattle to 1-2 and leaves both Super Bowl participants searching for answers heading into Week 4. The Seahawks will face the Los Angeles Chargers, who are still hunting for their first win of the year.
For the Patriots, the path forward runs through Buffalo — a team that has yet to lose. For the Seahawks, a date with a winless Chargers squad offers a chance to steady things, but also the risk of another embarrassing result if the problems that surfaced Sunday linger.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-super-bowl-hangover-was-in-full-force-in-week-3