Not much to say about what happened on Sunday, other than a complete trouncing. The Patriots’ had minimal push back in what was a rout of New England at the hands of the Green Bay Packers.
Let’s go underneath the hood of the Patriots’ Week 9 defeat.
Christian Gonzalez
New England’s All-Pro cornerback’s dreadful performance was the most glaring issue in this loss. Christian Gonzalez, the 24 year-old who just signed a record-setting four-year, $135 million deal, was the first one to tell the media he had a “bad game.”
But that might be an understatement, as this was his worst performance in his young NFL career.
According to NextGen Stats, Gonzalez allowed 10 receptions on 11 targets for 187 yards, which was easily the most he has ever given up in one game. In fact, Gonzalez nearly gave up more yardage in this game than in his first six combined this season, in which he allowed 196 yards.
He also unfortunately made history, becoming the first defender since at least 2018 to let up 80 or more yards to two receivers in the same game. Christian Watson (171 yards), and Matthew Golden (164 yards), each had career highs in receiving yards, combining for 335 of Jordan Love’s 372 passing yards.
Lopsided turnovers
The Patriots have yet to win a game in which they force no turnovers in 2026, and are now 0-3 under that circumstance. New England has the exact same record when Drake Maye throws two or more interceptions in a game, tossing three more against Green Bay. His 11 interceptions through the first nine weeks of the NFL season, tied for the league lead alongside Justin Herbert, are the most for a Patriots’ QB to open a season since Drew Bledsoe in 1994.
While he did pick up his play in the second half versus the Packers, the Patriots were already in a 17-point hole when he got the ball in the third quarter. His mistakes plus the defense allowing 31 points in the first 34 minutes and 9 seconds all contributed to the game’s blowout nature.
A familiar limitation also showed itself again, adding to a game full of flaws on the New England side. Right when it felt that it was snowballing for the Patriots, it became an avalanche when Rhamondre Stevenson got stripped by Isaiah McDuffie midway through the third quarter. This is only Stevenson’s second fumble on the year, the other one occurring in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact, his fumbling issues have gotten progressively better.
Since his alarming 2024 season, when he fumbled times, he only has five combined in 2025 and 2026. The second half begun with a Packers touchdown, followed by a Patriots punt, a Packers field goal, then the fumble by Stevenson. The Packers followed the turnover up with a one-play, 39 yard touchdown to Christian Watson, planting the momentum on the Green Bay sideline.
Slow start
In three straight games, the Patriots have had to play from behind in the first half, having sluggish starts against the Bears, Dolphins, and now the Packers. New England began on Sunday down 17-0 after the celebration of the 2016 Patriots’ Super Bowl team, not scoring their first points until 9:23 on the clock in the 2nd quarter. New England was also down 13-3 at halftime in Miami, and losing 10-0 at the conclusion of the first quarter up in Chicago. The Patriots have been outscored in the first half 51-37 in the past three games.
Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about coming out skittish following the 45-27 loss to the Packers.
“It’s tough to spot good teams any sort of lead,” claimed Vrabel. “And we’ve done that.”
The Patriots will have a long trip across the pond to Munich, Germany to figure out how to correct their numerous mistakes before they face the Detroit Lions. While the Lions’ defense is not as strong as Green Bay’s, their offense has fire power in Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown. New England will need a strong gameplan to neutralize those two if they want to get back on track in Week 10.
