Notes, musings, and observations from the New England Patriots’ 28-22 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.

As Week 11 in the NFL draws to a close, we saw a few streaks broken. Buffalo beat Kansas City, which means New England’s record of 21 straight wins remains intact. The Steelers managed to win another game scoring only field goals. But at least the New England Patriots’ streak of not stringing together back-to-back wins since November of 2022 is alive and well.

1. Last week I wrote that of the four or five games I had the Patriots winning in 2024, they’d...

Javon Baker was forced into special teams snaps because the New England Patriots didn’t trust the rookie wideout on offense.

But now Jerod Mayo and company might not even trust Baker to do that.

The fourth-round pick was pulled off kick return after he received the first two kickoffs in New England’s 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

“On the kick returns, he was back there on the first couple snaps and he didn’t execute the way we all had hoped he would,” Mayo said of Baker during a conference call Monday morning.

Baker...

Daily news and links for Monday.

TEAM TALK

• Post Game Notes: Patriots vs. Rams. Patriots offense generates season-high of 382 total yards; Tackle Vederian Lowe becomes fourth Pats lineman to score a TD; Marcus Jones sees snaps on offense; More.
• Gamebook: Full Rams at Patriots stats.
• Evan Lazar’s Game Observations: Eight takeaways from Sunday’s loss. Offense, Drake Maye show progress; Defense takes a step back; Kendrick Bourne responds to benching with team-high 70 yards and a TD; Patriots don’t shadow Rams WRs with Christian Gonzalez on the boundary; Special teams inconstancies loom large in loss; More. -...

FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots never adjusted to the adjustments.

Rams head coach Sean McVay coached circles around Patriots defensive-minded head coach Jerod Mayo and first-year defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington and helped Los Angeles claim a 28-22 victory at Gillette Stadium on Sunday.

New England’s defensive staff arguably was the biggest reason the Patriots suffered the Week 11 loss, as discussed during the latest episode of NESN’s “Foxboro Rush” podcast.

The Patriots entered with the plan to keep top cornerback Christian Gonzalez on the short side of the field rather than shadow one of LA’s top wideouts. They hoped zone...

Alex Van Pelt took the side-step approach when he recently was asked about a damning report about Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.

Jerod Mayo, meanwhile, decided to tackle the topic head-on.

Fresh off New England’s encouraging win in Chicago, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Patriots ownership looked outside the organization for advice on how to develop Maye. The report depicted a lack of trust in Van Pelt, who claims he doesn’t follow the rumor fill but feels confident in his ability to prepare the 22-year-old.

Mayo was asked about the report Monday, one day after Maye was yet again impressive in...

After an encouraging all-around showing by the Patriots coaching staff in Chicago, Jerod Mayo and company laid an egg in Week 11.

New England’s staff made a series of questionable decisions in a 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium. From very conservative offensive play calls to a head-scratching approach to pass coverage, Patriots coaches did not put their players in the best position to succeed Sunday.

Bill Simmons went as far as calling New England’s latest coaching performance “deplorable.” The Ringer founder and diehard Boston sports fan also issued a theory about the curious decisions made...

The Patriots-starting left tackle caught a 4-yard reception on Sunday.

Down 15 points in the early fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, the New England Patriots were in dire need of a spark. They found it via an unlikely source: starting left tackle Vederian Lowe.

Facing a 2nd-and-goal from the Rams 4-yard line, the team came out in what appeared to be a run look. They had seven players on the line of scrimmage, with quarterback Drake Maye under center as if ready to hand the ball off.

That look was deceiving, though. Not only did Maye not hand...

Kurt Warner loved what he saw from Drake Maye in Week 11.

Maye’s fourth-quarter interception sealed a Patriots loss to the Rams on Sunday afternoon, but the rookie quarterback otherwise was very good at Gillette Stadium. Maye completed 30 of his 40 pass attempts for 282 yards with two touchdowns and added 27 yards on the ground. The 22-year-old helped keep New England competitive in a game where it had very few answers for Los Angeles’ offense.

Warner was dialed into the Super Bowl LIII rematch, and he offered a glowing review of Maye after the 28-22 verdict.

“The game...

Bourne played 36 snaps after getting benched last week.

After being benched last week, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was reinserted into the New England Patriots lineup on Sunday.

His presence was quickly felt, as Bourne tallied a catch on the first offensive play of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.

“I appreciate the coaches for keeping on believing in me. It was a tough situation, but that says a lot about how they’re approaching it,’ Bourne said post game. “They’re doing their job. Shoutout to the coaches. That’s what they have to do. They have to make tough decisions....

Notes and thoughts on New England’s 28-22 loss in NFL Week 11.

The New England Patriots lost another home game on Sunday, this one to the Los Angeles Rams. While they were able to keep things close and had a chance to drive for the victory late, they also seemed to be overmatched at times in the talent department both on and off the field.

As a consequence, the Patriots were defeated with a final score of 28-22. They are now 3-8 on the year, and only theoretically alive in the hunt for a playoff spot.

With that said, let’s...

The former Patriots QB continues to struggle with his new team.

Former New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones continues to struggle with his new team. Starting a second straight game in place of an injured Trevor Lawrence, he had an active hand in the Jacksonville Jaguars getting blown out 52-6 by the Detroit Lions on Sunday.

Jones completed 17 of 29 pass attempts for only 138 yards with one interception. On the year, he is now 37-of-60 for 277 yards with three picks and no touchdown passes.

The 15th overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, Jones showed immediate promise...

Here is who caught our eye, for better or worse, in the Patriots’ loss on Sunday.

The New England Patriots dropped their Week 11 contest 28-22 to the Los Angeles Rams to fall to 3-8 on the year.

Here is who caught our eye for better or worse upon live viewing.

Winners

QB Drake Maye: Sunday was Maye’s best statical game under center, as he set a career-high with 282 passing yards and +0.27 EPA per play. Facing a near 50 percent pressure rate, Maye’s decision-making shined as he carved up the underneath area of the field (27-of-33, 240...