3 Patriots who should be benched or traded after loss to Texans with Drake Maye

The New England Patriots were blown out of the water in Foxboro on Sunday afternoon, losing 41-21 to the visiting Houston Texans. It was a game of positives and negatives for the New England fanbase, mostly centered on the starting debut of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.

Maye's first NFL start went about as we expected. The Texans' high-pressure defense got to him early and often in the first quarter, but he settled in and performed much better down the stretch. Maye finished the game with three touchdown passes, which is already more than Jacoby Brissett had in five weeks to open the season.

He also threw two interceptions and took four sacks, but all things considered, Maye performed quite well. It's tough sledding for rookie QBs in the NFL and Maye isn't exactly operating in perfect conditions. The Patriots' O-line has been an ongoing problem, the run game has cratered in recent weeks and the receiving corps ranks among the worst in the NFL.

Maye completed 20-of-33 passes for 243 yards in the end, averaging 7.4 yards per attempt. As New England looks to build off this performance, there will be plenty of positives to take away. If Maye can get more help in the weeks to come, perhaps New England can string together a few wins and climb out of the NFL basement.

In the meantime, here are a few players deserving of your consternation after a brutal 20-point loss that overshadowed what could otherwise be thought of as a positive step toward the future for the Patriots organization.

3. Christian Gonzalez was a complete turnstile in the Patriots defensive backfield

The Patriots' offense was better than we've seen for much of the season, but it didn't matter with the defense in complete disarray. C.J. Stroud led two quick touchdown drives in the first quarter and never looked back, as the Texans' passing attack knifed through the Patriots' secondary with uncommon ease.

Perhaps the biggest culprit was second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who allowed six catches on seven targets for 44 yards and a touchdown, per PFF's in-game tracking (h/t Doug Kyed, Boston Herald). Don't believe me or the stats? Just ask Gonzalez himself.

Most of Gonzalez's struggles came against Stefon Diggs, who finished the afternoon with six receptions, 77 yards and a score. A first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Gonzalez has been propped up as a building block for this Patriots defense. He — and the Patriots as a whole — cannot afford such ineffective outings.

New England has enough trouble scoring its own points. If the defense can't generate stops or at least make it difficult on the opponent, it's safe to say the Patriots won't win too many games. Gonzalez has better days ahead, but Week 6 was one to forget for the 22-year-old.

2. Antonio Gibson did not fare well in place of Rhamondre Stevenson

The Patriots will hope that Rhamondre Stevenson is healthy and available come Week 7, but his absence on Sunday was a pronounced issue for the New England offense. Room to run has been scarce for the Patriots' RBs of late, but at a certain point, we cannot just blame the offensive line and move on.

Antonio Gibson was tasked with filling the injured Stevenson's shoes on Sunday. The 26-year-old, in his first season with the Patriots, couldn't get much going at all. Gibson finished the game with 13 carries for 19 yards, averaging 1.5 yards per tote. He was more effective in the passing game — three receptions on four targets for 24 yards — but with a rookie quarterback under center, New England would've benefitted from a more stable run game.

Gibson has been better in more limited doses this season, but he's clearly not RB1 material, even in a pinch. Stevenson is on track for a productive campaign, but the Patriots' lack of viable alternatives is striking. This is a team that should be built around the run, if anything just to ease the burden on Maye. It's not great that Maye, forced to scramble and improvise on a regular basis Sunday afternoon, actually led the Patriots with 38 rushing yards.

This will be an ongoing theme for the rest of the season: How well can New England establish the run to balance out Maye's air raid? Hopefully the answer is more favorable in the weeks to come.

1. Ja'Lynn Polk continues to disappoint in rookie campaign at WR

The Patriots' offense took on a more explosive passing dynamic with Drake Maye under center, as expected. Several New England pass catchers reaped the rewards, including a touchdown a piece for DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and tight end Hunter Henry. Somewhat surprisingly, however, rookie wideout Ja'Lynn Polk remained largely a non-factor.

An early second-round pick in April's NFL Draft, Polk was expected to command a significant target share out of the gate for a New England team lacking at his position. There are obvious hopes of a budding connection between Polk and Maye, propped up as the foundational pieces of New England's offensive future. Oftentimes we see rookie QBs and rookie WRs develop quick connections; it's only natural, since both arrive around the same time and feel a unique sort of kinship.

Polk was targeted four times on Sunday, but he only made one catch for four yards. The Washington product deserves the patience of New England's fanbase — especially with the postseason out of sight and out of mind for this team — but it's hard to ignore Polk's sustained ineffectiveness to begin the season. He has 10 catches through six weeks, finding pay dirt just once. That is not what New England fans want out of their presumed franchise WR.

Perhaps Maye and Polk can establish a sturdier bond as the season progresses. It's a long journey to Week 18. But, as of now, it's easy to get a little concerned about Polk's lack of consistency week-to-week.