A difficult first night in New England ended with Romeo Doubs standing at his locker and doing something every quarterback appreciates from a receiver: taking ownership.
Doubs finished without a catch on three targets in the New England Patriots’ 13-10 season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday night.
One of those misses was a fourth-quarter drop with room in front of him, a play that arrived during a collapse in which the Patriots surrendered a 10-0 lead and Drake Maye threw three interceptions.
Afterward, Doubs made sure the drop would not become another mark against Maye.
“That had nothing to do with Drake. That was 150% me. I’ll be better,” Doubs said in video posted by Patriots on CLNS.
“That had nothing to do with Drake. That was 150% on me. I’ll be better.” – @CLNSMedia
It was a concise acknowledgment, and an important one for a connection the Patriots need to develop quickly.
Doubs Takes Blame After Rough Patriots Debut
Doubs’ first regular-season game with New England carried more frustration than production. The Patriots’ official player page shows he finished with zero receptions, while NBC Sports reported that he failed to secure any of his three targets.
His most obvious mistake came in the fourth quarter. Doubs had space on a second-and-14 throw, but he looked upfield before finishing the catch and let the ball get away. The Patriots’ next snap ended with a Maye interception.
Earlier in the quarter, Maye also targeted Doubs down the left sideline on a deep ball that was tipped and intercepted. Patriots.com’s game observations described the play as a fade against Seattle’s Cover 2 look, with the safety getting over the top to help break it up.
Maye later acknowledged he became impatient as the game tightened. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown through three quarters, according to Patriots.com, then went 6 of 11 for 51 yards with three interceptions in the fourth.
That made Doubs’ response stand out. There was no attempt to spread responsibility around on the dropped pass. He also told reporters he “just wasn’t locked in” on the play and said he has “the utmost confidence” in Maye, via the Patriots’ official postgame transcript.
For a new receiver-quarterback pairing, that matters. Miscommunication and missed opportunities can linger when an offense is trying to establish timing. Doubs chose to shut down any debate over where the blame belonged.
Patriots May Need More From Doubs ASAP
The urgency could rise before Week 2.
A.J. Brown left the opener with an ankle injury and did not return. The Boston Globe reported that Brown had three catches for 26 yards before exiting and that Doubs remained one of New England’s available receivers afterward.
Doubs arrived in free agency on a four-year, $68 million contract, per Over the Cap, giving the Patriots a proven target who had topped 600 receiving yards in each of his final three seasons with the Green Bay Packers. His 2025 season produced career highs with 55 catches and 724 yards, along with six touchdowns.
The opener offered none of that return. It also provided an early test of how Doubs handles a mistake in a high-leverage moment.
His answer was immediate: own the drop, back the quarterback and move forward.
New England has plenty to clean up after allowing a winnable game to slip away in Seattle. Maye’s fourth-quarter decisions will receive the most attention, and deservedly so. Doubs made clear that one of the night’s most damaging misses belongs on his ledger.
If Brown’s ankle keeps him out or limits him, Doubs may get a quick chance to make the next statement with his hands.
Patriots WR Who Dropped Key Pass Makes Drake Maye Admission