It's time to play the blame game after the New England Patriots' 10th loss of the 2024 NFL season.
Sunday's 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium may have been the Patriots' most deflating defeat of the campaign. They had a seven-point lead when they punted to the Colts with just over five minutes to go, then Indy's rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson led a 19-play touchdown drive followed by the game-winning two-point conversion.
Our Tom E. Curran and Phil Perry have different views on what led to New England's demise. Curran blamed the coaching staff's conservative approach while Perry took issue with the team's mental mistakes.
🔊 Patriots Talk Podcast: 'Cautious' Patriots continue to coach not to lose in maddening loss to Colts | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
The duo discussed the loss in more detail during the latest episode of the Patriots Talk Podcast. They highlighted the Pats players whose stocks took a hit and the players who stood out as bright spots in the loss.
Here are Curran and Perry's "Stock Up" and "Stock Down" selections for Week 13.
MORE PATRIOTS
Stock Down
Bryce Baringer, P
Perry: "Not only did he have the hold in question (on Joey Slye's 25-yard missed field goal), but the one punt he had was sort of a shank."
Hunter Henry, TE
Perry: "I hate to do this, because he had a nice game and then he got rocked, and I wonder if this impacted him. ... Very dependable guy, generally speaking, but had that tough interception off his hands."
JB scooped it right off the goal line!
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) December 1, 2024
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/YbfBlw2vS8
Stock Up
Alex Austin, CB
Curran: "It was a penalty that he was called on for checking (Alec) Pierce on that play. But other than that penalty, he still gets a Stock Up from me because he had several nice pass breakups and tackles.
Perry: "You've been asking for another big corner. Maybe he is able to string some games together here down the stretch and they feel like they can use him next year."
Antonio Gibson, RB
Perry: "What a touchdown run from him. He ran through about four arm tackles it felt like, running behind Mike Onwenu, who was pulling on the play. Nice downhill power gap scheme kind of run."
Antonio Gibson with the hesi 😮💨
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 1, 2024
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/i2IckoYtZq
Drake Maye, QB
Perry: "Drake Maye was dealing today. Just dealing. I mean, some of those throws, the in-cuts to Kendrick Bourne where he sort of waited for him to clear the linebacker and he's hitting him on the move, the touchdown throw to Austin Hooper, the scramble up the sideline, notices man coverage. ... Drake Maye, for me, is a Stock Up after a rough outing last week in Miami."