Patriots' Baffling Final Second Meltdown Loss Dubbed Possible 'Dumbest Play in NFL History' – Watch
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Rick Scuteri/AP/Shutterstock
The New England Patriots may have made NFL history on Sunday – but not in the way they meant to, unfortunately.
New England's NFL team was all set to head to overtime in the fourth quarter of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. However, a confounding collapse during the last play handed the Patriots their seventh loss of the season.
With three seconds left on the game clock, both teams had 24 points, but the Patriots had the ball at their own 44-yard line and could have taken the game to overtime by just protecting the ball.
Raiders' Chandler Jones retrieved the ball after a chaotic sequence involving Patriots' Mac Jones and Jakobi Meyers.
What just happened?? The @Raiders win on the final play!! #NEvsLV pic.twitter.com/cmKNUuab1k
— NFL (@NFL) December 19, 2022
The Raiders scored a touchdown as the clock ran out and won the game 30-24.
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Following the game, Meyers was visibly disappointed with his final play. He told Patriots beat reporter Zack Cox for NESN that the error happened because he was "trying to do too much" and "trying to be the hero" during the final play of the quarter.
"I ain't see the dude back there," Meyers said of Jones. Meyers explained he "tried to throw the ball" but that he "should have just went down."
An emotional Jakobi Meyers said he was “trying to do too much and trying to be a hero” on the final play. Said he knew the score was tied and the play didn’t call for a lateral. pic.twitter.com/KiOIjKOqcR
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) December 19, 2022
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Head coach Bill Belichick didn't seem to take the loss too hard, telling reporters, "Obviously, we made a mistake," postgame.
ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith didn't take the loss as lightly, however, calling the defeat "just embarrassing" and "unbelievable" during a broadcast segment on Monday.
Smith said he "doesn't want to hear about coaching" as a factor for the collapse, issuing most of the blame to Meyers. "We appreciate the fact that he manned up, stood at the locker, answered the questions, accepted accountability, no doubt about that," he began. "Mad love to him, I'm sure the future will be brighter."
John Locher/AP/Shutterstock
Then, Smith said the final moments of Sunday's game "might be the dumbest play in NFL history," before adding that Meyers' "name is written all over it."
Retired Patriots star Julian Edelman was just as disappointed in his former team's effort on Sunday. Edelman, 36, shared a video of his reaction to the final score.
"What the f--k are we doing," Edelman said directly to the camera in the video before throwing his hat down.
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The wild ending had plenty of NFL stars and personalities reacting on social media afterward, including Pro Bowler Robert Griffin III.
Chandler Jones STIFF ARMED Mac Jones into the underworld FOR THE WIN
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) December 19, 2022
Next, the Patriots will host the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium. Cincinnati defeated Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, 34-23.