In the opening game of a new NFL season, a young quarterback faced the oldest test in sport: whether talent forged in practice can hold its shape under the weight of consequence. Drake Maye, in his first professional start, led the Patriots to a 10-point halftime lead against Seattle, only to watch it dissolve through three fourth-quarter interceptions — the last of which, thrown into the end zone with a win or overtime within reach, sealed a 13-10 loss. He offered no deflection afterward, only the quiet acknowledgment that patience had abandoned him at the moment it mattered most.