Dave Portnoy became a target of NFL fans after the New England Patriots suffered a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Portnoy’s pregame predictions failed to match how Wednesday night unfolded.
The Patriots entered the Super Bowl rematch with optimism after last season’s playoff appearance. That confidence disappeared after Seattle erased New England’s 10-0 lead.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter. The turnovers helped Seattle score 13 unanswered points and complete the comeback. Maye finished with 178 passing yards and one touchdown, completing 23 of his 33 attempts.
MORE: Drake Maye addresses dreadful fourth-quarter performance in Patriots’ collapse
Most importantly, Maye struggled badly when the game reached its decisive stage. This was clearly in contrast to Portnoy’s prediction prior to the game that said, “Drake Maye stakes his claim for MVP tonight. AJ Brown stakes his claim as acquisition of the year. Patriots crush the schedule merchants narrative. Mike Vrabel is laser-focused in opener. Tonight is the 1st step to LA.”
The Seahawks won despite losing starting quarterback Sam Darnold to a hip injury early. Drew Lock stepped in and helped Seattle produce the late comeback.
NFL analyst Alfredo Brown summed up the night while reacting to Portnoy’s prediction. “Literally everything went the exact opposite direction,” Brown wrote.
High school coach Mike Sanford also joined the reaction. “This tweet aged worse than my Drake Maye has arrived tweet,” Sanford said.
NFL fans pile onto Dave Portnoy after Patriots collapse
Fans also mocked Portnoy as the Patriots’ outlook changed during the fourth quarter. One fan offered a blunt assessment: “0/4 on those claims.”
Another frustrated fan went further, criticizing Maye and the Patriots’ overall performance. “Maye shows he’s average at best; Brown does nothing. Patriots show they were schedule merchants last year. Vrabel dreaming of being on the beach with his bimbo. Tonight was the first step to tanking in week 17 for a better draft pick,” the fan wrote.
The Patriots also failed to win the turnover battle, losing it 3-0. That margin proved critical because every turnover came from Maye’s fourth-quarter interceptions. And a fan pointed to the same, writing: “He threw 3 INTs… And lost to Drew Lock, who outperformed him in every way. 😂.”
MORE: Drew Lock reacts to replacing Sam Darnold after Seahawks game
The final interception came with 21 seconds remaining. Maye forced a pass toward Mack Hollins, and Josh Jobe intercepted it in the end zone.
The social-media backlash aimed at Portnoy, reflects how fast NFL predictions can collapse. The Patriots now face questions about Maye, their offense, and their ability to close games.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —