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SEATTLE — After Drake Maye’s post-game press conference ended, the Patriots quarterback sat facing his locker, staring down into space while the rest of his teammates dressed and departed for the team bus. This isn’t the way Maye envisioned the season beginning. This isn’t the way anyone could have envisioned the Patriots’ season beginning. The Patriots lost 13-10 to a Seahawks team that lost its starting quarterback, Sam Darnold, in their opening series. Maye threw three interceptions, including the game-clinching play, when he floated the ball into the right side of the end zone toward wide receiver Mack Hollins with Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe in coverage. Jobe hauled in the pass and tapped both toes inbounds. Hollins lamented his inability to disrupt the pick. It was unclear in the moment if Maye was trying to throw the ball away or deliver a game-winning touchdown pass. “It was something where we had a certain protection on, we were cutting, and was trying to get rid of it, and realized Mack was in the back there in the back and didn’t put enough on to get it out, and it was just unacceptable,” Maye said. “We had a chance to send it overtime at the worst, and the only thing you couldn’t do was turn the ball over.” That’s the thing. The Patriots were trailing 13-10, facing third-and-5 from the Seahawks’ 16-yard line with 26 seconds on the clock. Had Maye thrown the ball away, the Patriots could have kicked a chip-shot field goal and given themselves a chance in overtime. After throwing two interceptions on consecutive drives, Maye had a chance to be a hero and had already converted on two fourth downs. Prior to his three picks, the Patriots were beating the Seahawks 10-0. The only thing they couldn’t do was turn the ball over. “We had the game under control. I thought we had a good plan to try to start chipping away and be patient, and yeah, lost patience and costed us,” Maye said. “I think just decisions that cost the game on my part and my end. (I have to) be better and realize that it’s a long season. At the same time, you can’t have those. We can’t have those, and it’s unacceptable. And I know that we have to get back to work. That wasn’t how I play football and how I want to represent my game and playing quarterback with the Patriots.” Maye’s coaches and teammates had his back after the game. Head coach Mike Vrabel had a message for his quarterback, who was the runner-up for NFL MVP last season. “It’s a long season,” Vrabel said. “Gotta hold your head up high. We have nothing but the utmost confidence in him.” Left tackle Will Campbell, who had a bounce-back game in the Super Bowl LX rematch, also stood behind his quarterback. “Man, I told him we’re riding with him any day of the week and twice on Sunday,” Campbell said. Maye appeared to underthrow two long passes in the game even before his final interception. It worked the first time, with wide receiver A.J. Brown drawing a 34-yard defensive pass interference on a flea flicker. Maye’s first interception came on his second underthrow, when a pass to wide receiver Romeo Doubs was batted by defensive back Rodney Thomas and picked off by Nehemiah Pritchett. “The one to A.J., he’s wide open,” Maye said. “I didn’t want to try to overthrow it on the on the flea flicker. Other than that, I’m trying to have ball placement. Ball placement’s key in this league, and trying to make sure that I put in the right spot. And I didn’t.” Maye has a long break before he can rebound. The Patriots’ next game is at home against the Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 20.