FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — There was no stirring comeback this time, nothing for the Panthers to hang their hats on in the aftermath.

Instead, they're left to consider the near-opposite result of the week before, leaving New England with a 42-13 loss.

The Panthers entered feeling some positivity after last week's 30-0 win over the Falcons, but they also walked into the game short-handed on defense, but made mistakes to compound that problem.

And Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was happy to capitalize against his hometown team, throwing for 203 yards and two touchdowns and running for one as well — going with the Cam Newton Superman pose he saw growing up in Charlotte to celebrate.

The special teams units, which had been so helpful early, did not have a good day, allowing a return on a punt in the first half and missing a pair of kicks.

And the offense opened the game with an impressive touchdown drive, but then didn't offer much the rest of the day, as injuries began to stack up there.

They finished the game short-handed in a number of areas because of those injuries, and didn't have the balm of their Arizona comeback to make the trip home any easier.

Bryce Young was sharp on the first drive of the game, going 4-of-4 passing for 48 yards, spreading the ball to four different receivers before Tommy Tremble opened the game with a 7-yard touchdown.

They failed to sustain that momentum, as the Patriots slowed them at midfield, and then returned the subsequent punt for the play that shifted the momentum of the rest of the game.

Young finished 18-of-30 for 150 yards and that touchdown, before coming out for Andy Dalton to finish the game, which included a touchdown pass to Mitchell Evans.

Special teams problems costly

The Panthers had mostly enjoyed a successful first month of the season on special teams.

That streak stopped suddenly.

The Panthers allowed 148 yards of punt return yardage to Marcus Jones in the first half alone, including an 87-yard touchdown for their first score of the game. Jones finished with 167 yards on returns.

It was the fourth-longest punt return allowed in team history, and the first since Dec. 13, 2020, when Denver's Diontae Spencer scored.

They had been tight against kickoff coverage, but their punt coverage units missed several tackles on both the early touchdown and a 61-yard return later in the half.

Another punt just before the half came close to being blocked, but Sam Martin rolled it out of bounds at the Patriots 2-yard line.

Also, Ryan Fitzgerald, who entered the game perfect on all his kicks as a pro (5-of-5 on both extra points and field goals), missed an extra point early and a field goal in the first half.

He doinked his first extra point attempt of the game, and then left the field goal short and wide.

Injuries stacked up early

The Panthers lost a pair of starters in the first quarter, including one on the first play.

Wide receiver David Moore took the first snap of the game for a 12-yard run, but left the game on a cart with an elbow injury.

Jones, the Patriots cornerback who returned all the punts, had Moore's arm pinned awkwardly as they fell at the end of the play. A cart was immediately dispatched to collect him, and he threw a thumbs-up in the air as he was taken to the locker room.

Later in the first quarter, right guard Chandler Zavala left the game with a knee injury, and he did not return. He was replaced by practice-squader Brandon Walton, who was elevated for the second straight game.

Defensive tackle Cam Jackson was announced with a knee injury, but he continued to play.

Rookie wide receiver/special teamer Dalevon Campbell left with a hamstring injury and did not return.