The New England Patriots sit at 1-6 on the season. Finding themselves in a three-way tie for the No. 1 overall pick, the Patriots season may already be over.
Head coach Jerod Mayo, who vowed to bring less of the “hard ass vibe” that his predecessor was known for, recently called the team soft following a 32-16 loss to the Jaguars.
“We’re a soft football team,” Mayo said.
The rookie head coach might be right, but you’re not supposed to say that part out loud.
While New England has struggled on offense for the past couple of years, the physical defense has defined the team for the past quarter-century.
But that’s just not been the case this season. The run defense has been surprisingly stagnant this year. Looking at the pure stats through seven games, the team is allowing an average of 176 rush yards per game. Just one season prior, New England had allowed an average of 100 rush yards per game through the first seven games.
Sure, the dip in production can be attributed to the losses of standout defenders Jabrill Peppers, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Christian Barmore. But the mantra throughout the league has always been “next man up”. The team neglected the linebacker position during the draft and they are paying the price.
Opposing offenses have targeted the middle of New England’s defense, with Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby becoming the latest player to rack up the stats.
Mayo has faced criticism online and in the press during the season for his media handling. But this time, he’s found himself in headlines beyond the New England area.
Former Patriots safety Devin McCourty called out his former teammate for labeling New England soft during an NBC broadcast.
“Why, Jerod? Why is this team not tough,” McCourty said. “When you hear a team isn’t tough and they are soft, you think, ‘What is the head coach doing?’”
Mayo — a defensive-minded coach — has witnessed struggles with the overall defense as well, not just the run.
The team is allowing 25 points per game, good for 23rd in the league. A noticeable downgrade in efficiency from last year, when New England allowed 21.5 points per game, ranking 14th overall.
The 2023 Patriots finished the season with the third-worst record in the league and criticism flying from all sides. Their 4-13 record resulted in Bill Belichick being shown the door and Jerod Mayo ushered in as head coach.
The 2023 Patriots’ record through seven weeks is 2-5. As previously mentioned, the current Patriots’ record is 1-6.
Belichick has not been shy about his feelings towards his former team. During an appearance on Tom Brady and Jim Gray’s “Let’s Go” podcast, the eight-time Super Bowl champion did not mince words.
“I think when you criticize your team publicly like that, it doesn’t always go over well,” Belichick said. “Ultimately I always felt that when the team played bad, that was my responsibility.”
The Patriots still have half a season of football left, anything can happen. But if the team continues to play with this alleged “soft” mentality, it may be a bumpy ride.
Leave a comment