The New England Patriots’ six-game losing streak might not sting as much as their coach calling them soft.
After losing 32-16 in London to the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were also at the bottom of the NFL with just one win, coach Jerod Mayo acknowledged what anyone watching his struggling team already knew: The Patriots lack the toughness needed to compete.
This was evident in the 171 rushing yards they allowed, especially during two second-half possessions where the Jaguars ran the ball 18 times in a row and used up a full 15 minutes on the clock. Still, the Patriots were unable to stop them.
It was also clear in New England’s struggles on offense, where they managed just 38 yards on 15 carries. If you remove quarterback Drake Maye’s scrambles, the three running backs only gained 20 yards on 12 attempts.
“I felt like we just went out there and played soft. We’re playing soft at the moment,” Mayo said on Monday, echoing his postgame remarks. “And when I say ‘playing soft,’ that means stopping the run, being able to run the ball, and being able to cover kicks, which we weren’t able to do.”
Mayo expressed confidence that the players can improve. However, in his first season taking over for Bill Belichick, things appear to be getting worse.
