New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo selected to be blunt about his group being in the midst of the pack in run protection this yr following the group’s sixth straight loss, this time to the reeling Jacksonville Jaguars in London.Â
Mayo known as out his run protection as “smooth” after watching one more working again have his manner on the bottom, with Jaguars backup Tank Bigsby, filling in for the injured Travis Etienne Jr., dashing for 118 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns.
There have been instances through the early-window sport that the Jaguars merely handed the ball off as a substitute of calling up passes for Trevor Lawrence.
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New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo within the sport in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars throughout an NFL Worldwide Sequence sport at Wembley Stadium. (Peter van den Berg-Imagn Photos)
Patriots legendary head coach Invoice Belichick had lots of the similar guys on protection in his final season with New England in 2023, they usually have been the most effective run protection within the league final yr.Â
So, throughout his look on “The Pat McAfee Present” on Monday, Belichick didn’t mince his phrases both when reacting to Mayo’s “smooth” remark.Â
“I’m kinda harm for these guys as a result of to name them smooth — they’re not smooth. They have been the most effective group within the league final yr in opposition to the run,” Belichick stated. “These guys went on the market and did it regardless that we couldn’t rating many factors offensively. I really feel dangerous for the defensive gamers on that one as a result of that’s a troublesome group.”
PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO CALLS TEAM ‘SOFT’ AMID SIX-GAME LOSING STREAK
Mayo would later make clear that he didn’t consider the group was smooth, however he felt they performed that manner on Sunday, and he stated as such after the sport.
“We’re a smooth soccer group throughout the board,” Mayo stated Sunday. “We speak about what makes a troublesome soccer group. That’s having the ability to run the ball, having the ability to cease the run, and that’s having the ability to cease kicks, and we did none of these in the present day.”
Head coach of Jerod Mayo the New England Patriots seems on through the fourth quarter of the preseason sport in opposition to the Washington Commanders at Commanders Subject on August 25, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Photos)
For the Patriots’ personal run sport, the Jaguars held them to only 38 whole yards on 15 carries, which is rarely a recipe for achievement regardless of the group.Â
“Final night time, after the sport, I felt like [we] simply went on the market and performed smooth. We’re taking part in smooth in the intervening time,” Mayo stated on Monday. “After I stated taking part in smooth, meaning stopping the run, having the ability to run the ball and overlaying kicks, which we weren’t capable of do. Now, saying that, do I believe we’ve got the fellows that may flip this ship round? 100%. However that comes via onerous work, onerous work comes on the follow area and going on the market and getting higher every day.”
The Patriots are clearly a rebuilding group, particularly contemplating Belichick’s departure after a 4-13 end final yr and needing to proceed bolstering the roster.Â
They did so with a brand new quarterback at No. 3 general, because the Patriots took Drake Maye out of UNC. Maye has began the previous two weeks after Jacoby Brissett started the yr as starter.Â
New England Patriots former head coach Invoice Belichick addressed the media at Gillette Stadium about his departure. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe through Getty Photos)
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However, since surprising the Cincinnati Bengals on the highway in Week 1, the Patriots have been trying to find one other win every week. Â
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