Reaction to the Jets catastrophe may reveal a lot about the Patriots in 2024 | Karen Guregian
In every way, the Jets game fell short of expectations. neither by the coaches nor by the players. There’s no need to assign blame. This was a collapse of the collective. “As coaches, it is our responsibility to hold up the mirror to the players’ faces and remind them of the reality,” Mayo stated. It’s not about your mother, brother, or relatives trying to convince you that you’re not to blame. We are all to blame for it. Once more, it begins with
The 24-3 loss on Thursday left many unhappy. For Mayo and the coaching staff, losing at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball was a stomach punch. This Patriots club, who are currently 1-2 after losing their last two games, is expected to win the trench battle every time. Mayo want a football team that is unflappable, physical, astute, and tough. These are the “non-negotiables,” as captain David Andrews put it, and Mayo received none of the aforementioned from his teammates in New York. Mayo stated during the week, “As a coaching staff and as players, we’re still trying to figure this thing out, and we’ll get better.” We just must improve each and every week, and Thursday night clearly wasn’t indicative
In their Week 4 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the Patriots should show their true colors. It should establish if the Patriots’ identity is more in line with what they displayed in the first two games or the last, and whether the Jets game was the exception rather than the rule. If Mayo can rally the squad after their AFC East rival’s butt-kicking, it will also be a measure of how well he handles his first taste of hardship, whether the Patriots succeed or fail. Mayo was selected to replace Bill Belichick in part because of his ability to relate to and interact with today’s players, which was one of his strengths. He has given the players a voice and maintained open communication with the
