At this point, it’s the quote heard ’round the world.

“We’re a soft football team across the board,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told the media on Sunday following his team’s 32-16 loss to the Jaguars. “You talk about what makes a tough football team. That is being able to run the ball, that’s being able to stop the run, being able to cover kicks. We did none of those today.”

Mayo has since walked back his comments saying on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, “We don’t have a soft football team, we’re playing soft” — but the point still stands. They’re not doing enough to win football games right now, and it comes down to those three things: running the football, stopping the run, and covering kicks.

As different as the two regimes have been so far, this moniker from Mayo actually comes directly from the Bill Belichick playbook. Belichick, verbatim, defined being a tough football team as follows: running the ball, stopping the run, kick [off] coverage.

So let’s break all three down — and how the Patriots did none of the three well enough on Sunday versus Jacksonville:

RUNNING THE BALL

The Patriots came into Sunday with their seventh offensive line combination in as many weeks, and a running back in Rhamondre Stevenson who practiced on Friday for the first time in over two weeks as he battled through a foot injury.

As a result, New England ran for a measly 38 yards on 15 attempts (2.5 YPC) against the Jaguars. Drake Maye and Stevenson were tied as the team’s leading rushers with just 18 yards each, while Antonio Gibson ran for just four yards on three attempts, and JaMycal Hasty ran for -2 (!!) yards on his two attempts.

These numbers are a far cry from where they were to start the season. After averaging over five yards-per-carry through the first five weeks of the season, New England’s rushing offense has fallen off a cliff over their last two games. Here are some of the numbers:

“That’s something you got to watch on film,” Mayo said after the game when asked what’s been plaguing this phase of their game. “What I will say is it’s a mentality, it’s an attitude. Here as of late, our run game just hasn’t been able to do anything offensively.”

Second-level defenders were once again the biggest issue for the #Patriots ground game, which went right on nearly every carry vs JAX

Backside pursuit from both levels consistently blew up outside zone, and pullers struggled to create movement on gap schemes pic.twitter.com/WJ6XwrZOVS

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 21, 2024

STOPPING THE RUN

The Patriots also had their issues stopping the run on Sunday, allowing Tank Bigsby and co. to rush for 171 yards and two touchdowns on 39 carries.

New England tied a season-worst with six explosive runs versus the Jaguars on Sunday, and have now allowed 22 such runs since Week 3, tied for the second most in the NFL.

The #Patriots tied a season-worst with 6 explosive runs allowed vs the Jags

3 came on the same concept and drive, but from slightly different looks, hitting between Godchaux + Wise with the RB escaping to the third level

Tavai wound up on the ground 2x as the playside LB pic.twitter.com/7AtO8mylvI

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 21, 2024

Mentioned last week the #Patriots should use more of their beefy 5-man fronts with Ekuale at DE over Wise/White

Saw just that on Sunday, especially in H2, but it wasn't enough to slow down JAX's inside zone and power schemes

Most hit middle-left at Godchaux, Roy, and Johnson pic.twitter.com/ETGwl3baHz

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 21, 2024

Bill Belichick weighed in on New England’s struggles up front on Monday’s edition of ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show, and took issue with Mayo calling, at least the defensive side of the football, soft:

“Defensively, the Patriots led the league last year in rushing defense,” the former head coach explained. “Yards per carry: No. 1 in the league, and this year they’re way down in the 20s somewhere… It’s the same guys. They re-signed [Anfernee] Jennings, they re-signed [Jahlani] Tavai, they re-signed [Kyle] Dugger. Marcus Jones and [Christian] Gonzalez have been healthy… You got [Deatrich] Wise, you got [Davon] Godchaux, you got Keion White, you got [Marte] Mapu. It’s a lot the same players… I’m kind of hurt for those guys. Because to call them soft, they’re not soft. They were the best team in the league last year against the run… I feel bad for the defensive players on that one because those guys, that’s a tough group.”

Sounds like the former man in charge is putting it on the coaching, while the new man in charge is putting it on execution:

“We just got to play better,” Mayo said after the game. “We got to play better technique. Got to lock our guy out in front of us. That’s what it comes down to, locking the guy out in front of you, dominating him and making a tackle.”

“It’s not the X’s and O’s,” he continued on Monday morning. ” We just have to be where we’re supposed to be.”

KICK COVERAGE

One thing Mayo and Belichick did agree on from Sunday’s loss? The lack of execution in the punt game. After allowing 14 straight points in the second quarter, New England allowed Jacksonville’s Parker Washington to return a Bryce Baringer punt for a 96-yard touchdown.

“Bryce has been a weapon for us the entire year as far as flipping the field,” Mayo explained on WEEI when asked what he saw on film from the play. “One thing I would say is, if you punt the ball right now the middle of the field, it puts a lot of stress on everyone else, and that’s what happened.”

Belichick had the same feeling.

“I don’t understand why punters just want to punt the ball straight down the middle against good returners,” he told McAfee. “And okay, it comes back 97 yards but I mean, look, it’s hard when you lay it right down the middle — like right down the middle of the field, and you’ve gotta cover all 53 1/3 yards and you outkick the coverage.”

“Now I get it, Baringer might lead the league in average…”, Belichick continued. “He’s got an 80-yarder, a 77-something-yarder, but they’re so hard to cover… and look, if you’re gonna go right down the middle, then put some hangtime on the ball! Like get it up there! Like those four-second, 69-yarders are hard to cover.”

Dial and Cardona wound up in the same area before being sealed off on JAX's return TD, and it looked like Elliss and Tavai may have run too far upfield

Mayo criticized the unit for punting to the middle, outkicking coverage, getting out-leveraged, and poor lane discipline https://t.co/G4PpncTZDp pic.twitter.com/PXOyqC6DmX

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 21, 2024

On top of the poor punt, the Patriots failed to maintain their lanes and were out-leveraged the whole way down the field.

“Back to the drawing board,” said Mayo following Sunday’s loss. “I mean, we can’t sit here and pout. We just got to put a game together.”

At 1-6, he couldn’t be more right. The Patriots have another winnable game on the slate next Sunday as they welcome the 2-5 New York Jets to town. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

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After calling out his football team following their disappointing 32-16 loss to the Jaguars in London on Sunday, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo is already walking back his comments.

“We’re a soft football team across the board,” he said on Sunday. “You talk about what makes a tough football team. That’s being able to run the ball, that’s being able to stop the run, being able to cover kicks. We did none of those today.”

On Monday morning, however, Mayo changed his tune.

“We don’t have a soft football team,” he told WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show. “We’re playing soft.”

Mayo also clarified his comments in his Monday morning press conference with the media, saying that his team is “playing soft at the moment.” The head coach still alluded to stopping the run, running the football, and covering kicks as his barometer for performance. He added, “Do I think we have the guys in there that can turn this ship around? 100%. But that comes through hard work, hard work on the practice field, and going out there, just getting better each and every day.”

After climbing out to a 10-0 lead on Sunday, New England collapsed around themselves. They allowed the Jaguars to score 25 consecutive points (including 22 in the second quarter alone) and gave up 171 yards on the ground for an average of 4.4 yards per carry. Their own run game, meanwhile, tallied 38 rushing yards at just 2.5 yards per carry. Drake Maye was their leading rusher with 18 yards.

“It’s a mentality, it’s an attitude,” Mayo said when asked to explain his team’s lack of control in the run game. “Here as of late, our run game just hasn’t been able to do anything offensively. Defensively, the players, we just got to play better. We got to play better technique. Got to lock our guy out in front of us. That’s what it comes down to, locking the guy out in front of you, dominating him and making a tackle.”

“It’s the front seven,” he explained on Monday after watching the film. “We just have to be more disciplined, build on a wall and defeating blockers in front of us. Look, it’s not the X’s and O’s. We just have to be where we’re supposed to be.”

Speaking of messaging, Mayo has said many times that he’ll occasionally use media for messaging and now, his players are doing the same. Davon Godchaux, Kendrick Bourne, and Daniel Ekuale have all spoken out recently about their teammates not doing enough, and on Sunday wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and KJ Osborn took to social media to let out their post-game thoughts. Polk posted a “peace sign” emoji on his Instagram story after another poor performance, and Osborn posted a conversation with a friend about his perseverance through, “being told [he] would be inactive on Wednesday” to scoring a touchdown on Sunday.

“I don’t think it creates a divide in the room at all,” said Mayo when asked about his players speaking out. “I think just how I use the media sometimes for messaging, I think some of the players do the same thing. I’m not going to tell them, ‘Say this, say that.’ No, if that’s how you feel, if you feel like you’re the best player in the league, then go out and do it. If you feel like you want to challenge your brother beside you, I mean, go out and do it. Just, I think they use it as a tool to get guys going.”

He was also asked if he’s concerned about losing the locker room following their 1-6 start:

“I’m not worried about that. The guys, they understand. Every week is its own week. It’s my job, when we get there on Wednesday, is to change the page.”

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — “Moving the football and finding completions.”

It was a simple answer to a complex question that was asked of Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye on Wednesday, about how he finds his confidence on the field.

“I think any quarterback, you kind of get more confident getting first downs, finding completions, making a good throw or making the right throw,” he continued. “That’s the biggest thing, making the right throw. At the same time, you get confidence from others… I try to remind myself on the sideline to kind of be the voice that pumps some guys up. Other than that, just try to kind of build my role as a leadership role each and every week as I try to earn the guys’ respect.”

Maye completed 20 of his 33 pass attempts in his first career start last Sunday versus the Houston Texans. Three of the completions went for touchdowns, and two of the incompletions for interceptions. Despite the two turnovers through the air (and one on the found via strip sack), Maye’s teammates seem to be all on board with having the rookie under-center.

“I love how he gained confidence throughout the game and I thought it was a good first game for him,” slot receiver DeMario Douglas said following Sunday’s contest vs. the Texans. “He’s [a good player] and I like the confidence that he had going into his first game. They are a good team and he held his own. We have a young offense, and we are making progress. [It was] our first game together as a young offense and I felt like we should be moving forward after this game.”

Douglas had a career day versus Houston, hauling in six receptions for 92 yards on nine targets and scoring his first NFL touchdown.

Tight end Hunter Henry was the beneficiary of increased production as well with Maye at the helm, catching three catches for 41 yards his own first touchdown of 2024. The captain was asked on Wednesday what he saw in his quarterback from a confidence perspective on Sunday:

“I think the progression through the game was big… one thing for him that I saw, obviously making some mistakes early, but just being able to bounce back was big. It can be tough sometimes early, making those mistakes, but he just continued to fire away, continued to go. I think that mental toughness is something that he can build on, we can all build on, and we can learn from.”

‘He has that confidence and never was down,” Douglas said about Maye’s early interception. “When you have a [quarterback] that is never down, it gives us confidence. He came into the huddle saying, ‘Come on, let’s go’ and pushed us to be like ‘We got your back.'”

Maye will need his teammates to have his back on Sunday if they want to get him his first win as a Patriot. The quarterback was pressured on 20 drop backs last week versus Houston — a rate of 47.6% according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He was also sacked four times.

The good news for Maye? The Jaguars are generating the third-lowest pressure rate in the NFL this season at just 26.9%. With a clean pocket against the Texans, the QB completed 12 of 18 passes for 162 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

Taking on a 1-5 Jacksonville team with an abundance of confidence from both Maye and his teammates may be the perfect time for Alex Van Pelt to let it rip offensively.

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Good morning, happy Sunday, and welcome back into another edition of ‘Patriots notes, quotes, & anecdotes’. We’re back with another column hitting on all of the happenings surrounding the New England Patriots.

Here we go:

— The future is now in New England.

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls — welcome to Maye Day.

The future is now in New England, as the Patriots are officially set to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye under center today against the Houston Texans

I think it’s a great opportunity,” the 2024 No. 3 overall pick told the media on Wednesday. “It’s something you dream of, getting your first start in the NFL. I’m really excited to get out there with the guys, take advantage of having the full week to get prepared, and try to put my best foot forward to help the team win.”

As Maye grazed the sidelines for New England’s first five weeks of the season, he did so with an earpiece in his ear — listening to offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt relay play calls to Jacoby Brissett. He said he “balanced a lot of different things,” over the last month-plus while learning behind the veteran.

“I’ve learned so much from him and seeing how he goes about practice,” Maye said of Brissett. “…Watching Jacoby and watching how he handles the whole nine yards, whether it’s preparing, handling teammates… He’s been great, and a great mentor.”

Brissett, who signed a one-year, $8 million contract in March to serve as the de facto bridge quarterback to Maye, wasn’t cutting it. The Patriots are on a four-game losing streak since winning their opener in Cincinnati, have the league’s worst passing offense (119.4 YPG), and are scoring just 12.4 points per game. It’s not all the quarterback’s fault, however.

Heading into Week 6, New England’s offensive line is giving up a league-high pressure rate of 48.3% per Next Gen Stats, and has allowed 19 quarterback sacks, second most behind only the Cleveland Browns. It’s not going to get any easier this week either. The Texans are currently leading the league in pressure at a rate of 42%, and DE Danielle Hunter leads the league with 29 pressure.

Good luck, rook!

— Barmore back soon?

Defensive tackle Christian Barmore sent Patriots Nation into a mini-frenzy on Thursday night when he posted an hourglass emoji to his Twitter timeline:

— Christian Barmore (@chris_barmore) October 10, 2024

Barmore, who New England signed to a four-year, $92 million contract extension this offseason that made him the highest-paid Patriot ever not named Tom Brady, hasn’t practiced with the team since late July after being diagnosed with blood clots. The defensive tackle

“He’s progressing,” Jerod Mayo said on Friday morning when asked about Barmore’s mysterious social media post. “He still has some checkpoints or hurdles to get over, but he’s progressing well.”

Mayo was then asked if he believes there’s a better chance now than there was a few weeks ago that Barmore can play for the Patriots at some point this season:

“I would say yes.”

Barmore has been incredible to start his young NFL career. Over his first three seasons, the former star at Alabama has tallied 133 total tackles, 14.5 run stuffs, and 12.5 sacks. In 2023, he led the Patriots’ defense with 8.5 sacks. Bringing him into New England’s already-solid front seven would be a massive addition for the remainder of the year.

— David Andrews plans to play football again in 2025.

The Patriots received some rough news last week when center and captain David Andrews opted for surgery on his injured right shoulder. He was placed on injured reserve and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season, according to Jerod Mayo.

On his Quick Snap podcast with Brian Hoyer this week, Andrews shared that it’s a torn rotator cuff and that while he’s done for this season, he plans to continue playing football in 2025:

“In ’21 I ripped the rotator cuff off the bone. Now I’ve torn it in the meat of it. So what they’re gonna try to do is put a — now this is someone who didn’t graduate college trying to explain — but they’re gonna try to put a sheath over this and hopefully the muscles regrow.”

He continued: “It’s not 100%, but it gives me the best shot to continue my football career and that’s all I can ask for.”

— Robert Kraft weighs in on Jabrill Peppers’ situation.

Patriots captain and safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested last Saturday morning after police officers responded to a disturbance at a home. The 29-year-old was charged with assault and battery, strangulation, and possession of a class “B” substance believed to be cocaine after being accused of choking a woman multiple times and pushing her head against a wall before forcing her from his apartment. He pleaded not guilty on Monday.

In response to the arrest and subsequent charges, the NFL placed Peppers on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, a transaction that protects both the team and the player. Peppers will continue to be paid while on the list and is permitted to attend meetings, workouts, and receive treatments at the team facility. He cannot, however, practice or attend games. The transaction also frees up a roster spot for the team in the meantime.

Jerod Mayo told reporters on Wednesday that while he’s allowed to be with the team per league rules, Peppers will not be in the building “in the near term.”

Patriots owner Robert Kraft responded to the situation on “The Breakfast Club” on Friday:

“When you read the thing initially, it turns your stomach. But we’ve learned — and I don’t know the facts of this case, and Jerod [Mayo] called me, we spoke about it. Once he goes on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, they do their independent checking. We’re doing ours…”

He continued: “There have been some suggestions that this was a set up and a lot of what’s [being] reported is not accurate. I’ve seen in life… someone could set up something and say something that’s just not true. I’ve personally had that happen with me. I have a saying that I use to all my key people: in important decisions in life, you measure nine times and you cut once. I think in this case, if what’s been reported is true, he’s gone. But we wanna get the facts.”

— Patriots vs. Texans Prediction

Here’s our Patriots vs. Texans score prediction for Sunday at 1 p.m.

Prediction: Texans 31 – Patriots 20.

Thanks for reading! We’ll talk to ya next week.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

The post Patriots notes, quotes, & anecdotes: Happy Drake Maye day! appeared first on CLNS Media.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The reports are, in fact, true. After both national and local media alike came forward with news on Tuesday that the Patriots will be starting rookie Drake Maye at quarterback versus the Houston Texans, head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed the decision on Wednesday morning:

“It was solely my decision to make this choice,” Mayo said. “I met with all of the offensive coaches and we had a conversation. Then we met together, AVP [Alex Van Pelt] and myself, and he was fully onboard.”

Maye was drafted by New England with the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft, and served as the backup to starter and captain Jacoby Brissett for the team’s first five weeks. Under Brissett, the Patriots have a 1-4 record, the league’s worst passing offense (119.4 YPG), and are scoring just 12.4 points per game.

“Jacoby was a warrior, as you guys know,” said Mayo “He’s taken a lot of hits and just kept getting up.”

He continued: “For a guy like that to be voted a captain, in his situation, and continue to be very supportive of Drake Maye, I tip my hat to Jacoby for having that egoless mentality.”

Brissett was under fire throughout the team’s first five games. The Patriots’ offensive line in front of him is giving up the highest pressure rate in the NFL at 48.3% per Next Gen Stats, and has allowed 19 quarterback sacks, second most behind only the Cleveland Browns.

“Every team, this early in the season, is still trying to figure out who they have and what they are as an organization,” said Mayo when asked if the team is fit to support a rookie quarterback. “We’re good with Drake. Every team doesn’t have, let’s say a [No.] 1 receiver, a [No.] 1 running back, they don’t have those kind of things, but I would say that Drake is gonna make us a better football team today and going forward.”

“He’s been getting better every single week,” the head coach later said of his new QB. “As I said before, at the end of training camp he actually was trending at a very high rate, and that has continued through the early part of the season.”

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The future is now for the Patriots.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, New England is set to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye this coming Sunday against the Houston Texans.

The future is now in New England: Sources say the #Patriots are planning to start Drake Maye against the #Texans, the first start for the No. 3 overall pick.

Jacoby Brissett, who started the first five games, heads to the bench. pic.twitter.com/NrQQG65A0r

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 8, 2024

The move sends Jacoby Brissett, their starter for the first five games, to the bench. He was named a team captain prior to the season but led the team to just a 1-4 record. Brisssett will now likely back up the rookie.

“I’ve watched the film. I just haven’t watched some of the other things,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said on Monday when asked if they’ve made a decision on the starting quarterback. “What I would say is I think I’ve been pretty consistent. My messaging is that every single week, I should say every single day, we’re all being evaluated, and it’s no different now. That’s kind of how I see it.”

This was a far cry from the previous few weeks, where Mayo continuously stood behind Brissett as their stater. We now know why he hesitated.

An added layer to this: Mayo made it clear back in August that he wanted to tell the team before the media that they’d begin the season with Brissett under center. Tuesday is an off-day for the Patriots and according to a source, there was no team meeting today about this switch, and some players are finding out through the media that they team is going with Maye.

Maye, who the Patriots selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, finished the preseason 21/34 passing (62%) for 192 yards, 1 touchdown, no interceptions, and added 7 rushes for 32 yards and a score. He made his regular-season debut at the end of the team’s Week 3 loss to the Jets, completing 4/8 passes for 22 yards. Maye was sacked twice.

The rookie now makes his first start this coming Sunday behind an offensive line giving up the highest pressure rate in the NFL (48.3%), per Next Gen Stats. Meanwhile, their opponents in the Texans are generating a league-best pressure rate of 42%.

Sunday’s game, with Maye under center for the offense, kicks off at 1 p.m. from Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium.

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Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers was arrested on Saturday morning in Braintree, Massachusetts, according to Boston 25 News.

25 reports that according to police, “Peppers was arrested after officers responded to a disturbance at a home. The caller indicated that there was an altercation between two people.”

BREAKING: A Patriots safety is facing charges of assault, strangulation, and drug possession after an altercation in Braintree on Saturday morning.https://t.co/yqI0VZMXtf pic.twitter.com/1ouxxbpUD7

— Boston 25 News (@boston25) October 7, 2024

The safety is being charged with assault and battery, strangulation, and possession of a class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. The report also indicates that the victim was treated by EMS at the scene. According to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, he will be arraigned in Quincy on Monday.

The Patriots released the following statement on the matter (via the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed):

“We are aware of an incident involving Jabrill Peppers over the weekend in which the police are currently investigating. We will have no further comment at this time.”

Jerod Mayo was asked about Peppers being arrested on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday morning:

“He called me that morning. I knew what was going on and we’ve informed the NFL what was going on and we’re still gathering information.”

The head coach later added that while Peppers wasn’t with the team on Monday due to his arraignment, the safety “can definitely be in the building,” as the team and the league gathers more information. “We don’t know enough to say he shouldn’t be in the building.”

Peppers, 29, was signed by the Patriots on a one-year deal in the Spring of 2022 and has spent the last two seasons in New England. He signed a three-year, $30 million contract this past July and was named a team captain ahead of the 2024 season.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The last time the Patriots won a football game at Gillette Stadium was October 22, 2023. On Sunday against the Dolphins, they continued the disheartening streak with a 15-10 loss — and keep the idea that they’ll go a full calendar year without notching a W in Foxborough alive.

The defeat was New England’s fourth straight loss and has them sitting at 1-4 heading into yet another home game this coming Sunday versus the Houston Texans. Here are five thoughts from Sunday afternoon’s defeat:

5 – Special teams making special plays as Pats’ top unit.

A week after kicker Joey Slye set the Patriots all-time record for longest-made field goal (65 yards), New England’s special teams unit was back at it against the Dolphins.

After winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half, the Patriots trotted their kickoff unit on the field and return man Braxton Berrios was quickly brought down by linebacker Christian Elliss just outside of the ‘landing zone’. Eliss, who New England claimed off of waiver last season, is turning into a special teams mainstay. Just last weekend, he forced and recovered what could have been a game-changing fumble on a 49ers kick return, and he currently leads the Patriots in special teams tackles.

Speaking of special teams mainstays, Brenden Schooler continues to prove why the Patriots have kept him around as the heir apparent to Matthew Slater. Early in Sunday’s second quarter, the third-year specialist ripped through the Dolphins’ punt unit and blocked a Jake Bailey punt attempt — setting the Patriots on the 23-yard line going in. Later, he found himself in the cross-hairs of a would-be Jason Sanders field goal attempt, but the snap didn’t get to Bailey in time and the Dolphins turned the ball over on downs.

Oh yeah — and punter Bryce Baringer continued to flip the field for the Patriots offense all day long. Sunday marked Baringer’s 22nd game in a row with a 50+ yard punt, the longest such streak in the NFL.

4 – Penalty party in Foxborough.

Both the Dolphins and the Patriots came into Sunday at an inflection point. Coming off of three straight losses after Week 1 wins, each of the AFC East foes desperately needed a win to save their seasons.

In doing so, both were clearly pressing — and it showed up on the stat sheet.

Sunday’s game in Foxborough consisted of 18 (!!) combined accepted penalties. 12 for the Patriots, and 6 for the Dolphins. While some were ticky-tack, the majority of the flags called were legitimate, and plenty were of the “stupid” category. 12-men on the field, roughing the passer, things of that nature.

You can’t have it – and that’s why these teams are 2-3 and 1-4.

3 – Christian Gonzalez makes play of the game.

Christian Gonzalez, arguably New England’s best player, made the play of the game on Sunday afternoon. While in coverage on star wide receiver Tyreek Hill in the middle of the first quarter, the second-year cornerback essentially ran the route for him, and undercut quarterback Tyler Huntley’s pass for the turnover:

Christian Gonzalez picks off Huntley!

: #MIAvsNE on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/QpjbbHrc5y

— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024

Overall, the Patriots’ secondary struggled on the day and allowed quarterback Tyler Huntley to dice up their coverage. WR Tyreek Hill went for 69 yards, TE Jonnu Smith 62, and WR Jaylen Waddle 46.

It wasn’t a great showing overall, but the continued success of Gonzalez is at least something to hold on to.

2 – Playcalling a question.

Alex Van Pelt’s West Coast-adjacent offense, with an experienced quarterback under center, was supposed to be the perfect bridge operation on offense as the Patriots re-built their team post-Bill Belichick.

I tried my best to stay neutral on the matter through the first four games as they worked out the kinks and rotations at both wide receiver and offensive line – but Sunday’s performance, from a play-calling perspective, left a lot to be had.

New England’s run game was sensational on Sunday. They averaged nearly eight yards per carry, and it allowed them to hold a lead for the majority of the contest. Despite this, the Patriots continued to press on their passing game – throwing the ball 34 times versus just 18 rush attempts.

As a specific example, the Patriots at one point ran the ball twice in a row for gains, and found themselves in a third-and-two situation. Instead of continuing to pound the rock like they’d been doing so successfully, they threw it – for a one-yard loss.

It’s little things like that that will make or break a game and on Sunday, it surely did.

1 – The Drake Maye clock continues to tick.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

As the Patriots fell to 1-4 to start their 2024 campaign, the offense continued to struggle and this time — it wasn’t the offensive line’s fault. According to Pro Football Focus, New England’s offensive line (their fifth different one in five weeks) allowed 12 pressures – but none came from the tackle spot. Center Nick Leverett tallied nine and Mike Onwenu two, but the pocket remained relatively clean and Brissett was sacked just twice on the day.

What he did, however, was miss several key throws on Sunday — most notably one where the Patriots moved the pocket on play-action and he had time to set and deliver. DeMario Douglas was open with leverage on a safety, but the quarterback overshot him. Prior to that, New England was able to scheme Ja’Lynn Polk open towards the sideline with a defender on his back. Brissett overthrew that one too.

One of the main reasons Brissett has taken the reigns under center thus far is that, according to Jerod Mayo, his body of work since the spring won him the competition versus rookie QB Drake Maye. However, with a report from SI’s Albert Breer on Sunday morning that Maye is “closing in” on being the Patriots’ best signal caller, perhaps a change is closer than we think.

Maye will inevitably play quarterback for the Patriots this season and with the offensive line finally looking semi-viable, it may be wise to turn it over to the better passer at this stage of the season.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

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The Patriots received some tough injury news on Wednesday morning ahead of their Week 5 contest versus the Miami Dolphins.

According to MassLive’s Mark Daniels, center David Andrews needs surgery to repair his injured shoulder. Daniels added, “If he has surgery [now], his season will be over. Andrews is trying to see if he can play through the injury. That decision comes down to if it’ll hurt his ability to play next season.”

David Andrews will need surgery for his shoulder, per source. If he has surgery, his season will be over.

At the moment, Andrews is trying to see if he can play through the injury. That decision comes down to if it'll hurt his ability to play next season.

— Mark Daniels (@ByMarkDaniels) October 2, 2024

The Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed are reporting that Andrews is “not expected to make an imminent decision” on whether to undergo surgery or try to play through his injury, adding that he is unlikely to play on Sunday.

New England’s captain left Sunday’s game against the 49ers following their first drive with said injury, went to the locker room, and did not return. He was replaced by backup center Nick Leverett.

“It’s frustrating being hurt,” Andrews said Tuesday on his ‘Quick Snap’ podcast with Brian Hoyer. “As a player, sometimes you have to make decisions if you being out there is the best thing for the team, and if you can perform… There is some stuff I have to try to figure out here, and see what I can do to be the best player I can be on Sunday.”

He continued: “Just trying to take it day by day right now and get some things weighed out, and I’m going to try to get better as quick as I can, and see where things go. Or what has to go. I’m just trying to figure all that stuff out. It’s super frustrating, man.”

Andrews’ decision on when he ultimately has surgery could loom large not only for him, but for the rest of the Patriots’ offense. Coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s system relies heavily on the center for line calls and protection setting – taking some stress off of the quarterback. Turning to a backup in Leverett, who has seldom experience at the position, could potentially impact when (if at all) New England turns to Drake Maye this season.

The Patriots host the Dolphins this coming Sunday at 1 p.m. from Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

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“It’s a long season,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo told the media following the team’s 30-13 loss to the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. “And we’ve always talked about how that North Star is just to get better each and every week. Now look, there were some good things that happened… Maybe the score doesn’t reflect it, but we just have to fix all the bad football and that’s my job.”

The loss in San Francisco was the Patriots’ third consecutive loss after a promising Week 1 win, and has them now sitting at 1-3 with an uphill climb to the playoff race.

Here are five next-day thoughts from the defeat on Sunday afternoon:

5 – Injuries continue to pile up along the offensive line.

Before NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport poured cold water on it on Sunday morning, the idea that Drake Maye’s debut as the Patriots’ starting quarterback was right around the corner made sense. The offensive line looked to be getting healthier with guard Sidy Sow returning and, once left tackle Vederian Lowe got his knee right, you could feasibly trot your best (and healthiest) five out in front of rookie.

Said idea came to a screeching halt in San Francisco.

Following New England’s first offensive drive, captain David Andrews was taken to the locker room with a shoulder injury. The center did not return, forcing the Pats to play with Nick Leverett in the middle for the rest of the game.

Andrews is the Patriots’ heart and soul up front, and Alex Van Pelt’s West Coast system is designed to lean heavily on the center to make line calls and adjustments. Depending on severity, the loss of the 32-year-old could be a brutal blow for Brissett and the offense (nevermind Drake Maye) moving forward.

On top of this, the Patriots also lost tackle Caedan Wallace to an injury in Sunday’s game. The rookie entered the game in the second quarter as a “muscle tight end” for a six-OL look on fourth down and was rolled up on by running back Rhamondre Stevenson as he was being tackled. Wallace was ruled out for the remainder of the game after halftime.

We’ll get to the Maye situation a little later but with the offensive line battered the way they are, it’ll be difficult to justify putting the rookie in behind them anytime soon.

4 – Don’t forget the defense…

Oh yeah, New England is dealing with ailments on the defensive side of the ball too. Safety Kyle Dugger left the game in the first half with an ankle injury and after being carted off the field, did not return to the game. Dugger was named a captain this week after linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Additionally, the Patriots’ sack leader Keion White was tended to by trainers at one point as well. He eventually returned to the contest but, given the fact that he’s been one of just a few shining pieces on the Patriots this season, the injury is worth monitoring.

3 – Nice leg, Joey Slye.

Speaking of bright spots, the Patriots may have one in Joey Slye.

After beating out second-year kicker Chad Ryland in training camp, Slye has brought some much-needed reliability to New England’s special teams. The 28-year-old was 6-of-7 on field goals heading into Sunday with his only miss being blocked, was three-for-three on extra points, and then set a Patriots record in Santa Clara:

Joey Slye’s 63-yard field goal is the longest in #Patriots history. pic.twitter.com/zIAjYmSg29

— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) September 29, 2024

Slye drilled a 63 (!!) yard field goal as time expired in the first half, cutting San Francisco’s head to 20-3 as they went into the locker room.

New England’s offense wasn’t pretty at all on Sunday, but they at least have some consistency at kicker again.

2 – Secondary struggling.

One of the Patriots’ many strengths over their dynastic run was their secondary. Not only because of stars like Ty Law, Darrelle Revis, and Stephon Gilmore shutting down one half of the field, but also because of their ability to lean on undrafted, overlooked players such as Jonathan Jones and Malcolm Butler. Additionally, they were able to rely on studs like Lawyer Milloy, Rodney Harrison, and Devin McCourty in the back end.

Now, however, they’re far from that winning recipe. Sure — Christian Gonzalez is a stud and looks to be on an All-Pro track, but Jones is now 31, and the likes of Marco Wilson, Alex Austin, and Marcus Jones rounding out the rest of the room isn’t cutting it. They also haven’t been able to appropriately replace McCourty at free safety — even if Jabrill Peppers made a nice interception on Sunday.

Pep made the pick! @JabrillPeppers | #NEPats

: FOX pic.twitter.com/llTsBkS728

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 29, 2024

The Patriots’ secondary allowed the 49ers and Brock Purdy to spread the wealth to six different receivers on Sunday, with Jauan Jennings leading the way with two catches for 77 yards. Deebo Samuel was just behind him with three catches for 58, and he, Jennings, and Brandon Aiyuk each tallied longs of 53, 45, and 38 respectively.

PURDY DEEP TO DEEBO.

: #NEvsSF on FOX
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/wkXmJTSRnu

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

The problem may also be the scheme and, while Mike Pellegrino and Brian Belichick remain the secondary coaches, the common denominator here: is Bill Belichick. Just a thought.

1 – On second thought, let’s not subject Drake Maye to this.

Sunday’s game against San Francisco was a good old-fashioned butt-kicking. As mentioned above, the 30-13 loss drops the Patriots to 1-3 through the first quarter of the season and — as they continue to fall behind in the standings — their playoff chances continue to dwindle as well.

With the main goal of stacking wins falling by the wayside rather quickly, the question now becomes: When will New England turn to rookie Drake Maye as their starting quarterback?

Next Sunday, at home against the Miami Dolphins, had felt like an ideal landing spot all summer long. Allow the kid to see what a month of NFL football looks like, get your offensive line healthy and seeing things through one set of eyes, and work out the final footwork kinks and understanding of the offense. It’s perfect — or it was.

Now, however, the Patriots on their fourth left tackle in as many weeks, starter Jacoby Brissett is being pressured at a historic rate (53.8% of the time on Sunday — including six sacks and 10 QB hits) and now center David Andrews and top back-up Caedan Wallace are nursing injuries. By the time the second-half rolled around on Sunday, OL Zach Thomas was their only back-up lineman.

Don’t subject Maye to this. It’s not worth it for his long-term development as a passer.

Follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!

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