This loss was disgusting. The Patriots Defense embarrassed themselves. The Patriots came out and jumped on the Jaguars and dominated the 1st Quarter and led 10-0. Trevor Lawrence then caught fire going 8 for 9 in his first three drives, the last two resulting in TDs. The Patriots couldn’t contain Evan Engram 5 catches on 5 targets for 35 yards. Brian Thomas was also 5 for 5 for 89 yards a TD and 2 pt conversion.
There was some good in the game but that was overshadowed by the bad. Drake Maye played very well. He was 26 of 37 for 276 yards, 2 passing TDs and no interceptions. He had a 109.7 QB rating. I really liked his decision making especially on the TD pass to Hasty. Maye read the blitz (a double safety blitz coming through the same gap?). Jags left RDE Josh Hines-Allen, coming all the way across the formation, in single coverage on a back. Maye got rid of it quickly to his outlet Hasty who juked Hines-Allen and another defender for the TD. Maye also had two turnover-worthy throws. Before you get too excited about Maye’s play, remember they were going against the worst secondary in the league. Jacksonville did get a big boost from getting Tyson Campbell back. He had a big pass breakup which should have been intercepted.
Hunter Henry had 8 catches on 9 targets for 92 yards. However, henry had a very untimely false start penalty where he just didn’t know the samp count. He is a Captain and should be leading by example.
Austin Hooper chipped in with 4 catches on 5 targets for just 32 yards. Hasty had 5 catches on 5 targets for 49 yards and a TD.
Mayo called out his players at the start of his Post Game Press Conference. He called them soft. That’s one of the worst insults he could call his players. It was reported that he did this privately in the locker room after the game as well. Again, the inexperienced coach shooting his mouth off when that should have stayed internal to the team. I’m not disputing they are soft, but you just can’t do that publicly. You have to look at the inexperience of the coaching staff as a reason they are losing and making the same mistakes week in and week out. There is no accountability. If you are calling your players soft it’s really Mayo that is soft. The team is a reflection of their coach. He is not hard on them and won’t make them accountable.
I was disgusted by a play that Anfernee Jennings made, standing up Tank Bigsby in the hole. The Jags O-linemen collectively came to push the pile, 6 on 1, while three patriots Defenders stood by and watched. The Pats defenders should be flying to the ball and trying to strip the ball, not be spectators. Is the inexperience of DeMarcus Covington coming through? He is not making the in-game adjustments.
Welcome to your 7th consecutive different starting O-line combination! You can’t win without getting some consistent play from the O-line. They are an adventure every time they try and pass block. Now they can’t run block. The Pats had a disgusting 38 yards rushing with 18 of those coming from Drake Maye. He was tied with Rhamondre Stephenson for the team lead. Expect Layden Robinson to go on IR after he re-injured ankle. He would have to spend 4 weeks om IR before he could be recalled.
Sidy Sow was awful on Sunday as Robinson’s replacement. Somehow, Drake Maye was only sacked twice in the game. His mobility and ability to throw on the run helped keep that number down. Travon Walker got his at the end of the game when the Jags knew that Maye had to throw. Will be interested to see how bad the blocking grades are on Monday. I am stunned how bad they are blocking in the run game. Is it the new zone blocking scheme, lack of playing time together, or just lack of talent. All of the above and a first time Offensive line coach are the results in poor play.
I didn’t expect the Patriots Defense to be this bad. Yes, they have lost Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jabrill Peppers and Matt Judon. Anfernee Jennings filled in adequately for Judon last year and has played the run very well this year. The big difference is the pass rush. The Pats have none. They are dead last in the league with a 9.5% Pressure Rate per dropback. They had no sacks in the game versus the Jags. The Defensive front 7 got gashed for 171 rushing yards. Davon Godchaux was double teamed all day and no one else was stepping up. It was so bad that Kyle Dugger was the leading tackler with 11. The Patriots miss a player like Lawrence Guy. He didn’t make a lot of plays, but he was stout and didn’t get blown away either. Perhaps the coaches knew but the fans didn’t know how much a contributor and leader Bentley was. He is an old school downhill thumper.
Christian Gonzalez got beat deep again and had an overall bad day covering Brian Thomas who had 5 catches on 5 targets for 89 yards, a TD and 2 Point Conversion where Gonzo gave up on the play.
The Patriots don’t have a Free Safety. Jaylinn Hawkins hasn’t done the job. Kyle Dugger and Marte Mapu are Strong Safeties and struggle in coverage. On Brian Thomas’ big catch against Gonzalez, there was no help over the top as both safeties got sucked up into underneath coverage in the middle of the field.
Look for Jonathan Jones to get traded. He is in the last year of his contract, and he is 31 years old. Since signing as an UnDrafted Free Agent he has been a good player for the Patriots and has performed well. He is the most tradeable candidate on the team.
What is with KJ Osborn and his TD celebration. He gives the “call me” sign. After the game his agent posts on X that Osborn was told on Wednesday that he was going to be inactive and only got three reps during the week of practice. Then Saturday Night at 11 he was told he was playing but at another position (Javon Baker was sick). The agent was praising Osborn, but at the same time slamming the Patriots coaches. Then the call me sign on the TD celebration. If I were Mayo, I would call out Osborn in front of his teammates and put him on the spot and ask him straight out if he wants to be part of this team. If not, I would tell him to clean out his locker.
Ja’lynn Polk needs to be sat down and be inactive. He was 3 for 3 yesterday. Three targets and three drops. He also slipped on a cut in the endzone on a two-point conversion try. In my post Draft Analysis, I called the drafting of Polk as replacing DaVante Parker with DeVante Parker. One big exception, at least Parker caught the ball 50% of the time. Polk is killing them. I didn’t like his 4.52 speed for a player taken at the top of the 2nd The Patriots traded the 3rd pick in round 2 to Los Angelas Chargers and gave up Ladd McConkey (4.39 40) to drop down and then swap picks to take a higher pick. They didn’t get any additional draft capital. With the swap they selected Polk and then Baker in the 4th round. Eliot Wolf didn’t take a Left Tackle with the 2nd round pick. Polk played on a University of Washington team that was loaded with NFL Wideouts. Rome Odunze was 1st round pick and Jalen McMillan was taken in the 3rd round.
Bryce Baringer had 4 punts for 209 yards and a 52.3 average. However, he outkicked his punt coverage with a 66-yard kick, that was returned by Parker Washington for a 96-yard TD. I thought the official missed a block in the back on Brendan Schooler that freed the returner.
The team just can’t stop the penalties. This is a sign of an undisciplined team. They had 7 penalties for 35 yards.
On third down the Pats converted 50% of their 3rd downs (6/12). However, the defense gave up 6/10.
The Patriots lost the Time of Possession 26:45 to 33:15. The big difference was the 11:24 drive. The Jaguars started a 17-play drive at the 7:34 mark of the 3rd Quarter and extended into the 4th Quarter at the 11:10 mark. The Patriots defense did hold them on 4th down inside the 5-yard line.
It appeared that Demario Douglas was benched after an illegal procedure penalty. He didn’t get set after being in motion. That penalty is on Douglas and Maye. It turned out that Douglas was not benched, he was sick and throwing up on the sideline. He came back in the 4th quarter. That was two players we know were sick, were there anymore? Marcus Jones was listed DNP during the week with an illness.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
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