New England Patriots HC Jerod Mayo made some curious comments in the post-game presser. He didn’t sugarcoat his frustrations after the Patriots’ latest loss. His blunt comments, particularly about rookie quarterback Drake Maye have sparked conversations about New England’s recurring offensive struggles.

Mayo didn’t hold back when asked about the decision to not use Maye on a goal-line play. “You said it, I didn’t,” he remarked. Hinting at dissatisfaction with the playcalling. His comments sparked debates over the Patriots’ locker room situation. Many are deeming it a jab on offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. And the Patriots’ failure to convert on crucial downs further highlighted what’s becoming a season-long pattern of missed opportunities.

In the 3rd quarter, the Patriots found themselves just 1 yard from the end zone. Instead of relying on Maye’s mobility, they handed off to Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson, and both were stuffed at the line. The turnover on downs proved costly. Arizona’s James Conner scored on the following possession, extending the Cardinals‘ lead to 20 points.

Maye, known for his scrambling ability, has shown that he can make plays with his legs previously. Entering the game, he led the Patriots in rushing yards since his debut in Week 6. Yet the offense opted for a conservative approach. A decision that seemed to frustrate Mayo. “The quarterback obviously has a good pair of legs,” he added. “We just chose not to do it there.” However, the seemingly hostile comments of the HC have irked quite a few fans.

A fan on X had no room for debates. He simply quipped sarcastically. “Does Jerod put Mayo on his word 🥗🥗?” Hilarious, right? Not for the Pats though. Mayo’s remarks didn’t stop at the goal-line miscue. His critique of the team’s overall performance revealed deeper frustrations. He pointed to penalties, turnovers, and poor red-zone efficiency as recurring issues. “We are what we put on film,” he said.

Patriots’ accountability problem: A broken record

Mayo’s press conference didn’t just call out play-calling, it also highlighted a lack of accountability across the team. “Accountability is not really the ‘My bad.’ The accountability isn’t coming in saying things like, ‘Oh, if we would have just did X, Y, and Z,'” the HC quipped, adding, “Accountability is going out and correcting it, and that’s about action.” This message seemed aimed at a team struggling to correct its mistakes week after week.

New England’s offense moved the ball well at times but faltered in critical moments. The Patriots gained 311 yards compared to Arizona’s 389 but went 0-for-4 in the red zone. “We spent a lot of time on it,” Mayo said of red-zone drills. “We just didn’t do it well enough.”

Defensively, the Patriots failed to contain big plays, including a 53-yard run by Conner. “We had guys there to make the tackle,” Mayo explained. “We just didn’t come up with it.” This failure underscores the team’s ongoing struggles with fundamentals like tackling and discipline.

With their 4th consecutive loss, the Patriots now sit at 2-11. Staring at one of their worst seasons in decades. Despite flashes of potential from rookies like Maye, the team continues to stumble over the same issues.

Mayo’s frustrations mirror those of fans and analysts alike. The only difference is – the others are also questioning Mayo. And they are questioning whether the team can rebound from this nosedive. However, without significant changes, accountability may remain just a buzzword in Foxborough.