The Patriots had a rough outing against the Texans (not too surprising, right?). I mean, losing 41-21 doesn’t even fully capture how messy that performance was. But Coach Jerod Mayo? He wasn’t sugarcoating a thing.

At the post-game presser, he laid it out: “Defensively, the fundamentals of tackling and run fits have to improve.” And he didn’t stop there, telling his players, “You should feel like crap today.” With two runs over 50 yards allowed, Mayo made it clear, “That’s not winning football.”

The Patriots’ defense has been on a rough ride lately, especially in the early stages of games. It’s pretty much out in the open and the Texans? Well, they jumped all over them with two touchdowns on their first two drives. And, of course, there were those costly pass interference calls that gave Houston easy first-and-goal chances. C.J. Stroud took full advantage, tossing two TDs in the first quarter like he was on a Sunday stroll.

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Hearing Mayo, you might think this trend is new. But let us interrupt your thought process because it isn’t. Over the last four games, New England has been outscored 30-7 in the first quarter alone—yeah, it’s been rough. And week 6 was no different, with the Texans running wild for 192 yards at 6.9 per carry. Between Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce, the big runs kept coming, including a brutal 54-yard touchdown that had Patriots fans shaking their heads.

And it wasn’t just the D-line. As Mayo himself put it, “We let Drake Maye down.” 

Drake Maye was the W in a losing game for Jerod Mayo

That’s tough to hear, especially for rookie Drake Maye, who despite the chaos, showed some serious flashes. And in hindsight, we can say Jerod Mayo can feel proud of this decision of his—to throw in Maye to the Wolves (the Texans’ defense).

And how well did the third-overall pick do in his first start? He completed 20 of 33 passes for 243 yards, three touchdowns, and yeah—two picks. That was the best stats all-around for a New England signal-caller.

Maye got his shot after the Patriots decided to bench Jacoby Brissett following a lackluster 15-10 loss to the Dolphins. It’s been a rocky road for the Pats, who’ve now tumbled to 1-5 on the season. And it’s not like Maye was set up for success either. The offensive line? A patchwork. They’ve had a different O-line every week, and they even had to sign a new center midweek. Yikes!

Throwing a rookie QB into that mess seemed like a panic move, but Mayo stood by the decision. He knew Maye was ready for the moment. And let’s be real. The rookie showed up. Or saved his coach some backlash.

In either case, it’s a W in a loss. These little things are something to grasp on. And guess this might really spark something big against the Jaguars next game. The fans’ consensus would say that it’s a must. But let’s keep it a bit realistic, shall we?