Patriots coaches and gamers attempt to clarify what ‘beginning over’ entails

Patriots

By Khari Thompson, The Boston Globe

October 10, 2023 | 6:18 PM

Simply 5 video games into the season, the Patriots are at risk of being written off by supporters and skeptics alike.

That’s what occurs when a crew has been outscored, 72-3, over the past two weeks en path to a 1-4 begin.

“There are at all times obituaries being written,” Patriots offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien stated Tuesday. “However there’s a number of soccer to be performed. So, let’s see if we will get higher. To me, the NFL is about who can enhance the quickest. Now we have a protracted option to go, don’t get me fallacious, however hopefully, we will get there.”

Coach Invoice Belichick stated Sunday that the crew wanted to “begin throughout.” The Patriots have but to search out their identification, linebackers coach Jerod Mayo stated.

“I’d say because the season goes on as a participant, there are a number of ebbs and flows,” Mayo stated. “What I attempt to relay to the protection is don’t get discouraged, we’re simply going to go on the market and do our jobs.

“I’ve been part of groups like this the place you’re nonetheless looking for your identification and are nonetheless looking for out who you might be. I feel that’s what Coach is speaking about when he says to hit the reset button.”

The Patriots are averaging an NFL-worst 11 factors per recreation, and it’s exhausting to say what the offense is doing significantly effectively, in accordance with tight ends coach Will Lawing. They’re averaging 83.8 yards per recreation on the bottom, which places them within the backside third of the league. In the meantime, quarterback Mac Jones has extra turnovers (7) than landing passes (5).

Requested what the offense’s strengths are, Lawing stated, “I don’t need to pinpoint something particularly. If you carry out like that on Sunday, it’s exhausting to say that. We’ve simply received to get again to the basics and enhance at some point at a time and work our tails off to get to the place we wish get to.”

The turnovers are New England’s greatest difficulty, O’Brien stated. Opponents have scored immediately off 4 of Jones’s turnovers. Taking higher care of the soccer will probably be an enormous focus through the reset, O’Brien stated.

“Fundamentals. Invoice is correct. Invoice is precisely proper,” O’Brien stated. “Invoice’s coached a number of years on this league, 50 years thereabouts; I’ve been round a very long time, not simply within the professionals however in school soccer.

“We’ve had good seasons. We’ve had seasons the place issues early on didn’t go effectively. It at all times goes again to your fundamentals, your educating progressions, your fundamentals as a participant.

“It’s a crew sport. All people is sticking collectively and ensuring that we maintain the little issues. These are the issues which might be hurting us.”

Operating again Ezekiel Elliott stated having a brief reminiscence is vital to beginning over.

“I simply suppose it means like a reset,” Elliott stated. “Not essentially to start out over, however like a reset. Clearly, we’ve received to research the final recreation and see what went proper and what went fallacious. I feel when he stated begin over, he meant like a contemporary reminiscence, you already know what I imply, a reset.”

Defensive lineman Deatrich Smart Jr. stated that Tuesday’s follow was a step in the proper route. He stated the coaches burdened the significance on gamers specializing in themselves and never what’s happening outdoors the locker room.

“We’re not the place we need to be, however we have now much more weeks left,” Smart stated. “We’re optimistic about turning issues round. We’re altering our mind-set and specializing in going out and successful. Like Coach stated, simply getting again to the fundamentals of enjoying soccer. The sport is straightforward, however we make it exhausting.”