What Julian Edelman, Devin McCourty, and others are saying about Patriots’ blowout loss to Saints

Particularly, Edelman identified what seems to be a significant offseason misstep in letting Jakobi Meyers stroll in favor of JuJu Smith-Schuster. Meyers, who established himself as Mac Jones’ security blanket and trusty slot receiver, has reeled in 18 catches and two touchdowns over three video games with the Raiders. 

Smith-Schuster has 14 catches for New England, however for simply 86 whole yards. 

“I’m nonetheless just a little shook on the Jakobi Meyers departure. I didn’t get that. … He may separate so much,. He may run routes. He was robust within the run recreation. He would go in and block (with) drive. And that’s what you preach as a New England receiver: Get open, catch the ball, and block within the run recreation. These are the three stuff you hear on a regular basis. This receiver group now we have, it simply looks like they’re struggling to create separation whatever the cause. They haven’t been in a position to separate.”

Devin McCourty 

The times of pondering that the 2023 Patriots could be a viable playoff contender have come and gone.

Now, former Patriots security Devin McCourty believes that New England’s finest wager transferring ahead is looking for a prime choose within the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.

“For those who’re within the New England space, it’s all about Tremendous Bowls,” McCourty stated on NBC Sunday. “I performed there 13 years. It was all about, ‘I don’t care what number of playoff video games you win. Are you going to win the Tremendous Bowl?’ This staff now’s, ‘Are we going to win or are we going to simply maintain the sport inside two scores?’

“I believe that’s the battle proper now. I don’t know the place they flip to attempt to discover solutions to attempt to flip this season round. Their finest wager could be ‘tank it’ or no matter you need to name it and get an incredible draft choose.’”

Rodney Harrison

One other former Patriots security, Rodney Harrison, shared an identical sentiment as McCourty on NBC, noting that the present roster appears rudderless beneath Belichick. 

“These younger gamers, they’re not listening to Coach Belichick. They don’t actually perceive the Patriot Means. It’s actually international to them,” Harrison stated. “As a result of Coach Belichick hasn’t forgotten tips on how to coach. However whenever you begin taking a look at their staff, I don’t assume it’s only a nice, proficient staff. 

“Offensively, you have a look at the quarterback, he’s misplaced his confidence. The offensive line — I’m being good once I say they’re common. They usually simply don’t have a run recreation. They don’t have a primary receiver. It’s simply so many points they’ve, and on the defensive aspect of the ball, they’re damage. … “It’s only a dangerous soccer staff.”

Adam Schefter

Primarily based on Belichick’s postgame feedback on Sunday, it seems as if Jones will begin subsequent weekend when New England heads to Las Vegas to tackle the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

However talking on the “Pat McAfee Present” on Monday, ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter appeared to sign that larger modifications are coming to New England’s offense.

“What Invoice has stated — Invoice has stated that he’s sticking with Mac. That he’s the one. I believe everybody throughout the league seems at it and says, ‘Effectively, they’re gonna be doing one thing.’ What’s it that they’re gonna be doing,” Schefter requested. “As a result of Invoice Belichick is coming off possibly the 2 worst losses of his profession in back-to-back weeks. The offense has been inept. It has not gotten the job performed. So you already know that they’re not gonna stand pat.

“That they’re gonna be doing one thing. So the query is, what’s that? And Invoice has stated that he’s standing behind the quarterback for now. We’ve heard different head coaches say related issues earlier than solely to go a special route throughout the week. So, let’s see the place that goes. However, look, I believe it’s honest to say that, after they play the Las Vegas Raiders this week, that the offense isn’t going to look the identical. What meaning, we’ll discover out because the week evolves.”

Rex Ryan

Invoice Belichick’s feedback on New England needing to “begin throughout” made waves following Sunday’s blowout loss.

Former Jets coach (and vocal Mac Jones critic) Rex Ryan gave his tackle Belichick’s postgame prose 

“What he means is, ‘We acquired to do the whole lot. We acquired to return and determine who the hell we’re. What are we going to be about? Are we going to be a operating soccer staff? Simply throw it everywhere in the lot? Who the hell are we?’ ” Ryan stated on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Monday. “He’s by no means misplaced two video games like that in his complete profession. I imply, he’s getting smoked.

“To me, he’s going to get his employees collectively and say, ‘What can we do?’ Effectively, proper now, I do not know. You used to have the ability to run the soccer. That’s the place it higher begin. You set it on this child’s (Mac Jones) fingers, it’s a catastrophe. It’s going to be a catastrophe.”

Shannon Sharpe

New England reaching all-time low in 2023 prompted former tight finish Shannon Sharpe to tip his cap to Tom Brady throughout Monday’s episode of “First Take” on ESPN.

“I believe I owe Brady an apology, as a result of I don’t assume I gave him sufficient credit score, or I ought to have given him much more credit score, as a result of what Brady allowed Coach (Invoice) Belichick to do,” Sharpe stated. “Brady is the most important eraser in professional sports activities. As a result of each mistake that Coach Belichick made throughout that twenty years (in New England), Brady may erase it.

“You took a foul receiver; Brady would take a seventh-round receiver — a receiver that you simply took within the first or the second or the third spherical — and Brady would erase it with a Julian Edelman. Otherwise you make a mistake on a defensive again, he would take any person else and he may erase it.”

Dan Orlovsky 

Whereas Mac Jones has obtained his fair proportion of criticism over the past 24 hours, former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky believes that New England’s struggles are extra of a byproduct of different deficiencies throughout New England’s roster. 

“If Mac Jones was in San Francisco, he’d be taking part in like [49ers QB] Brock Purdy,” Orlovsky stated.

Rex Ryan, as anticipated, disagreed. 

Oh, God, no,” the previous Jets coach responded.