There’s a real Jekyll and Hyde act going on in Foxboro this NFL season.
The New England Patriots have looked dominant inside the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium, posting a 6-0 record at home. When the Pats hit the road, however, they have been a completely different team.
After their 17-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, the Patriots now are 3-5 away from Foxboro and have lost back-to-back games in December for the first time since 2002.
So, why have Tom Brady and Co. struggled on the road?
Former Patriots executive Mike Lombardi believes winning on the road in the NFL boils down to something the 2018 Patriots sorely lack: Mental toughness.
Lombardi discussed New England’s issues on the latest episode of The Ringer’s “GM Street” podcast, comparing this iteration of the Pats to the 2009 team that finished the season 2-6 on the road and was bounced by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the playoffs.
“The penalties hurt,” Lombardi said about the Patriots’ 14 penalties in Pittsburgh, as transcribed by WEEI. “They got behind in the down and distance count, which was critical. They weren’t able to do that. (Tom) Brady missed some throws. Brady made a really bad decision on the interception. That is un-Brady like. The pressure broke down and they have to find a way to fight through it and they have to find a way to get better. I think the problems are going to mount themselves when they go on the road.
“Look, they will play well against Buffalo, they will play well against the Jets. They will be 11-5. But if they are the third seed and they have to play Baltimore, that will be a hard game for them because Baltimore as the sixth seed will be able to spread them out horizontally and force them to defend the width of the field and the length of the field. That will be a problem for their defense and Baltimore typically will play good against the Patriots.”
Lombardi explained the similarities he sees between the 2018 Patriots and the 2009 version of the team.
“Look, I think the Patriots are a work in progress,” Lombardi said. “This Patriot team reminds me of the 2009 team, the year they did the documentary on ‘A Football Life’ and Bill (Belichick) was on the sideline talking to Brady saying, ‘I just can’t get us to play tough.’ I think there is an element of that here. There is an element to this team that doesn’t have mental toughness.
“When I say mental toughness, it is the ability to focus and concentrate when you’re under pressure. When you have 14 penalties in a game — going into the week the Patriots were only the ninth-most penalized team in the NFL, they were in the top 10, but 53 of their 89 penalties occur on the road. It shows up more on the road than it does at home and I think that is really the issue. That leads me back to their mental toughness issue. I think everybody has to step their game up. I think that is pretty clear.”
After dropping back-to-back games, the Patriots now find themselves occupying the No. 3 seed in the AFC, which would have them playing on Wild Card Weekend for the first time since 2009. It also means they likely would have to win on the road twice in January if they plan on returning to the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season. And in order to do that, they’ll have to get a little tougher.
