Does Patriots Offense Feel Guilty For Letting Defense Down? It Should

The New England Patriots offense has historically failed its own defense.

New England’s offense, which was shut out for the second time this season in their Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, should be embarrassed. They should feel guilty for letting this season go so far off the rails.

“I wouldn’t say there’s guilt,” Hunter Henry told reporters after the 6-0 verdict, per the Patriots.

“It’s a team sport. It’s the ultimate team sport.”

It is a team sport. But New England’s counterparts on the defensive side, even without injured star pass-rusher Matthew Judon and rookie first-round cornerback Christian Gonzalez, have done their part. They’ve overcome those crucial early-season injuries. And for what? Just to hold Justin Herbert and company to two field goals in another deflating loss? Oh yeah, and Sunday’s effort came without another key defender in Deatrich Wise.

“We haven’t, obviously, held up our end of the bargain. For sure,” Henry said.

The Patriots on Sunday became the first team in nearly a century to lose three straight games despite allowing 10 or fewer points in those three games. The Chicago Cardinals lost four of such games in 1938, per NFL Research. Who could forget, right?

It’s a historic run the Patriots offense is on.

“Super frustrating not being able to go out there, I mean, defense holds them to six points. And for us not to be able to go out there and put anything on the board, it’s tough,” running back Ezekiel Elliott told reporters.

“I feel bad for those guys on the defensive (side of the) ball. They’ve been playing such good defense week after week. I mean, we got to figure out how to make more plays on offense and give them some help.”

Henry added: “They’re playing really well right now. I mean, that was a really good offense and hold them to six points, the conditions were the conditions, but we got to find a way to execute better.”

After a Week 12 loss to the New York Giants, Patriots safety Adrian Phillips more of less indicated how little confidence defensive players have in the offense. Fellow safety Jabrill Peppers called New England “ass” after that matchup at the Meadowlands, a 10-7 verdict where the defense again did its part.

It doesn’t matter. The Patriots are inching closer to the top pick in the NFL draft, and New England’s embarrassing offense is almost entirely to blame.