FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots were put to the test in Sunday’s win over the New York Jets.
New England had been challenged just one week before their comeback victory, as head coach Jerod Mayo called his team “soft” following a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. It’s no secret that particular word rubbed people the wrong way, whether it be a select number of players, fans or even some media members.
Mayo ultimately would walk it back, but the message had been delivered. The Patriots needed to toughen up, and by the grace of the football gods, they had a perfect opportunity to do so against the Jets.
New England found itself in a fourth-and-goal situation with under a minute left against New York, needing just one yard to snap its six-game losing streak. Rhamondre Stevenson plunged into the end zone to get the job done, showcasing the toughness his head coach had been looking for and silencing some of the chatter surrounding One Patriot Place.
“It means a lot,” Mayo said on Sunday. “When you preach something and it shows up in the game, it’s always going to be more impactful. I would say there comes a point in time where everybody in the stadium knows you got to run the ball. On defense or offense, there comes a point in time where they know, everyone knows, the fans know, it’s a run play. You got to really just defeat the man across from you. Look, fortunately, our guys got movement, and we scored, so it was great.”
Story continues below advertisement
The Patriots’ resilience throughout Sunday’s win was the primary takeaway, as it showed itself not only on that final offensive play but throughout the contest. Jacoby Brissett’s relief performance, Kayshon Boutte’s bounce back from his drops and the defense’s adjustment to a clearly hobbled Aaron Rodgers were primary examples.
“I’m very proud of just the way the guys responded,” Mayo said Monday, per team-provided transcript.
Mayo wanted a positive response when he chose the word “soft” last weekend, and it didn’t take long for him to get it.
Featured image via Kirby Lee/Imagn Images
