With a weak roster that's been worsened by a rash of injuries, the Patriots basically have no margin for error any time they step onto a football field.
New England was reminded of this sad reality Sunday when it suffered one of its worst losses in recent memory.
More Patriots
A whopping 12 penalties for 105 yards proved costly to the Patriots in their atrocious 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. It was a concerning lack of discipline for New England, which was one of the NFL's least-penalized times through the first four weeks of the season.
After his team's fourth straight loss, head coach Jerod Mayo admitted to being irked by the uptick in self-inflicted wounds.
Story continues below advertisement
"Yeah, the pre-snap stuff definitely bothers me," Mayo told reporters, per a team-provided transcript. "Look, we have guys, they're out there, they're trying their butts off, but at the same time, going back, not to sound like a broken record, it's about execution, especially in critical situations."
Patriots players obviously shoulder a good chunk of the blame for Sunday's barrage of penalties. They're professionals, not youngsters learning the game in pee-wee football. But Mayo and his fellow New England coaches, who collectively had their worst game of the season to date Sunday, also are responsible.
From a talent perspective, the Patriots will be outmatched in pretty much every game they play this season. But if it wants to stay even slightly competitive, New England must play a cleaner brand of football.
Featured image via Paul Rutherford/Imagn Images
