Losing a Thursday night game is rough. Getting blown out like the Patriots did against the Jets ... look out.
Despite the fact that everyone knows TNF is not good football - humans were not meant to play professional football on three days - and it never says anything about the true state of the team (did you watch Cowboys-Giants the other night?), the critics and fans of the losing team conveniently ignore that and spend the next 10 days obsessing about the loss.
Talk show hosts spend four hours each day campaigning for Drake Maye purely for their own entertainment/ratings like they're Veruca Salt — I want Drake Maye and I want him nowww daddy! Reporters spend the week asking coaches - even defensive coaches - how Maye, like they're not going to give a glowing comment about the third overall pick. Players are asked about him. Jayden Daniels gets talked about all week. Jacoby Brissett takes a beating, even though he nearly had the team 2-0 if it wasn't for a team-wide choke in the final six minutes against Seattle (maybe the defense should try to start containing the QBs at some point, I don't know ...). Eliot Wolf is pummeled, rightfully, for not giving the team more options at left tackle (yes, they should have also signed Jonah Williams and traded up for a tackle in the draft) - Demontrey Jacobs, say hello to Nick Bosa today. Alex Van Pelt's scheme is too boring. DeMarcus Covington has already been found out. While Bill Belichick finds every way not to comment on the Patriots during his 15 different media obligations, his minions bury the coaches who have Belichick's next job. And everyone looks at Jerod Mayo and wonders if he knows what he's doing.
Like comes at you fast in the NFL. After Week 1, Mayo was verbally carried off the Paycor Field by fans and media like, and he was Henny Youngman with the media the day after.
Now everyone wonders is Mayo is just a puppet for the GM, offensive coordinator and ownership.
Talk about noise. The aftermath of a Thursday Night blowout loss is like watching a game in the Superdome - instant piercing headache with the nonstop, nonsensical, over-the-top reactions.
Now the Patriots have to face a 49ers team today that is cranky after blowing a 14-point lead to the Rams on Sunday.
"Always this time of year, I'm itching to get to Sunday," Bosa told 49ers reporters this week. "But after that, it's major."
Wonderful.
But this isn't just a quiet-the-noise game for the Patriots, it's an early referendum on the Mayo regime.
What do we know so far about Mayo's team? In Week 1, they played just about perfect football (for them) to beat the Bengals on the road. In Week 2, they wrestled control of the game away from the Seahawks, and then blew it. Against they Jets, they got punched first and often, and couldn't get back in the game.
Are the Patriots going to be the team they were for roughly the first seven quarters for the season? Or are they going to be this flaccid team from the last five?
Today's performance will tell us a lot.
Not many are expecting the Patriots to beat a grumpy 49ers team even if they're missing Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel (now expected to play), Javon Hargrave and possibly Trent Williams, George Kittle (expected to play) and safety Talanoa Hufanga. With eight years of Kyle Shanahan building up his program (not one offseason - 49ers went 6-10, 4-12 his first two seasons BTW), San Francisco is still better than the rebuilding Patriots.
But the Patriots do need to show something - some fight and competitiveness - or else there's more wrong than just the personnel.
Last year, the Patriots got waxed in Weeks 4 and 5 by the Cowboys (38-3) and Saints (34-0) to drop to 1-4 and everyone, including the players, knew then it was over for the season. They still played competitive in most games the rest of the way, but the dye had been cast and the Krafts started to cement their succession plans.
A record of 1-3 would not be any sort of death sentence as far as a season, not with the Tua-less Dolphins up next along with the stumbling Jaguars, Titans and Bears coming up.
It's not about that. It's about how Mayo can get this team to play after last week.
Do they still believe in the gameplans that led them into a hole against the Jets? With three extra days to prepare for this game, a slow start will lead to a lot of questions in that locker room about just how wise their leaders really are. They'll wonder if Mayo has the stuff, or he's just stuffed with corporate and leadership jargon without any real answers.
Play a close game from start to finish. Covington's defense needs to land a few punches against Shanahan. Van Pelt needs to find more than 100 yards passing, and scheme up any big play to help this offense threaten anyone. Just freaking punch the 49ers in the mouth. At any point.
Do that and things will calm for the moment (well, the tantrums over Maye will never stop). Mayo will show he has command of his room and, more importantly, belief. And we can begin to look for more wins down the road (hello, Tyler Huntley/Skylar Thompson).
If the Patriots get whupped again ... last week will feel calm lake compared to the raging waters aimed at Mayo.
Basically, you can ask ... what has really changed in a year?
That's not good.
(USA Today Network)
Jauan Jennings
NICKEL PACKAGE
1. Wasn't overly impressed with the 49ers' offense in their loss to the Rams, which shouldn't really surprise because the divisional rivals and their coaches know each other so well, come from the same stock. But there were a couple of Kyle Shanahan specials early in the game — the first two clips of the Jauan Jennings' highlight reel here - that illustrate how tough this offense can be to defend (especially for an opponent that only sees the Niners every four years like the Patriots), and how lacking Alex Van Pelt's scheme is.
On the first, notice all the hard run-action to the right, including the TEs blocking hard, and Jennings faking a block as well before springing free. Also notice this is just a two-man route, which means eight blockers.
The second play fakes wide zone right, has the TE coming across the formation for the defense to alert for possible boot action, and this is just a three-man route with just two downfield options, which means seven blockers.
It ain't just the Patriots' line. You can scheme some big plays up. That's all you need to open things up.
By the way, the Rams jammed the every-loving crap out of Brandon Aiyuk coming off the line consistently. They must not think he's that tough. Let's see if the Patriots do the same with Christian Gonzalez.
2. The Niners' defense is really going to miss Hargrave in this game and beyond. He was a pass-rushing force on the interior, and they don't have much besides Bosa.
The Patriots should take advantage of every passing matchup against veteran LB De'Vondre Campbell (No. 59), who is slow as hell. Running backs and tight ends. Free safety Ji'Ayir Brown (27) is also slow and ripe for the taking.
3. Speaking of whether Mayo is making his mark with this team, if there are continued issues in this game with Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling and pass rush contain, is he going to do something about it and bench someone?
You're either coaching it, or allowing it to happen. Not making error-repeaters accountable is quick way for players to lose faith in a coach.
4. The injury news late in the week was not good for the Patriots, and better for the 49ers.
Not only was LT Vederian Lowe ruled out, but so was LG Michael Jordan - who actually could have been moved to LT with his size (6-6) and the fact that he was the extra TE for much of camp before injuries hit. Now Demontrey Jacobs, a UDFA in 2023 who was on the Broncos' practice squad last year, will become the 4th player to play at LT in four games.
Not only are the Niners getting back TE George Kittle, but reports late Saturday said Deebo Samuel is set to play as well.
5. Bedard's Pick
Season: 1-1-1 ATS, 2-1 straight up.
Line: Niners -10. 40.5 o/u.
This is pretty simple for me. The 49ers' defensive line might not be as good as year's past, but I don't see how the Patriots effectively block the Niners in the run or pass game - they are still physical and strong. And the Patriots have never seen an offense that has this many bells and whistles as far as motion, personnel groupings and talent. The Bengals, Seahawks and Jets were stationary compared to what Kyle Shanahan is about to unleash after a loss. I would be stunned and extremely impressed if the Patriots are in this game in the fourth quarter. The 49ers' loss to the Rams and a 1-2 record should be smelling salts to those guys.
49ers 30, Patriots 13.