Life in the NFL moves pretty fast.
Four weeks ago, Jerod Mayo was the toast of New England after "upsetting" the Bengals in the opener.
After three straight losses, two of the largely non-competitive variety against the Jets and 49ers, it's not hyperbole that Mayo is dealing with a crisis that could spin out of control if the Patriots don't beat the hapless Dolphins on Sunday (the Patriots are only a 1-point favorite at home against a team that hasn't led for one minute this season - Dolphins beat Jaguars at the buzzer in the opener - and have lost their last three games 86-25).
After just four games:
- The Patriots are getting worse by the week on offense and defense, as both units are 29th and 28th respectively in DVOA.
- Mayo has shown himself not to be bothered by error-repeaters as Rhamondre Stevenson's fumbling issues continued and the amount of blown edges on defense doubled against the 49ers.
- Davon Godchaux and Jabrill Peppers (both by far the best defensive players against San Fran) called out some defensive players as selfish on radio;
- Demario Douglas and Ja’Lynn Polk are throwing temper tantrums on the field after not getting the ball. Polk literally walked off the field on the pick-6.
- Mayo called out Alex Van Pelt on Sunday for not doing enough schematically.
- And now the team hears Mayo endorse Brissett after his worst game, by far, of the season when he was a detriment to the team, and more reasons than just the pick-6. His performance was the fourth-worst graded game I've tabulated since the start of 2021 (and I'm not alone on Brissett's performance - PFF had it as by far the worst game of the week from a QB with at least 18 dropbacks).
The Brissett issue coupled with the Miami game could make this an early inflection point for Mayo. If the Patriots can put things back together on Sunday, things will settle down and they have some more winnable games upcoming.
If they lose and Brissett is again a big reason, Mayo faces a possible mutiny. The players see the same film we do. You can't fool them. It's one thing to keep playing Stevenson and Keion White (the chief edge perpetrator) - they're very talented and are the best the Patriots have. But if Brissett stinks it up again with Drake Maye sitting there (who do you think Tyreek Douglas and Ja'Lynn Jefferson want out there?) and Mayo doesn't play him, nobody in that locker room cares about your precious plan. They want to win, and receivers want to catch the ball when they're open. Adding not holding Brissett accountable on top of all the other crap that's allowed to go on, suddenly you're going to start seeing a lot more players looking out for No. 1 and not giving a crap about any of Mayo's corporate jargon.
Then there's Van Pelt, who is drawing more internal private criticism by the week from what I'm hearing, and his simplistic system.
The Patriots present the opposing defenses no schematic issues. They don't do anything challenging, like motions or formations or no-huddle, missile motions (hooray for a few orbit motions) or reverses. There's nothing thrown in to make the defense say, "Oh crap, we got caught ... how do we stop this?' Very little formation or motion issues. No stacks or bunches. In empty, no problematic things that the Niners had to deal with.
The Patriots are 32nd in the league in motion at the snap at 8%. The league average is 22%.
The 49ers are really being a simple defense, like the Jets. They kind of do what they do and just try to beat you on talent and being better at what they do, than you are at what you do. They are used to seeing a lot of game plan stuff each week. There was nothing from the Patriots. There were very little designer, premium looks used to attack. The Austin Hooper touchdown play was great, schemed it open ... well, give me like a dozen more of those somewhere else in the field (like on 3rd and 3 on the opening possession, or the failed 4th-and-1 run to nowhere after a timeout). The coach essentially schemes up production. That is not happening. They are last in the league with 4 explosive pass plays over 20 yards:
The Gibson play was a checkdown in garbage time, and the Henry play was a screen.
(The Patriots' defense has allowed 11 explosive passes and seven have come in the past two games, including the top 4 gainers against the 49ers.)
The offensive line (44 percent pressure taking Brissett's 2 sacks and 1.5 pressures) is a disaster and got worse during the game because of injuries. And Van Pelt isn't doing anything to help in terms of scheme. He allowed Demontrey Jacobs to single-block Nick Bosa at least eight times in the game (including the third down that stalled the opening drive). That should have never been allowed to happen.
To make things worse, Van Pelt is not helping the weaknesses. He pulled Sidy Sow a few times, had him out on screens and he effed them all up. What did you expect on timing plays after the guy has been out so long? Sow was awful in this game - almost as bad as Jacobs - and his bad level was terrible. He wasn't ready.
Van Pelt's worst decision was the toss to Stevenson with 4:15 left in the 3Q on 2nd and 6 when he asked Tyquan Underwood to crack down on Niners DE Sam Okuayinonu, who is 6-1 and 269 pounds. It went for a 7-yard loss. The 3rd and 16 screen was another disaster. The next series he left Jacobs singled against Bosa three times. It was just a matter of time before Bosa got the clinching strip-sack. There was also the max protect shot play where Onwenu blew the block and Brissett got sacked because the design featured two deep out-breaking routes ... no over/under concept in the middle of the field, it was all outside the numbers.
Mayo is in charge of all this. He doesn't get to pass the buck. He oversees the gameplan. He watches practice. He does not get to abdicate responsibility, just because he called Van Pelt the head coach-offense before the crap hit the fan.
The Patriots better win on Sunday. That will only happen if Van Pelt and Brissett do their jobs better. If they don't, things could get really bad around here.
Sorry for the late posting of this. To make up for it, here is my analysis of the entire first half as I am grading the film (sorry for the f-bombs), so it's not going to be a polished breakdown. Mostly observations:
Here are the positional ratings against the 49ers:
OFFENSE
Quarterback (0 out of 5)
Yes, Brissett is still under a lot of pressure and that could be causing some of the issues, but I can't excuse his play in this one. There were plays to be made, and he didn't make them. I had him for four plus plays - a third-down throw to Hunter Henry in the first half, and two pressure throws in the second half and the 21-yarder to Polk. He had 13.5 minus plays, which includes taking two sacks, a half knockdown and two hurries that could have been avoided. ... I think the pick-6 was a direct result of Brissett not throwing the in-cut to Polk on the failed third down on the opening drive. I'm willing to bet they should Brissett that after the series and told him to throw the dig, which is a route Van Pelt loves and Brissett has been risk-averse to throwing it. You know who isn't? Maye.
Running backs (2.5 out of 5)
This was pretty good outside of Stevenson's fumble and his decision not to cutback a successful wide zone run. ... It's time for Antonio Gibson to start. He's been really good so far and deserves more time. And he needs more chances as a receiver.
Receivers (1.5 out of 5)
Henry continues to be the best player. He even had some really good run blocks in this game. ... Brissett obviously favors throwing to Osborn (why?), Henry and Hooper which is understandable, but it's time for Brisset to be ordered to throw more to Douglas and Polk. Van Pelt needs to start dialing up three-man bunches with the two youngsters and, hopefully, Kendrick Bourne when he returns. The Patriots need more levels in their route concepts. And, please, use more over and under routes. San Fran hit the Patriots with the same simple concept three times.
Offensive line (1 out of 5)
The Patriots were really bad on the left side, and the playcalling didn't minimize the issue of Jacobs and a very rusty Sow. ... David Andrews, the warrior he is, finally tapped out after two poor games (for him) and a rough start when he got easily moved on a stuffed run early in this one. There's not way Andrews plays like that healthy. I have a fear it could be a while. ... The good news? Nick Leverett had a clean sheet in relief and, in fact, led the team with three plus run blocks. ... Robinson and Onwenu both had their struggles.
THREE UP
RB Antonio Gibson: The Whirling Dervish deserves to get the rock while Stevenson thinks about his fumbling problems.
TE Hunter Henry: Consummate pro just keeps doing his job well.
C Nick Leverett: Don't take any offense to this DA, but the Patriots were just fine without their standout center.
FIVE DOWN
QB Jacoby Brissett: This was the first time he was real detriment to the team. That can't continue.
OT Demontrey Jacobs: You give a guy who has been here a month not enough help in his first NFL start against the likes of Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd, what do you think is going to happen?
LG Sidy Sow: He shouldn't have been out there but the Michael Jordan injury probably forced their hand. His pad level wasn't ready for action.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: Sow blew the block on the fumble (on another ill-advised pull, shocking) but this has to stop. He's hurting the team.
WR Tyquan Thornton: This is getting hard to watch. Think the Chiefs would take him?