The Patriots were outclassed last Sunday, but the reported locker room atmosphere after the game irked fans and pundits even more.
New England was embarrassed by the Miami Dolphins in Week 12, and it furthered questions about Jerod Mayo and his coaching staff’s job security. The Patriots weren’t expected to be good and more losses helped their draft standing. But fans and pundits expected more from the team.
That’s why when it was reported that players were jovial and laughing after the loss, questions arose about whether or not Mayo’s side was comfortable with losing. Kendrick Bourne added some nuance to the outrage.
“That’s a great question,” Bourne told reporters on whether losing is hurting the Patriots enough, per MassLive’s Chris Mason. “I look at losing, we have to learn from it. We’ve gotta use it in a certain way. I’ve seen the reports about us laughing or whatever. I don’t really know. But I think it’s a mindset. We can’t be pouting around also. We can’t just hold on to bad things. We have to move on.
“So I think there’s a balance to it. Not taking it as a joke. It’s not funny to lose. It’s not a joke at all. But there’s also a balance of, we can’t hold on to the past and let our mistakes, let the losses affect this week. So I think of that as balance. We take it serious. We want to be better. But, also not let it affect us moving forward.”
Bourne noted how everyone reacts to things differently, but he has confidence that New England is aligned in its goals because he knows his teammates. The Patriots certainly didn’t plan on being 3-9 heading into Week 13, but they’re taking it as best as they can. It’s definitely not what fans or media wanted to see, and they’ll hope for a different result when New England faces the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.
