A pair of questionable decisions doomed the Patriots on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
New England was deep into Arizona territory on a promising second-half drive when it needed only one yard to move the chains in hopes of cutting into a 16-3 deficit. The Patriots ran back-to-back rushing plays that didn’t go anywhere, which gave the football back to the Cardinals and set up Jonathan Gannon’s side to put the finishing touches on the visitors.
Countless New England fans wondered why Drake Maye wasn’t called to run a sneak in that crucial situation. After all, the rookie quarterback’s size, speed and strength make it very difficult to keep him behind the line of scrimmage. Appearing on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday, head coach Jerod Mayo was asked if Maye’s recent history with a concussion dissuaded the Patriots from calling a sneak.
“No, it’s not,” Mayo told reporters one day after his team’s 30-17 loss. “That was a conversation we had in the past. He’s out of the concussion protocol. He can quarterback sneak. Look, it’s on me.”
Mayo didn’t take complete ownership of the missed opportunity immediately after New England fell to 3-11. The first-year coach opened the door for criticism of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, who apparently wasn’t perturbed by Mayo’s remarks.
All told, Sunday was yet another reminder the Patriots’ needs for improvement go beyond their roster. The coaching staff must be improved as well.
