The New England Patriots suffered their 12th loss of the season in a 24-21 defeat to the Buffalo Bills. Despite leading 14-0, the Patriots faltered in the second half, allowing Buffalo to score 24 unanswered points. While not all the mistakes were related to poor coaching, some questionable decisions from head coach Jerod Mayo contributed to the loss. Mayo has struggled to gain the support of Patriots fans in his first season, and blowing a two-touchdown lead to a division rival hasn’t helped his case. Many fans are calling for his removal.
The Patriots made several key mistakes, including an interception by Drake Maye in the end zone and two fumbles by Rhamondre Stevenson, one of which led to a Buffalo touchdown. While these errors were costly, Mayo’s coaching decisions also played a role. After Stevenson’s second fumble, the Patriots had the ball near midfield with about eight minutes left, trailing by 10 points. Mayo opted to punt, which allowed the Bills to run almost four minutes off the clock. This conservative decision reduced the time the offense had to score.
Additionally, the Patriots squandered valuable time during a late drive inside the 10-yard line, with penalties and fumbles slowing their progress. Though they eventually scored a touchdown, Buffalo sealed the win by recovering an onside kick.
Mayo, who doesn’t call offensive plays (a responsibility of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt), has faced criticism for the team’s underperformance. The defense, which Mayo oversees, has also struggled this season. With the Patriots sitting at 3-12, fans are increasingly frustrated with his leadership.
