Belichick backs Pats' defenders after Mayo's callout: 'They're not soft'
Former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick didn't like Jerod Mayo calling his team soft following New England's 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
"Defensively, the Patriots led the league last year in rushing defense, yards per carry, No. 1 in the league, and this year, they're way down in the 20s somewhere. It's the same guys," Belichick said on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Monday.
He added, "I'm kind of hurt for those guys, because to call them soft? They're not soft. ... I feel bad for the defensive players on that one because those guys, that's a tough group. ... Those guys are all tough players."
Head coach Mayo described the Patriots as "a soft team across the board" on Sunday after Jacksonville outgained them 171-38 on the ground in London. New England ranks 21st in rushing yards allowed per game through seven weeks.
The Patriots' offensive line has also struggled, sitting 26th in EPA/rush and last in pressure rate allowed.
"I felt like we just went out there and played soft. We're playing soft at the moment," Mayo said Monday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.
"Now in saying that, do I think we have the guys in there that can turn this ship around? 100 percent. But that comes through hard work and getting better each and every day."
New England is 1-6 heading into its Week 8 matchup against the New York Jets.