### Patriots Struggle Under Jerod Mayo as Run Defense Falters

The New England Patriots, once renowned for their stout run defense under Bill Belichick, are facing a challenging season under their first-year head coach, Jerod Mayo. Last season, the Patriots led the league in opponents' yards per carry, with Belichick referring to the defensive unit as "tough guys." This year, however, the story is different as New England has dropped to a tie for 17th place in run defense.

The decline in defensive performance has prompted Mayo to describe his team as "soft." This harsh assessment stung former head coach Belichick, who defended the players on "The Pat McAfee Show." "I'm kinda hurt for those guys because to call them soft, they're not soft," Belichick said. "They were the best team in the league last year against the run. Those guys went out there and did it even though we couldn't score many points offensively. I feel bad for the defensive players on that one because that's a tough group."

The Patriots' woes continued in their recent game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, where they suffered a 32-16 defeat. The Jaguars, who have struggled this season, managed to rush for 171 yards, with backup Tank Bigsby contributing 118 yards and two touchdowns. In stark contrast, the Patriots managed only 38 yards on 15 carries. Mayo called out his team's performance, saying, "We're a soft football team across the board."

Despite losing six straight games, Mayo clarified on Monday that he does not genuinely believe his team lacks toughness but feels they have been playing that way. New England's failure to stop the run, run the ball effectively, and perform in special teams has been a cause for concern. "When I said playing soft, that means stopping the run, being able to run the ball, and covering kicks, which we weren't able to do," Mayo said.

Looking ahead, the Patriots hope to bounce back in Week 8 against the New York Jets, whose rushing attack ranks second to last in yards per game. Mayo remains optimistic about his team's potential to improve. "Do I think we have the guys that can turn this ship around? One hundred percent," he stated. "But that comes through hard work; hard work comes on the practice field and going out there and getting better each and every day."

The Patriots will need to channel the defensive grit they displayed last season if they hope to change their fortunes in the coming weeks.