### Jerod Mayo Criticizes Patriots' Performance, Bill Belichick Defends Team's Toughness

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo expressed his disappointment in the team's recent performance during their 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. This defeat marked their sixth consecutive loss, dropping their season record to 1-6. Mayo did not mince words, characterizing the team as "soft."

"We're a soft football team across the board," Mayo remarked after the game. "We talk about what makes a tough football team, and that's being able to run the ball, being able to stop the run, and being able to cover kicks. We did none of those."

The Jaguars capitalized on the Patriots' vulnerabilities, amassing 171 rushing yards. Tank Bigsby led the charge with 118 yards and two touchdowns, while Parker Washington added a highlight with a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown.

However, Bill Belichick, the former Patriots head coach, disagreed with Mayo's assessment. During his weekly appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Belichick defended the players, subtly hinting that the coaching could be a factor.

"The Patriots led the league in rushing defense last year," Belichick said. "They still have a lot of those players. I'm hurt for those guys because they're not soft. I feel bad for the defensive players because they're all tough players."

Belichick highlighted that last season, the Patriots were number one in the league in rushing defense, allowing only 3.3 yards per rush attempt. This season, the Patriots' rushing defense has worsened, allowing 4.6 yards per carry, which is among the highest in the league. Despite the decline, Belichick emphasized the continuity and talent of the players, mentioning key defenders like Anfernee Jennings, Jahlani Tavai, Kyle Dugger, Marcus Jones, Christian Gonzalez, Deatrich Wise, Devon Godchaux, Keion White, and Marte Mapu.

In a clarification on WEEI's "Greg Hill Show," Mayo softened his earlier comments, focusing on performance rather than the character of his players. "Let me just go ahead and correct that. We're playing soft, OK?" he stated. "Because if you look at the first - going back to training camp, there was definitely some toughness all around the place and we still had the same players and we just got to play that way."

The Patriots are grappling with their disappointing 1-6 record at the bottom of the AFC East. They face the New York Jets next Sunday, where another loss could further decline their standing in the division.