FOXBORO, Mass. — It appeared like for a second the New England Patriots acquired a key third-down cease on Houston’s first drive of the sport to restrict the Texans to a subject aim.
However then got here the yellow piece of laundry that was all too problematic for the Patriots on Sunday.
This time, although, the Patriots had each proper to be upset with the decision. Security Marte Mapu was flagged for defensive go interference on tight finish Dalton Schultz, though Schultz initiated all of the contact. The penalty gave the Texans a brand new set of downs and so they discovered the top zone two performs in a while a 2-yard landing go from C.J. Stroud to Tank Dell to take a 7-0 lead.
Mapu instructed NESN.com following New England’s 41-21 loss at Gillette Stadium that he was shocked by the decision, however didn’t criticize the official for throwing the flag.
“Initially I didn’t know what the flag was for,” Mapu stated. “After which quick ahead, he instructed me it was on me. I can’t actually management that. Simply form of acquired to suck it up, pause after which transfer ahead.”
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First-year Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo stated the crew goes over referee crews the night time earlier than a recreation and what penalties they’re most probably to name.
Mapu, who talked with the referee after the play to get a proof, knew from that assembly that Ron Torbert’s group of officers favored to name go interference and blamed himself for being in that place.
“I had requested him and he stated, ‘I used to be holding after which when the ball was thrown, I went to go play the ball.’ However that’s the explanation he threw DPI on me,” Mapu stated. “That’s their tendency. You form of get an introduction for the crews forward of time. That’s what he noticed. I knew that they name DPI rather a lot. So, that’s on me.”
The Patriots as an entire struggled with penalties. They had been known as for 9 infractions, together with one other important go interference name on third down on Marcus Jones to increase Houston’s second drive of the sport.
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The undisciplined play solely added to a tough defensive efficiency for the Patriots.
“Not likely discouraging, it’s extra disappointing as a result of we maintain ourselves to a better commonplace,” Mapu stated of the penalties. “Nonetheless they name it, we simply acquired to do enterprise as enterprise is being achieved. When it got here up, like for me, we all know they name DPI rather a lot, so I shouldn’t even have put myself in that place. We’ll see the tape and there’s most likely going to be one thing that I may have achieved to alleviate the stress on the ref calling that decision.”
