Patriots’ Alex Van Pelt was frolicked to dry within the desert.
“You mentioned it,” Patriots head Jerod Mayo mentioned after a 30-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. “I didn’t.”
However Mayo did, basically, say it. His feedback had been in response to a particular offensive play name and served as a stamp of approval to the criticism about Van Pelt.
Mayo has stepped in a self-inflicted pile of crap too many occasions to depend this season. It’s virtually a stunner if he doesn’t need to stroll again one thing he mentioned. The general public critique Sunday, although, may be Mayo’s worst flub but. (He’ll virtually definitely stroll it again Monday morning.)
The primary-year head coach opened the door, and gamers adopted him by way of it.
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Patriots broad receiver Kayshon Boutte, who dropped a cross that became an interception, had no downside throwing shade at Van Pelt. Boutte brazenly questioned Van Pelt’s sport plan and play-calling.
“I really feel like we have to be higher at attacking that as a substitute of being shy about it,” Boutte advised reporters, per the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed.
Drake Maye’s evaluation wasn’t as direct. Neither was that from DeMario Douglas. These two shared they wished to play extra up-tempo on offense. The Patriots marched 75 yards in six performs for his or her first landing and 70 yards in six performs for his or her second landing. Each fourth-quarter scores, drives that began with New England trailing by three possessions, had been a product of tempo.
Maye pushed the ball down the sector throughout these drives relatively than the dink-and-dunk sport plan the primary three quarters — Van Pelt’s sport plan.
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“You mentioned it. I didn’t.”
That remark was expressed after Mayo was requested about Maye not getting a quarterback sneak on third-and-1 or fourth-and-1 within the second half. Mayo, who may have spoken up and didn’t, seemingly would have most popular that. Maye would have been open to it, too.
“Yeah, that’s a very good level,” Maye mentioned. “I used to be a very good quarterback sneaker in faculty. I’m an enormous dude. I’m heavier than folks assume, so I feel there could also be a dialog for that.”
Maybe Maye could have that dialog with Van Pelt. Or maybe will probably be with any person else.
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As a result of at this level, given how Patriots possession appeared through the in-game broadcast and the way Mayo spoke, it feels more and more seemingly Van Pelt will function the group’s scapegoat. He’ll be gone at season’s finish, it appears.
This isn’t to say Van Pelt doesn’t deserve his share of blame. He does. However there’s much more to go round, together with possession, the pinnacle coach and gamers — all of whom departed the desert with water to drink.
