The New England Patriots committed 13 penalties during their matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, 10 of which were accepted. This tally was the second-highest for any team in Week 12. The lack of discipline was a key factor in the Dolphins’ 34-15 demolition of the Patriots at Hard Rock Stadium.
New England’s penalty issues included four false starts, three offensive holding calls, one offensive and one defensive pass interference, and a neutral zone infraction.
The Patriots have now committed 81 accepted penalties this season, tying them for the sixth-highest total in the league. After the game, Patriots first-year head coach Jerod Mayo addressed the team’s discipline problems, making comments that raised a few eyebrows.
“Once those guys cross the white lines, there’s nothing I can do for them,” Mayo said in his postgame remarks. “There’s nothing any coach can do for them once they cross the white line. It’s my job to continue to prepare not only them but our coaches to go out here and play better football.”
Mayo’s comments suggested a degree of frustration with his players’ inability to execute on the field despite the preparation and coaching they had received during the week.
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The Patriots’ performance was underwhelming from the start, as they fell behind 31-0 before finally managing to score two fourth-quarter touchdowns, making the final score appear slightly more respectable.
The loss dropped New England to a 3-9 record in Mayo’s first 12 games as head coach—a record that, ironically, matches the Patriots’ record in Bill Belichick’s first 12 games as head coach back in 2000.
Despite the team’s overall struggles, Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye has continued to be a bright spot, even in losses. Against Miami, Maye completed 22 of 37 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
However, the bulk of those yards came in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach.
Maye’s poise and development have provided some optimism for New England fans, who are hoping that he can become the franchise quarterback the team needs to rebuild.
The Patriots will face the Indianapolis Colts next week at home before heading into their much-needed bye week.
With their playoff hopes all but extinguished, the focus for Mayo and his coaching staff will likely shift toward reducing penalties, improving discipline, and continuing to develop their young quarterback.
While the season has been challenging, Mayo’s leadership and Maye’s promising play give New England fans something to hold onto as they look to the future.
