New England Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux isn't sugarcoating his feelings on the offense's continued struggles.
Sunday's 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was the tipping point. With that defeat, the Patriots became the first team since 1938 to lose three consecutive games in which their defense allowed 10 points or fewer. The offense scored 13 total points in that span.
Safety Jabrill Peppers and cornerback Jalen Mills briefly addressed the issue after the game, but Godchaux was more candid in his conversation with the Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan.
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“It’s frustrating. It’s frustrating. I’m not gonna sit up here and say, ‘You know, I still believe.’ It’s f—ing frustrating. Anybody can tell you that,” Godchaux told Callahan. “You know, I thought (Bailey) Zappe made some good throws today. I thought there was a couple balls we could’ve caught as receivers, and those guys would tell you the same thing, too. They can take accountability, and we’ve all got (expletive) (expletive) we all messed up on. But the margin of error in this league is so small.” ...
"Like, Tyquan (Thornton) had the guy beat by like three steps. And we’ve gotta make those catches. The margin of error is so small. I still think Tyquan’s got a bright future, he’s a really, really talented guy. But the margin for error in this league is so small, man. One opportunity that you let slip, like — we didn’t really get another opportunity to throw another deep ball. DP (Devante Parker) had one, but he ended up being out of bounds.”
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The Patriots' offense looked equally inept with Bailey Zappe at quarterback instead of Mac Jones. Zappe was sacked five times while throwing for only 141 yards and zero touchdowns in New England's second shutout loss of the year. As Godchaux notes, the 2022 fourth-rounder did make a pair of potentially game-changing throws that his wide receivers couldn't haul in.
Entering Week 14, the Patriots rank dead last in the NFL in points per game (12.3). It won't get any easier for the offense in the final stretch. After visiting former Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt and the Pittsburgh Steelers this Thursday, the Patriots will face the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and New York Jets. Each of those defenses ranks inside the top 15 in points allowed this season.
The one bright spot for the Patriots during their disastrous season is their standing in the 2024 NFL Draft. With a 2-10 record, they currently own the second overall pick. The Carolina Panthers are No. 1 with a 1-11 record.