Deatrich Wise Jr. chose his words carefully after another New England Patriots loss. He wanted to send a message to Patriots fans. The captain clearly did, as he voiced his support not only for his team but for head coach Jerod Mayo.
Deatrich Wise Jr. Irritated by Boo-Birds, Calls Patriots Fans Spoiled
Wise, a Patriots’ defensive end and captain, said the team’s fans were spoiled by the Super Bowl titles that were delivered over the last two decades. He also takes exception to the booing and the calls for the firing of first-year coach Mayo.
Patriots defensive end and captain, Deatrich Wise Jr on Patriots fans:
Per: @kguregian
“With all respect to Patriot Nation, they’re a little spoiled. We don’t appreciate the boos. We don’t appreciate the outburst (against Mayo),” Patriots captain Deatrich Wise said. “If… pic.twitter.com/TaEBCeJ9Iz
— Savage (@SavageSports_) December 29, 2024
“With all respect to Patriot Nation, they’re a little spoiled. We don’t appreciate the boos. We don’t appreciate the outburst (against Mayo),” the Patriots captain said. “If you’re a fan, be a fan with us through thick and thin.”
The Patriots struggled for most of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers in their 40-7 loss on Saturday. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye turned in a very pedestrian effort going 12 of 22 for 117 passing yards and a touchdown.
At 3-13, New England will look forward to the offseason and the NFL Draft, where the Patriots might be able to get Maye some support for his arsenal.
Growing pains were to be expected, but with a defense that allows an average of 25.1 points per game following the Patriots’ Week 17 loss, the head coach’s maiden season has been a bust.
Nevertheless, Mayo’s offense is led by a rookie quarterback in Maye, and New England has been dealing with a crowded injury report. His wide receivers room (DeMario Douglas and a cast of thousands) is below average.
Mayo’s Defense Ranked 30th in PFN’s Defense+ Metric
Pro Football Network’s defense rankings combine statistics such as yards per play, points per drive, sack percentage, turnover percentage, success rate against the run and pass, third-down conversion rate, red-zone efficiency, pressure percentage when not blitzing, and various expected points added (EPA) measures against both the run and pass.
These are then weighted accordingly to produce our rankings for each season.
Of all the elements of Mayo’s start as head coach, the decline in New England’s defense will be the most concerning. Having been a top-10 defense in each of the last three years, this year’s demise is a major concern.
New England needed a solid defense to support its rebuilding offense, and that hasn’t been the case. Even with Josh Allen handicapped by a numb throwing hand, the Patriots couldn’t stop the run and recorded another below-average overall grade (70.8).
For the season, New England’s defense ranks 24th in EPA per rush (0.01). Overall, the Patriots have ranked 20th or worse in 10 out of 15 games this year. They’ll be massive underdogs with a pair of home games left against the Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills, cementing this unit in the bottom five when the season ends.
Where Does PFN Rank the Patriots’ Offense?
Pro Football Network’s offense rankings combine statistics such as yards per play, points per drive, turnover percentage, success rate against the run and pass, third-down conversion rate, red-zone efficiency, pressure percentage when not blitzing, and various expected points added (EPA) measures against both the run and pass. These are then weighted accordingly to produce our rankings for each season.
The Patriots are a unique case. Their 2024 numbers are a hot mess (28th in EPA per play and yards per play), but the willingness to admit as much and commit this season to developing Maye is something that this fan base can get excited about.
The rookie has taken his lumps thus far, but he’s also shown promise by way of his athleticism and processing speed. Maye is far from a finished product, and there will likely be more downs than ups over the final stretch. However, New England is making it clear that it’s willing to lose the battle of 2024 in the hope of winning the war of the next handful of seasons.
Of the teams toward the bottom quarter of our rankings, this is the one with the most upward mobility over the next 12 months. Given that winning big in 2024 was never in the cards for the Patriots, that trajectory makes this season a success.
Overall, the Patriots’ offense ranks 27th in PFN’s Offense+ metric with a D grade.