The New England Patriots didn't put up much of a fight during their 34–15 defeat against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

The Patriots fell to 3–9 on the season, and they made a multitude of mistakes throughout the game against their division rivals. New England was wildly undisciplined in the loss, racking up 10 penalties for a total of 75 yards, vastly more than the three penalties the Dolphins committed.

After the game, head coach Jerod Mayo was asked about the consistent errors being committed by Patriots players, and at what point the blame needs to rest on the players, rather than himself. Although Mayo had previously taken ownership for the loss, he said that what happens on the field is out of his control.

"Once those guys cross the white lines there’s nothing I can do for them. 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," said Mayo.

Mayo admitted that he needs to do a better job preparing his players to avoid those types of mistakes, but noted that once the game gets going, he can't control what occurs on the field. When it comes down to the plays during a game, Mayo suggested the onus is on the players to execute.

Some fans weren't satisfied with Mayo's answer, suggesting that he has not lived up to standards when it comes to fielding a team that's prepared on Sunday.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Fans Weren't Happy With Jerod Mayo's Explanation for Patriots' Frequent Sloppy Play.

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