Patriots receivers have no room for complaints after weak performance vs. Jets

Most would claim the biggest issue plaguing the Patriots this season is injuries and their lack of winning games. While that is undoubtedly true, the bigger problem might be the team's wide receivers' constant negative social media posts. Jerod Mayo might be fine with players speaking their truth and airing their grievances, but it seems to have led to more toxicity than unity in the locker room.

Nearly every receiver on the team expressed issues related to their lack of incorporation into the game plan or anger from being a healthy scratch. Some of that is understandably frustrating, but it reached the point of some claiming to be talented beyond what they've shown on the field, creating an unfavorable narrative to live up to the rest of the season.

It inevitably became one of the highlighted talking points during their six-game losing streak, which morphed into questioning Mayo as the team's head coach. It didn't appear as though he had control over his players, and the drama was reaching a boiling point.

Some of it appeared to be addressed by others in the receiving corps, mainly Kendrick Bourne, who hopes to continue on as a mentor for the younger players.

With that fresh in their mind, on top of all the problems they had already expressed, there was a good opportunity for the group to prove their value to the team against a very bad Jets team, only to fall flat on their faces when given a chance.

Patriots receivers talked the talk but couldn't walk the walk in Week 8

Since Drake Maye took over at quarterback, he has been utilizing more receivers than Jacoby Brissett had through the first five games. DeMario Douglas, frustrated over his lack of usage, became the rookie's favorite target, and Kayshon Boutte, who shared his annoyances with the media, was right behind him.

Others became healthy scratches, like Javon Baker and Tyquan Thornton, and veteran K.J. Osborn was going to deal with that same fate last week had Baker not been ruled out 12 hours before their game vs. the Jaguars.

They collectively had a prime opportunity to prove exactly why their complaints were valid in the weeks leading up to their second matchup with the Jets on Sunday, but fell under pressure and dropped more passes than catching them.

By the end of the game, the receiving corps recorded just seven catches on 16 targets, making the day that much more difficult for Maye before he left with a concussion and Brissett once he took over.

It was a noteworthy day for the group, but not in a good way, and it doesn't bode well for them in the days ahead as the coaching staff and their teammates watch the film. That will be tough for them to explain after all the talking they've done to the media or online this year, and maybe this type of day is what they needed to get back on track.

Sometimes, a humbling is all it takes. Hopefully, that point will get across, and we won't be constantly hearing more drama being created on social media. It's not a good look for the player, the team, or their teammates, and it would be better if they kept their issues in-house instead of in the public.

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