The Patriots have an underdog mentality heading into the 49ers game

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Short-term thoughts and notes surrounding the New England Patriots and the NFL:

1. Underdog mentality: Belief was high in the Patriots’ locker room last week, and perhaps nowhere was that more evident than with Davon Godchaux, a veteran defensive tackle with eight years of experience.

The Patriots, who visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox), are the NFL’s biggest underdogs heading into Week 4. They have a 23% chance of winning, according to ESPN Analytics.

Tell that to the 6-foot-2, 300-pound Godchaux, and he respectfully rejects the premise.

“Carolina came to Vegas last week and everyone said, ‘Vegas is going to win this game easily.’ The same goes for Cincinnati vs. Washington on “Monday Night Football.” So what happened when Jayden Daniels whipped the Raiders? ” said Godchaux.

“The game still has to be played between the lines. I get it, people have to make the lines, the bets and all that. But it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. It’s important what the team believes in – the three phases and the 11 guys who are on the field at that moment.”

Godchaux, 29, says the Patriots are closer to the team that beat the Cincinnati Bengals 16-10 in Week 1 and narrowly lost to the Seattle Seahawks 23-20 in overtime in Week 2. He points to the Bengals holding themselves to 70 rushing yards and the Seahawks holding them to 46 as an example of what the unit is capable of.

What transpired last week in a lackluster 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday night wasn’t a reflection of the team – and especially the defense – he believes the Patriots really are. The Jets totaled 133 rushing yards and 281 yards through the air.

“We had a lot of missed tackles. Too many missed tackles. Uncharacteristic of us,” he said. “The (touchdown) pass (Aaron) Rodgers threw to Allen Lazard near the goal line, we missed the tackle at the corner. These are things we need to improve. And we are better than that.”

“No excuse for a short week. But we had 6-7 (tackles for loss) where we narrowly missed the running back or receiver’s tackle. We need to get better at the basics first and foremost. I believe once.” If we do that, we’ll be fine.

The 49ers are a challenging team to face on defense — which botched seven drives last week and allowed Rodgers to escape the pocket — and one that wants to get back to its basic roots. “San Fran wants you to be undisciplined so they can hit the home run. Get out of your rush lanes. Make sure you’re disciplined in your pass rush,” Godchaux said.

“Brock Purdy is a really good scrambler; He doesn’t get a lot of credit, but he’s really athletic. So we just have to stay at home, set the defensive line and make them return the ball. And if they cut him. “Back, we have to make the tackle. We missed so many tackles against the Jets last week. It was so frustrating because we were like, ‘Why are we on the field so much?'”

This latest performance is why few are giving the Patriots a chance to upset the 49ers, and perhaps it also explains why coach Jerod Mayo spoke to players about unexpected results across the league as they returned from three days off on Monday returned.

“I tried to put some things in perspective,” Mayo said. “You have a team that was picked to win the Super Bowl and is eliminated next week. At the moment it’s about who can improve the fastest. That’s what we need to do – go back to what’s important.”

Godchaux said the Patriots responded with two of their best practices of the year – first on Monday and then in full pads on what defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington called a “work day on Wednesday,” when they “brought their hard hat” and focused on run defense focused – that’s why his faith remains high.

2. No Brady in Week 5: Unless there is an unexpected change in the coming days, Tom Brady is not scheduled to play in the Patriots’ Week 5 home game against the Dolphins, which will be broadcast on Fox. A source familiar with his schedule expects him to call the Cardinals-49ers game.

Since Fox didn’t have a doubleheader in Week 5, the possibility of Brady returning to his longtime home at Gillette Stadium to call the Patriots-Dolphins game might have been considered a few weeks ago. But when the Dolphins lost quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion and the Patriots faced a nationally televised loss to the Jets in Week 3, the game lost some of its national luster.

The Patriots have ruled out starter LT Vederian Lowe (knee), backup LG Michael Jordan (ankle) and backup CB Alex Austin (ankle).

4 questionable: CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder), OLB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder), OT Caedan Wallace (knee), LG Sidy Sow (ankle).

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 27, 2024

3. Maye update: An open question is how close rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who gets 30% of first-team reps in practice in addition to being on the scout team, might be to taking over the QB1 position.

Mayo reiterated this week that the team has no plans to sign a veteran quarterback, reiterating that he and executive director of player personnel Eliot Wolf would like to turn to Maye now in the event of an injury to the veteran Jacoby Brissett.

So far, Brissett has done nothing to lose his job and is a team captain. He took a beating behind the shaky offensive line play and blitzing running backs. But Maye, who Mayo said would launch an attack at the end of preseason, continues to move forward behind the scenes.

“Really good,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said when asked how Maye looked in practice. “I think the game experience (in Week 3) will only help him moving forward. The plan is in place and I think we’re seeing it start to grow on the practice field as well.”

Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins also noted Maye’s work with the scout team.

“The impressive thing is that in these scout team meetings he wants to know every detail and how this quarterback operates,” he said. “He has such a good understanding of different schemes and what people are doing. It’s like he’s been around a long time and has seen a lot of offenses and quarterbacks. I think he is unique in this respect. That’s something that doesn’t happen very often.” There are people in the league who are conscientious and want to learn about safety rules for the (Scout) team. These are rare qualities.

4. Keion’s motivation: The 49ers have turned to third-year running back Jordan Mason with Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve. Patriots second-year defensive lineman Keion White knows him well from their time together at Georgia Tech and said he stays in touch with Mason.

Mason went undrafted in 2022, in part because he shared time with Jahmyr Gibbs in college, and he has risen to the challenge with his first NFL opportunity as a starter, totaling 67 carries, 324 yards and 2 TDs presented this season. “He always had the ability. It’s the opportunity,” White said. “He knows I’ll try to be extra hard on him, but it’s all love.”

5. Barmore’s presence: Defensive player Christian Barmore, who is on injured reserve after being diagnosed with blood clots in July, has been spending more time with the team lately. Center David Andrews called him the funniest player in the locker room, and that might explain why Mayo put him in charge of Friday Funny.

“It’s like a 30-second (or) one-minute clip just to make the guys laugh,” Mayo explained, adding, “I think it’s important for him to be in the building. The idle mind that sits at home all the time.” Time, that’s nothing but trouble.

Mayo said Barmore has not been cleared by doctors at this point and made it sound like he didn’t expect that to change any time soon.

6. Strange’s Status: Third-year offensive lineman Cole Strange, who tore the patellar tendon in his left knee last December and is on the physically unable to perform list, was a constant presence in the locker room last week when reporters had access.

While Strange can start practicing next week, I don’t think that’s on the radar right now. A more likely scenario is that others on the PUP list — receiver Kendrick Bourne, linebacker Sione Takitaki and possibly safety/linebacker Marte Mapu — begin practicing.

7. You said it: “It’s like yelling at your child. You love the guy and he does the right thing most of the time, but it’s a problem and you need to sit down and address it. He’s more embarrassed than anyone else. He’s a proud guy.” – Van Pelt on running back Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumble in each of the first three games

8. Ximines Update: According to a team source, reserve outside linebacker and core special teamer Oshane Ximines, who veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones predicted would be a surprise player this season, was diagnosed with a torn ACL after suffering a torn ACL during a game in Week 2 was injured in punt coverage.

Ximines’ recovery timeline does not include him returning to the team this season. The current plan is to wait until the swelling goes down before scheduling surgery.

9. Did you know, Part I: In Week 3 games, Joe Cardona leads all NFL long snappers with three tackles. His career high for a full season is four (in 2017). Since 2000, the most tackles in a season by a long snapper has been 12 – by Zak DeOssie of the Giants in 2008.

10. Did You Know, Part II: If the Patriots lose to the 49ers and fall to 1-3, it would be the fourth straight season in which the team has a losing record through its first four games – the longest streak in franchise history.