New England Patriots defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale called out his fellow defenders for selfish play, following the Patriots’ 32-16 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday
Ekuale’s comments came after fellow defensive tackle Davon Godchaux said something similar a few weeks ago. Godchaux called out the defense, saying some players were being selfish and that “everybody has to sacrifice to do what’s best for the team.”
Now, Ekuale is saying the same thing after the Patriots dropped their sixth straight loss this season.
“Jerod just said (post-game) everybody gotta check their ego when they come in. And I agree with him,” Ekuale said, as transcribed by the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan. “I feel like a lot of guys think too highly of themselves, and have to check their ego and come in and just play as a team.
“I feel like if we play as a team nobody can stop us. But if we go out there and do our own thing, and play outside of the scheme, that’s when we get beat.”
The Patriots’ defensive unit is undoubtedly struggling, as they have surrendered 30-plus points in back-to-back games.
These struggles come after New England brought back largely the same unit from a year ago. However, key players being out have hurt the Patriots this season. The defense will have to do some self-reflection as they look to get back on track.
