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Patriots Must Bench Starter After Catastrophic Week 7 Performance

The New England Patriots need to demote this player after his terrible Week 7 outing.

By Richard Louis

Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguarsduring an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguarsduring an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images / Peter van den Berg-Imagn Images
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The New England Patriots have hit a massive rut early on in the season. The Patriots have dropped six games in a row, and things don't appear to be getting better.

In Week 7, New England traveled to London but were defeated by the Jacksonville Jaguars 32-16. For the second straight game, the offense has struggled to find a consistent rhythm and rookie quarterback Drake Maye threw for 200-plus yards but also led the team in rushing yards.

Everyone else had trouble elevating their play but one specific rookie should be benched after yet another disappointing outing.

Patriots News: Ja’Lynn Polk's Struggles Have Continued

Rookie receiver Ja'Lynn Polk went into this game looking to bounce back. Last week, Polk was called out by head coach Jerod Mayo, who said that the young playmaker is going through a mental funk that is leading to drops.

The Washington product responded to those statements, saying he's not going through anything and he has "the best hands in the league".

Well, instead of backing those comments up, Polk laid another egg. Over 34 offensive snaps in Week 7, Polk had zero catches on three targets, including a drop.

In the fourth quarter, the Patriots had a chance to cut the lead to seven points. Maye threw the ball in the direction of Polk but he slipped and fell, giving himself no shot of catching the pass. That was the icing on the cake for Polk's terrible day.

DeMario Douglas was dealing with an illness and only managed to play in 20 snaps. This was Polk's chance to silence the doubters and ball out. Instead, he fell flat on his face and further buried himself on the depth chart. In 2024, he has 10 catches for 78 yards and one touchdown.

New England's offense already has its own problems. They can't afford to throw Polk out there and get nothing in return. It would be wise to bench him right now and let him watch from the sideline. His confidence appears to be shot and some time on the bench could serve him well.

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