There was a common theme from Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo and his top assistants, Alex Van Pelt and DeMarcus Covington, in the aftermath of the 24-3 beatdown they took from the New York Jets on Thursday.

The film agreed. Thursday’s’ 24-3 loss to the Jets was more than a manhandling or an embarrassment. It was a cartoonish brawl spinning end zone to end zone, players rolling in a cloud, fists sticking out and the same loser seeing stars at the end of virtually every drive: the Patriots.

Was Thursday's loss the at the New York Jets a game that showed the New England Patriots aren’t that much better than they were a year ago?