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The New England Patriots were flagged 10 times during their 34-15 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 12 as they continue to be among the most-penalized teams in the NFL. That isn’t Jerod Mayo’s problem, at least not according to the head coach himself.

The 10 penalties the Patriots had accepted against Miami were the second-most of any team in the league during Week 12’s action, and while there is no debate that the many flags hurt New England’s chances of making things competitive against the Dolphins, Mayo feels like he can only do so much.

“Once those guys cross the white lines, there’s nothing I can do for them,” Mayo told reporters after the game. “There’s nothing any coach can do for them once they cross the white line. It’s my job to continue to prepare not only them, but our coaches to go out here and play better football.”

While Mayo did later note that the penalty issues “start with me,” his claim about not being able to do anything once his players run onto the field isn’t technically incorrect. Mayo isn’t out on the field making plays, whether they be legal or illegal, but it’s certainly a bold thing for the coach of a 3-9 football team to say after a blowout divisional loss.

This season was always going to be an uphill climb for the Patriots with the franchise handing the keys Bill Belichick successfully owned for so long to a first-year head coach in Mayo, but the former linebacker isn’t exactly making things easier on himself with comments like this.

Fans have to point the finger at someone, and when you’re the head coach of the fifth-most flagged team in the NFL, a good number of those fingers are going to be pointed directly at the head coach.

Mayo was already standing on somewhat thin ice heading into the matchup against the Dolphins, but after the loss and his postgame comments, the ice appears to be getting thinner.

The Patriots play host to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 before a bye week followed by a two-game road trip to Arizona and Buffalo.