NASHVILLE — We learned last month that, historically, the Patriots believe tough teams can run the ball, stop the run and defend kicks.

The Patriots were 0-for-3 in the toughness department in London two weeks ago, which led head coach Jerod Mayo to call them “soft.” Mayo tried to avoid using the S-word after Sunday’s 20-17 overtime loss to the Titans, but his team hit just one of three of those key tenets against one of the NFL’s worst teams.

The Patriots ran the ball 20 times for 110 yards with a touchdown, but 95 of those yards came on eight scrambles from Drake Maye. So, on designed runs, the Patriots gained just 15 yards on 12 carries.

Related Articles

Drake Maye questions concussion diagnosis after Patriots return

Drake Maye’s incredible last-second touchdown gives Patriots chance in OT loss

Patriots veteran gives Drake Maye ultimate compliment after loss to Titans

Takeaways from Patriots’ heartbreaking 20-17 overtime loss to Titans

Jerod Mayo responds to ‘silly,’ ‘frustrating’ Patriots trade rumors

“Have to be able to run the football. Obviously, that was disappointing,” Mayo said. “I think Drake was probably our leading rusher today. You never really want your quarterback to be your leading rusher. And that’s in all facets. We’ve got to be able to move guys off the line. I think their defensive line did a good job. They were hard to handle inside, especially 98 (Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons). We knew that coming into the game. Every team that we play, they’re going to have either good edge rushers or good interior rushers. We’ve just got to do a better job getting those guys off the ball.”

Mayo said that stopping the run and running the ball “starts with your attitude, starts with your mentality.”

The Patriots’ defense allowed the Titans to run 39 times for 167 yards. Starting running back Tony Pollard went off for 128 yards on 28 carries. Backup Julius Chestnut carried the ball five times for 22 yards.

“Defensively, again, leaky run defense,” Mayo said. “There were times where it goes back to fundamentals. We spend a lot of time talking about the X’s and O’s, but I thought the tackling still needs to improve. That’s part of it.”

Punter Bryce Baringer wasn’t very good Sunday, shanking two punts, but punt returner Marcus Jones had 69 yards on two returns. And the Patriots’ special teams allowed just 7 punt return yards and 23.5 yards per kick return.

“Look, we went into the game also saying special teams was going to make a play, had to make plays, and we had the big returns from Marcus and those guys out there were blocking for them,” Mayo said. “Too bad we let this one slip away.”

Mayo did describe the interior of the Patriots’ offensive line as “soft,” which led to his decision to bench rookie right guard Layden Robinson, move Mike Onwenu from right tackle to right guard and bring Demontrey Jacobs off the bench at right tackle.

“We felt like we needed to match up with one of their best players,” Mayo said of Onwenu lining up across from Simmons. “Again, when you watch the film, you’ll see the interior of the pocket at times was soft. We thought putting our best player in there was the best thing to do for the team.”

The Titans got the ball first in overtime and went 72 yards on 13 players and finished with a field goal. Eight of those plays were runs, and the Titans gained 41 yards on the ground.

“There’s a lot of plays in the game that could have been better, but still hold them to three points, gave our offense a chance, which is the goal,” defensive tackle Davon Godchaux said.

Quarterback Drake Maye tossed a deep interception into double coverage three plays into the offense’s drive in overtime.

“I feel like on the outside looking in, everything looks easy and you feel like you can say what we should have done, but it’s a thousand pieces moving — I’m not making excuses or anything like that — it’s more so like we just have to slow the game down,” defensive end Keion White said of the team’s issues running the ball. “And I feel like a lot of us are just trying to do everything — again, me included. And we just need to do our job.”

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson said it’s above his paygrade when asked what caused the Patriots’ issues running the ball.

Left tackle Vederian Lowe and center Ben Brown both took responsibility for issues up front. Neither player felt they played their best game against the Titans.