After the Patriots made four trips to the red zone but scored just one touchdown in their Week 1 win over Cincinnati, coach Jerod Mayo said success there would be a “point of emphasis” for his team going forward.
The Patriots made some strides over the following weeks, entering Sunday’s game against Chicago 19th in the NFL with a 54.55 percent red zone touchdown conversion rate — including 87.5 percent over their previous three games and touchdowns on eight of their past nine red zone trips.
But they took a step back Sunday, scoring just one touchdown on five drives inside the 20-yard line, while kicker Joey Slye went 4 for 4 on field goals in the 19-3 win.