Was Jerod Mayo too harsh with his ‘soft’ comment? His players don’t think so.

“I think it should challenge you,” Hunter Henry said. “This is a physical match. You never want this to be our identity. I think that’s a big challenge for all of us. I think I’ve looked at myself in the mirror, and I think everyone else will look at themselves, like that’s a big challenge. You never want to be identified that way.”

Mayo’s public rebuke of the team came after its sixth straight defeat, this time in London at the hands of the lowly Jaguars.

The Patriots failed to perform in the three areas of the game that, according to Mayo, make a team strong. They couldn’t run the ball, as their running backs rushed for a combined 20 yards on 12 carries. They couldn’t stop the run as the Jaguars, without running back Travis Etienne (hamstring) and left tackle Cam Robinson (concussion), totaled 171 yards on the ground on the season. And they couldn’t cover the punts, as Parker Washington returned a punt 96 yards for a touchdown in the final minutes of the first half.

The performance prompted Mayo to call out his team, first privately in the locker room and then on stage in front of the media. He ultimately walked back his postgame comment the next morning, clarifying in his weekly radio interview that the Patriots are not a “soft” team but have been playing soft lately.

When asked Wednesday about the fallout from his sharp criticism, Mayo turned his attention to Sunday’s game against the Jets.

“We’ve had those conversations,” Mayo said. “We’ve all had those chips on our shoulders that helped us get through it. So this is no different. It is clear that we are struggling as a team. Our record is what it is. It’s about what we can do to get better.”

When asked if there was anything he could do to prevent the players from playing ‘soft’, Mayo again kept his focus on the upcoming opponent.

“All the guys understand that we’ve had our conversations,” he said. “It’s up to the Jets, and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re just going to go out and play good football. That’s what we have to do in all three phases of the game.”

When asked if he was disappointed to see Bill Belichick among those who disagreed with his assessment, Mayo dodged the question.

“My main focus is on the guys in this building, not just the players, but the coaches and the rest of the staff,” Mayo said. “Look, as soon as we turn this thing around, everything will be fine. It comes down to wins and losses. That’s what it comes down to. That is ultimately what you are judged on.”

Although Mayo showed little interest in repeating his comment, players did not seem to object to what he said.

“I feel like it was a shot at the entire team, not an individual,” wide receiver Kayshon Boutte said. “I know we’re tired of being 1-6, coming in and saying the same thing every week, so I understand where he was coming from.”

“There’s a lot of plays where a lot of us played soft, including me,” defensive end Keion White added. “Since we’ve all been in high school, we’ve had coaches say a lot worse, so to me it’s not really an issue.”

The team’s leaders are hopeful that the players can unite in response. Henry and quarterback Drake Maye both talked about the importance of having more energy in practice.

“You have to attack every week like it’s a one-game season,” Henry said. “It is clear that as a football team we are not at all where we want to be. But we had another chance in front of us. You have to have that mentality regardless of whether we are 6-1 or 1-6. I think everyone is excited to take on the challenge this weekend.”

Even center David Andrews, who did not travel to London with the team while recovering from shoulder surgery, urged the group to take responsibility for the way they are perceived.

“As a player, I would take that now and say, ‘Okay, look at this,’” Andrews said on his “Quick Snap” podcast. ‘Look what I’m going to do. I think that’s the approach you should take.”

When the Patriots visited MetLife Stadium in Week 3, they struggled with similar issues as they did last Sunday. The Jets rushed for a season-high 131 yards. New England’s backs, meanwhile, rushed for just 57 yards, though the game script influenced their usage.

If they want to prove they’re not a “soft” football team, the Patriots know they have to be better across the board this time around.

“It’s not the first time any of those guys out there have faced adversity, myself included,” Mayo said. “It’s a time for us to get closer as everything around you gets louder, and hopefully we go out and get a win.”

Nicole Yang can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @nicolecyang.