Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears is not afraid to speak his mind -- both good and bad.
So when asked about Damien Harris' fumble late in Sunday's 17-16 loss to Miami, Fears was brutally honest.
“We gave the goddamn game away," he said Tuesday.
Harris coughed the ball up on the 11-yard line with just over three minutes to go as the Patriots were in a great position to take the lead.
While he recorded 100 yards rushing, the fumble was obviously what everyone is discussing even two days later.
“The one thing that we preach about more than anything in the world is good ball security,” Fears said. “It was like the classic thing that you wouldn’t expect to happen in that we would actually give the ball away, give the goddamn game away by turning the ball over in the last few minutes of the game when we’re in scoring position. That was a hard one. That’s a hard one to accept.
“And for Damien? That stings, man. That stings like a son of a gun. The whole team’s sitting there, all their faith is in you, and he has to ride that. He’s had to deal with that. He’s the kind of guy that I think can come out of this all right. But that’s a hard one. That’s a hard one.”
The veteran coach is confident Harris will be able to bounce back.
“I feel confident that Damien is going to step up to the plate on this,” Fears said. “I really do. We have not had a problem with him. I think we’ll be all right. I really do.”
