FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Quick thoughts and notes surrounding the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Underdog Mentality: Faith was in abundance in the Patriots locker room this past week, and perhaps nowhere was it more evident than with eight-year-old defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

The Patriots, who visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, Fox), are the NFL’s biggest underdogs in Week 4. They have a 23% chance of winning, according to ESPN Analytics.

Tell that to the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Godchaux and he respectfully dismisses the premise.

“Carolina came to Vegas last week and everyone said, ‘Vegas is going to win this game easily.’ Same with Cincinnati against Washington on ‘Monday Night Football’ – everyone thought Washington was going to get smoked.

“The game still has to be played between the lines. I understand, people have to make the lines, the bets and all that. But it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. It matters what the team believes in – the three phases, and the eleven boys who are on the field at that moment.”

Godchaux, 29, says the Patriots are closer to the team that beat the Cincinnati Bengals 16-10 in Week 1, and narrowly lost to the Seattle Seahawks 23-20 in overtime in Week 2. He points out that the Bengals were held to 70 rushing yards. and the Seahawks to 46 as an example of what the unit can produce.

What unfolded last Thursday night in a lackluster 24-3 loss to the New York Jets was not a reflection on the team — and specifically the defense — he says he believes the Patriots really are. The Jets totaled 133 rushing yards and 281 through the air.

“We had a lot of missed tackles. Too many missed tackles. Uncharacteristic of us,” he said. “The (touchdown) pass (Aaron) Rodgers threw near the goal line to Allen Lazard, we missed the tackle at corner. Those are things we have to do better. And we are better than that.

“I’m not making any excuses for a short week. But we had 6-7 (tackles for a loss) where we just missed the tackle on the running back or the receiver. We have to be better on the basics first and foremost. I think a times If we do that, everything will be fine.”

The 49ers are a challenging team to face against a defense — which blew seven edges and allowed Rodgers to escape the pocket last week — that wants to return to its fundamental roots. “San Fran wants you to be undisciplined so they can hit the home run. Get out of your rush lanes. Make sure you’re undisciplined in your pass rush,” Godchaux said.

“Brock Purdy is a really good scrambler; he doesn’t get a lot of praise, but he’s really athletic. So we just have to stay home, get the defense’s lead, make sure they cut the ball back. And when they cut the ball back, back, we have to make the tackle. Last week against the Jets we missed so many tackles. It was so frustrating because we were like, ‘Why are we on the field so much?’

That most recent performance is why few give the Patriots a chance to upset the 49ers, and may also explain why coach Jerod Mayo discussed unexpected league results with players as they returned from three days off on Monday.

“I’ve been trying to put some things into perspective,” Mayo said. “You have a team that’s picked to win the Super Bowl and gets blown out the next week. Right now it’s about who can get better the fastest. That’s what we have to do: get back to basics.”

Godchaux said the Patriots responded with two of their best practices of the year — first on Monday and then in full notes on what defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington called “a workday Wednesday” when they “brought their helmets” and focused on run defense — and therefore, his conviction remains high.

2. No Brady in Week 5: Barring an unexpected change in the coming days, Tom Brady will not participate in the Patriots’ Week 5 home game against the Dolphins, which will air on Fox. A source familiar with his schedule expects him to call the Cardinals-49ers game.

Since Fox didn’t have the doubleheader in Week 5, the possibility of Brady returning to his old home at Gillette Stadium to play the Patriots-Dolphins game might have been a consideration a few weeks ago. But as the Dolphins lost quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to a concussion, and the Patriots struggled in a nationally televised Week 3 loss to the Jets, the game’s national luster diminished.

The Patriots have ruled out starting LT Vederian Lowe (knee), backup turned starting LG Michael Jordan (ankle) and backup CB Alex Austin (ankle).

4 questionable: CB Jonathan Jones (shoulder), OLB Anfernee Jennings (shoulder), OT Caedan Wallace (knee), LG Sidy Sow (ankle).

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 27, 2024

3. May update: A lingering question is how close rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who gets 30% of the first-team reps in practice in addition to playing on the scout team, could be to taking over the QB1 role.

Mayo reiterated this week that the team has no plans to bring in a veteran quarterback, reinforcing that he and executive director of player personnel Eliot Wolf could now comfortably turn to Maye in the event of an injury from veteran Jacoby Brissett.

So far, Brissett has done nothing to lose the job and is team captain. He has taken a hit behind shaky offensive line play and blitz pickup from running backs. But Maye, who Mayo said made a move toward the end of the preseason, continues to make progress behind the scenes.

“Really good,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said when asked how Maye looked in practice. “I think the playing experience (in Week 3) will only help him move forward. The plan is in place and I think we’ll see him grow on the practice field as well.”

Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins also noted Maye’s work with the scout team.

“What’s impressive is when we have those scout team meetings, he wants to know every detail and how that quarterback is going to operate,” he said. “He has such a good understanding of the different schemes and what people are doing, it’s like he’s been around a long time and seen a lot of offenses and a lot of quarterbacks. I think he’s unique in that. That’s not something that happens very often. in the league, conscientious guys who want to know more about the protection rules for the (scout) team. These are rare qualities.’

4. Keion’s motivation: The 49ers have turned to third-year running back Jordan Mason with Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve. Patriots second-year defensive lineman Keion White knows him well from their time together at Georgia Tech and has said he keeps in touch with Mason.

Mason went undrafted in 2022, in part because he split time with Jahmyr Gibbs in college, and he has risen to the challenge with his first NFL opportunity as a starter, totaling 67 carries, 324 yards and 2 TDs this season. “He’s always had the opportunity. It’s the opportunity,” White said. “He knows I’m going to try extra hard on him, but it’s all love.”

5. Barmore’s presence: Defensive lineman Christian Barmore, who is on injured reserve after being diagnosed with blood clots in July, has been spending more time with the team lately. Center David Andrews called him the funniest player in the dressing room, which could explain why Mayo put him in charge of ‘Friday Funny’.

“It’s like a 30-second clip (or) one minute just to get the guys laughing,” Mayo explained, adding, “I think it’s important that he’s in the building. The vain mind that sits at home all the time is nothing but trouble.”

Mayo said Barmore is not currently cleared by doctors, and made it sound like he didn’t expect that to change in the near future.

6. Strange Status: Third-year offensive lineman Cole Strange, who tore the patellar tendon in his left knee last December and is listed as physically unable to perform, was a consistent presence in the locker room during the time reporters had access this past week.

While Strange is eligible to begin practice next week, my observation is that it is not on the radar at the moment. A more likely scenario is that others on the PUP list — receiver Kendrick Bourne, linebacker Sione Takitaki and possibly safety/linebacker Marte Mapu — start practicing.

7. They said it: “It’s like yelling at your child. You love the guy and he does the right thing most of the time, but it’s a problem and you have to sit down and address it. He’s more embarrassed about it than anyone else. He’s a proud guy.” — Van Pelt, on running back Rhamondre Stevenson who had a fumble in each of the first three games

8. Ximines Update: Reserve outside linebacker and core special-teamer Oshane Ximines, who veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones had predicted would be a surprise performer this season, was diagnosed with a torn ACL after being injured on a Week 2 play in punt coverage, according to a team resource .

So Ximines’ recovery timeline does not have him returning to the team this season. The current plan is to wait until the swelling subsides before scheduling surgery.

9. Did You Know, Part I: Through Week 3 games, Joe Cardona leads all NFL long snappers with three tackles. His career high for a full season is four (in 2017). Since 2000, the most tackles by a long snapper in a season have reached 12, by the Giants’ Zak DeOssie in 2008.

10. Did You Know, Part II: If the Patriots lose to the 49ers and fall to 1-3, it will be the fourth straight season the team has a losing record through the first four games – the longest streak in franchise history.