Former England coach Eddie Jones believes the cause of the side's stunning Six Nations slump can be traced back to boss Steve Borthwick "looking ahead" to a title-decider against France before the tournament had even started.
Consecutive, emphatic defeats by Scotland and Ireland, which followed a 12-game winning streak, have scuppered England's hopes of a first Six Nations title in six years.
England have never lost to Italy but a fourth-round defeat in Rome on March 7 would pile the pressure on Borthwick and his players.
It is all a far cry from the ambition outlined by the former England captain last month.
"On March 14 in Paris, we want to be in a position entering that game where we can achieve what we're all aiming to achieve," Borthwick said on January 23.
"We want England fans flooding across the Channel to Paris to watch the team in a massive encounter in the final round with the opportunity to achieve what we want."
The confident remarks were at odds with the modest approach associated with Borthwick.
Veteran coach Jones was Borthwick's predecessor as England boss from 2015 to 2022 and employed the former lock as a member of his coaching staff, having worked with him during his first stint in charge of Japan.
The 66-year-old Australian suggested England's governing Rugby Football Union could have influenced Borthwick into making an unusually bullish statement.
"I'll go back to the start of the Six Nations. I thought Steve made some very uncharacteristic comments about a title-decider against France, looking ahead," Jones told the Rugby Unity podcast, published on Monday.
"Steve is the most pragmatic and intelligent coach you could meet, but to look ahead for any team is fraught with danger. We all know that.
"But sometimes the pressure comes so that the union, the RFU, wants to hear more. They want to entice the fans because they're all hungry for money so they want fans support. So be bold, come out – someone has told him to do that."
Jones, now in a second spell as Japan boss, added: "All of that happens and the slight psychological change you get in the team because of that, they start to look ahead."
Jones said England's 31-20 loss to Scotland, which saw them fall 17-0 behind early on in Edinburgh, created a mental hangover leading them to concede five tries in last week's 42-21 defeat by Ireland at Twickenham.
"They got caught on the hop against Scotland," he said.
"That was a one-off, but now that one-off has crept into their psyche. They're disappointed about where they are and they're all feeling a bit threatened now.
"How do you change it around? It takes leadership on and off the field."