Tom Curry admits England were "fighting with one hand behind our back" during Saturday's defeat to Scotland but insists the team is ready to mount a response against Ireland.
England's wait for a first win at Murrayfield since 2020 continued as they were beaten 31-20, a result that brought their 12-Test winning run to an end.
The damage had ultimately been done during a first half in which Henry Arundell collected two yellow cards as Scotland built a 24-10 lead at the break.
"Maybe that first 25-30 minutes let us down," Curry told Your Site News. "It's easy to say because you can always say something like that but that was probably coming out of the blocks and we didn't want to necessarily put ourselves in that position, especially away against a good team.
"You're fighting with one hand behind your back, really. But credit to Scotland, they put on a really good performance, they were accurate and clinical.
"Coming in this week you just be better, you have to do it. It's an individual responsibility, get yourself right and then you attack together."
Curry said the team had embraced the disappointment on the ensuing Sunday, absorbing the after-effects and in turn utilising as much to help look forward.
"It's been good. Sometimes you have to sit in it for a bit and feel what's happened," he added.
"We did that on Sunday. We had a good afternoon, physically and mentally you get yourself right, and then come the meeting you're ready to listen and that's the important thing."
England wing Arundell is to face a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday following his red card at the weekend.
The 23-year-old was sin-binned for not releasing his opponent before then receiving another yellow card for taking Kyle Steyn out in the air.
"He's been very level headed, he's a very measured bloke," said Curry of Arundell. "He's been in the middle, I try to give him my experiences of it.
"It's annoying, he'll be alright. It's one of Steve [Borthwick's] many strengths, the emotional side of it.
"He was great with me, and just knowing you're already feeling down so it's helping out."
England face Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday with Andy Farrell's side coming off a nervy 20-13 victory over Italy.
It beckons as a different test to that of Murrayfield, Curry welcoming the chance to harness a home crowd atmosphere in his side's favour.
"You probably don't have the Scottish shouting at you," Curry joked. "You get a sense of a more organised structured attack.
"Ultimately we keep dialling into what we want to do. That's when you feel your best, when you're imposing your gameplan on people or what you're doing they have to react to.
"That's the goal in sport, no matter who you're playing against."
Curry himself has featured off the bench in England's last two matches against Scotland and Wales, but is unfazed by his role as he prioritises a return to winning ways for Borthwick's men.
"The little boy in yourself says you want to start, the man in you says you're happy for the team. We're grown adults so you obviously listen to the man," he said.
"It's been a brilliant experience and you have to put yourself in a position where you're ready for anything, when you get to that it doesn't matter where you are in the team, once you're on the pitch you're on the pitch.
"You play what's in front of you."
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell denied suggestions that some sections of home fans celebrated when Sam Prendergast was replaced against Italy.
It comes amid debate over Ireland's fly-half contest, with Munster's Jack Crowley taking over from Prendergast in the 56th minute.
Prendergast, who made his Test debut aged 21 in the autumn of 2024, had missed two conversions that prompted notable groans among the Ireland crowd. Farrell faces a decision at No 10 for the England game.
Farrell said: "I might be talking out of school here but what's gone on over the last year, especially with the keyboard warriors, I think people need to ask themselves sometimes, 'are we Irish? Do we want people to do well or not?'
"Because it can be tough for these kids. I've seen it toing and froing with both of them, and both of them are strong characters.
"It takes a lot to break kids like that. But I've seen it affect people. So the keyboard warriors on Twitter, or whatever you call it now, need to cop on and try and help these kids.
"It's damaging. We need to back them."
Ireland's win over Italy came in the wake of their 36-14 round-one defeat to France in Paris, Farrell acknowledging his injury-hit side's underdog status.
"You could say we have nothing to lose, but we do," he said. "We want to win. We want to play better. We want to learn from a big-game experience away from home.
"Paris is a tough ask and Twickenham is a similar type of task so we need to grow through that experience and see what we can do with it.
"I've no doubt people are going to write us off."
England will attempt to bounce back when they host Ireland at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on February 21 at 2.10pm, followed by Wales vs Scotland at 4.40pm.
