Patriots HC Jerod Mayo
PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
December 2, 2024
JM: After watching the film and talking to some of the players, it was a disappointing game. When you think about the one-score games that we’ve been in this year – I think we’ve had seven of them – it’s always disappointing to come out on this side. I thought overall, I thought this was the best performance from our offense that we’ve had all season. The way that those guys were able to run the ball – there were some protection issues, but I would say for the most part, it was pretty good. We were able to throw the ball; that’s always a good formula to be balanced like that in a game. Defensively, we had a few drives there that were good drives. Obviously, if you take away that last drive – I think it was 17, 18 plays – we’re all feeling a little bit better about the game. Definitely things to build on. I would say those guys played until the last seconds, as you guys saw. We still had an opportunity at the end of the game. Special teams wise, look, we’ve got to make some of those kicks. Kind of put Joey [Slye] – Joey hit the ball well pregame. Obviously, at the end of the game, whether it’s a Hail Mary or a field goal, I mean, to me, the odds are pretty much the same, especially when the wind wasn’t really a big factor in the game. Coming up on the bye week is going to be a huge week for us. A much-needed bye week, not only physically for the players, but also mentally, just being able to hit the reset button and come back, put some good games together and continue to build for the future. That has to be our goal.
Q: I wanted to ask you, on the Colts final drive, we talked a little bit about the possible challenge on that third-and-10 play and maybe not having a clear view of it. I just wanted to get your thoughts on what your thoughts are on maybe even just throwing that anyway in that situation, just given the game situation. What is your philosophy on that particular situation?
JM: That’s a great question. I would say timeouts are definitely vital in those positions. We lost a challenge like that last week; we lost one in the 49ers. I would say this week, at least the one clip that I saw real quick, it was just a tough – it was tough. It was tough for me as far as did he catch it, did he not catch it? I understand your question as far as momentum and things like that, but at that point in time, I didn’t feel like we had a good enough view.
Q: On the 2-point conversion, it looked like Christian Barmore might have been held, might have been penalized, possibly could have had a flag thrown against the offensive lineman on that play. Curious to see or curious to hear what you thought of that play after the film?
JM: Look, they didn’t call it. I thought he got held. I watched the film. I mean, it’s pretty clear to me, but it wasn’t called. So, there’s no excuses from me on that.
Q: One other quick question. You just said that if you take out the final drive, then obviously you guys are feeling a lot better about the game. There’s been a few instances this season where you’ve said if you take out a few big runs or if you take out a drive. I’m just curious what message that sends to players or the team that if you take out the worst thing that happens that you guys are going to feel better after the game?
JM: When I talk to the team, I tell them all the time, I don’t have a crystal ball on what play is going to be important, but you’re exactly right. That’s what the NFL is. The NFL comes down to a few plays, and that’s really my message when I say it. It comes down to a few plays. You look at it from one way, if we would have done this, and then you look at it the other way, we didn’t get it done. That’s kind of why we’re here now. We’ve had seven one-score games, and I think we’re 2-5 in those games. We’ve just got to be better. Again, that’s what the NFL is.
Q: I’m just curious about Christian Elliss. Last season when he came in, he was used primarily on special teams, but it really feels like this season, you’re utilizing him a lot more on defense. To see him get that interception yesterday, just what you’ve seen from him and how he’s grown to become one of these key defensive players for you?
JM: Yeah, part of that was due to injury. I would say primarily, he was here to help us on special teams but has always been very dialed in in the defensive meetings. Now, he’s playing a lot of football for us and doing a pretty good job. Look, we always talk about that next-man-up mentality, and he has embraced that, and he’s out there making plays for us.
Q: At the beginning of the year, you said a successful season would be being competitive each week and getting better as the season progresses. You’ve been competitive in a lot of these games, but as you enter the bye week, what things can you point to that the team got better at over the first 13 weeks?
JM: Yeah, first of all I would just say we have a very resilient team. We’ve been in games where most people would just quit. Our guys, they have great mental toughness, and they continue to play good football. What I would say is just overall, our consistency just needs to improve. You look at the beginning part of the year, we’re a good cover team special teams wise, and now yesterday, obviously we had a good game there, but our return game has stepped up. It’s really just about putting everything together that we’ve done at points in the season to be a good football team, and we just have to continue to do that.
Q: As you mentioned earlier, you’ve mentioned that a lot of these games, the seven games in which you’ve been within a score, kind of getting lost in the margins. From a coaching standpoint, how do you get the guys to a point where there is more consistency, there is more attention to detail, and you are able to win the margins in games where you outgained the opponent like yesterday?
JM: Look, it starts in practice, and it starts with just how you just said, the details. We just have to be on point every snap, and hopefully after this bye week, the guys come back refreshed, ready to go and try to put some games together.
Q: With such a young team, how hard is it to teach some of these teams or as a team to learn how to win? Obviously, you guys have lost some close games, but how tough is it with the lessons – I’m saying, you’ve been on a lot of teams that have won a lot of games. How hard is it to sort of teach this, and how important is it through these final four games to try to hone in whatever that lesson is?
JM: It’s very tough, and I think once you tip over that first domino of going out there, playing well and being able to win back-to-back games, that’s when you really start to say, ‘Alright, we’re doing a good job.’ Look, that’s my job. That’s my job is to get these guys ready to go, and obviously winning cures all.
Q: Just along those lines of what Mark [Daniels] was asking, you have a pretty good chunk of time for the players off here. What would you like them to do in that period of time, reflect on, and then what would you like to see from your team for the next four weeks after that coming out of break?
JM: To me, they should reflect on what they’ve done to this point and what they can do more going forward. That’s from an individual standpoint. I would also say from a collective standpoint, I want them to think about, ‘What more can I do to help this team win games?’ That’s also for the coaches as well and definitely for myself. Reflecting on how do we get this team winning on a consistent basis, and to me, that cures all.
Q: How will you spend your time? Do you need a quick mental break? What do you think you need?
JM:Look, I’ll take a quick break, but look, there are definitely a lot of things that will happen here over the next few weeks. We’re still focusing on the season, obviously, but you also have to look out the front windshield of things that are going to come up on us fast, and those are some of the decisions or conversations that I’ll have during the week.
Q: Morning, Coach. Just to follow up along the bye week theme there. Just how, if any way, did yesterday’s outcome impact just how you’re approaching the bye week there in terms of Victory Mondays and just how you’re going about that? Then, what in terms of the evaluation process that you’ve been talking about, what is the mindset for the final four?
JM: To me, some of those Victory Mondays early on were just a case of our bye week being so far out, and some of the guys needed to rest their mind and rest their body, so it was very difficult doing that. We’ll do our self-scout stuff. We’ll see what we’re doing schematically, and then we’ll get our player evals in as well up to this point. Then you go into the last four games, it’s just about going out there, playing complimentary football and winning.
Q: Hey, Coach. Thank you so much for your time. I had a question about a couple of things. One, the first touchdown that Anthony Richardson threw, it looked like there was a four-by-one look. They got to the line fast. Was that a miscommunication, or something they hadn’t shown before? Also, it looked like that QB sweep they were hitting pretty consistently. I was wondering what your thoughts were on that play?
JM: Yeah, they’ve shown that before. Really, we just got to go out there and make the play. Those loaded formations, every team does things like that. Obviously, when you have a quarterback that can also run, he’s always a threat. I think you hit it on the head again. The quarterback design runs were definitely a problem, and we just have to get that fixed. Anytime there’s a quarterback that can run, he just adds another piece to the puzzle, and we’ll see that here coming up soon.
Q: Good morning, Jerod. A couple quick ones for you. On the touchdown to [Alec] Pierce, the final touchdown there, he crosses [Jabrill] Pepper’s face. Jabrill gives him a slight forearm. Do you want to see him get more of a piece of him to slow him down on the crosser?
JM: I mean, look, that’s always part of our mentality, to chip these receivers. When it’s all said and done, he scored a touchdown and we just all have to be better. I talk about the marriage of rush and coverage as well, so it’s not just one individual, it’s us as an entire unit.
Q: To Taylor’s [Kyles] point about the four-by-one, they were going fast, it seemed like you guys weren’t set. Is that another issue where communication got challenged?
JM: Look, anytime an offense goes to the ball fast, you have to be ready for some type of perimeter play, and we just had to have more of a sense of urgency on that play to get lined up and go.
Q: A couple quick questions. Just wondering, have you seen enough from Layden Robinson to tentatively pencil him in as the starter at left guard moving forward?
JM: Look, I thought Layden went out there and played his best game. It wasn’t perfect by far, but definitely took a step forward.
Q: Off of that, with Layden and Mike [Onwenu] at the guard spots right now, and you saying you expect Cole Strange to play at some point, is it realistic to say that with a couple more weeks, Cole could start at center after the bye week?
JM: Yeah, we’ll have to see. I don’t want to get into hypotheticals, and I would say if Ben [Brown] has done a good job for us. We’ll see how Cole presents here in the next couple weeks and see what happens.
Q: Hey, Jerod. I just had a couple questions about two drives offensively for you guys. The last drive before the half where you guys went run, run, and then had what looked like a called pass play on third down. Then the drive right after the Christian Gonzalez interception, same sort of thing, run, run, pass. You end up punting before their last drive there. Do you feel like you guys were too conservative in those situations?
JM: To me, if we make the kick, we’re not even having this conversation. I would also say, secondly, just offensively, look, we got two turnovers defensively. We talk about playing complimentary football. We went three and out on those two drives, so that’s definitely a frustrating piece of it.
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