Post Game Press Conference – HC Jerod Mayo

PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE

August 15, 2024

 

JM: Look, obviously, that one kind of stings, first loss as a head coach. Just like last week, we talked about this game being very important, especially after we practiced against this team. I felt like the guys were ready to go. I’ve just got to do a better job of making sure we focus on the details across the board. I do always – I always believe good fundamentals really outweigh the X’s and O’s. If you look at the game, the first half we tackled a lot better than we did the second half. It’s just about – it’s those three or four plays that always bite you. That’s what I told the team. The problem is you just never know when those plays are going to show up. So, back to the drawing board.

 

Q: Jerod, you said Drake [Maye] would get more snaps. What did you see of him, particularly his poise and getting in the end zone?

 

JM: He had great composure. I thought it was a good drive. I thought he went out there and did a lot of good things. Hopefully, he can build on that, and we’ll see how this week goes.

 

Q: We haven’t had a chance to talk to you since the Matthew Judon trade. I’m wondering if you could comment on that?

 

JM: You guys know how I feel about Judon, and obviously he’s moving on. I felt like it’s a win-win for both parties, and I wish him nothing but the best. I always tell the guys these are long-term relationships, and nothing’s changed.

 

Q: Building off that, who are some players you think might be a big part of filling what Judon would have done for you?

 

JM: We’ve gone years without having a premier rusher – Chandler Jones, the Judons of the world – but we were able to manufacture pass rush through our stunts and games and our game planning. Look, it’s not going to be one person. It’s hard to sit here and say one person can replace Matthew Judon, both on the field and off the field. But I think we have a good group ready to go and step into those shoes.

 

Q: Jerod, with Drake, it looked like you put him in shotgun, you put him in some empty, some zone-read stuff, stuff that looked like what he did in college. How important was it to use some of those concepts he was familiar with to get him comfortable?

 

JM: It’s very important to do those things. Like you said, he did it in college. The problem is from college to here is just the language. Once you can start to link the language that you learned in college to the language that you’re learning right now, the game becomes a little bit easier from an X’s and O’s perspective. Look, I look forward to see how he builds off of today, but he did a lot of good things.

 

Q: What went into the decision to play Drake so much more tonight than last week? Was that always the plan?

 

JM: That was always the plan, kind of what I told you guys last week. That was always the plan to play him more. It was the plan to play him in the third quarter so we can go through some of those adjustments and see if he can handle that stuff, and he did.

 

Q: I know it’s been against backup offensive lines the first two preseason games, but how much of the success that you guys have had pass rushing do you think can translate?

 

JM: It’s been good to see that. I would say if you watch the defensive film against the Eagles, they had their starters in there, and we still were able to generate a good amount of pass rush. So, it’s exciting and at the same time, look, it doesn’t matter when you come out here today and kind of – you just don’t have those impactful plays later in the game.

 

Q: I know you guys had the designed run at the goal line, but a few of the plays Drake Maye takes off running, scrambles, scrambling to the side, throws the ball away. How do you feel about your top pick taking off running, escaping the pocket that much in a preseason game?

 

JM: You don’t want to see them take big hits. I talked to Joe [Milton III] when he came off the field when he tried to run over a guy. These are grown men on the other side as well. What I will say, if you look at the best quarterbacks in the league, they have to be able to make those off-schedule plays. I would say all three of those guys – all of them, really – have the ability to do that. It’s more about the hits. It’s okay getting out of the pocket.

 

Q: You talk about Drake Maye’s composure. I was curious how you’ve seen that growth throughout the preseason, and what about it tonight especially stuck out to you?

 

JM: One of the reasons we drafted Drake was, through the interview process you could kind of tell this was an even-keeled guy. I think you guys can probably see it from the stands. This guy doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. He was like that in college. He was probably like that as a kid. He remains that way now, which is a good thing for a quarterback. Those guys, they have to maintain their composure, get the call to the huddle and get those guys out of the huddle, get them ready to go. He’s always been like that in my mind.

 

Q: For Drake’s touchdown, you had six rookies on the field at the same time. How have you seen this group gel, and just kind of how cool of a moment was that for all those guys to be there?

 

JM: It was great. It was great. Look, we hope that these guys can grow up together and develop together. We have a good nucleus of guys in the future, and that’s kind of what we were aiming for.

 

Q: How much of a case is Kayshon Boutte making for not only staying with this team, but to be a consistent part of this offense?

 

JM: He’s making a great case. Seems like every day he’s making plays. He runs good routes. He has good hands. The run after, the catchability, it’s all there. Now, it’s about gaining the trust not only of your teammates but also the coaches. So, he definitely has a chance.

 

Q: You talk about there were a lot of details that can be improved. Can you talk about the two drops from Javon Baker; is that something he can practice during the training or that’s some concentration he can pay more attention to?

 

JM: Absolutely. I think it’s a combination of concentration, figuring out what he has to do. Llook, he has good hands. He had good hands in college. He has good hands now. He just has to show that in the game.

 

Q: I know you’ve mentioned in the past that one of Drake Maye’s positives is that he can make plays by himself and overcome some things around him. Would the offensive line ever be an impediment to maybe considering him as the starter or maybe not giving him as much time if you don’t trust the line?

 

JM: For me, we always talk about competition, and that’s at all spots. So, even if Drake beats out Jacoby [Brissett], I mean, he earned that role. We don’t really take that into consideration. When he’s ready to go, and if he’s better than Jacoby, then he’ll play; he’ll start.

 

Q: What did you see from your offensive line tonight?

 

JM: There were definitely some ups and some downs. I would say there’s a dramatic drop-off, not really physically, but just knowing what to do between the first line and the second and third guys. They have to get better as a whole, as a unit. They just have to get better, and that comes from playing football games. We have another preseason game coming up. We’re going to play. That’s the only way you’re going to get better at football is playing football.

 

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