PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
August 16, 2024
Q: I just wanted to circle back on something from last night's press conference. At the end, when you were asked about the offensive line, at the end of the answer, you said, 'We have another preseason game coming up. We're going to play. The only way you're going to get better at football is to play.' I was just wondering, was that specific to offensive line, or were you thinking more holistically as an offense in that final preseason game, like Jacoby [Brissett], Drake [Maye], same type of approach?
JM: I was talking more holistically. I think the entire offense definitely needs to play and continue to gel, and that's what we're going to do.
Q: Quick follow up on Drake. Just going back through the game, was there a play or something that happened in the game that you could point to that reflected his growth or his learning that he had taken a mistake he had made before or a play he didn't make before that showed up in the game?
JM: Some of the things that happened during the last couple weeks was just stepping up into pressure. I thought he did a better job overall with using his legs and really extending plays. He made some good throws; we didn't come down with the catch, but he definitely took a step forward. When the sack happened, the defensive end got chipped inside, just that miscommunication. To see him take a hit like that is definitely unfortunate, but I would say as a whole, I thought he moved around a lot better.
Q: In that same answer, you kind of raised a hypothetical in regard to the starting quarterback position, and there were some ifs involved in regard to Drake potentially beating Jacoby out. Do you see this as being a competition between the two of them right now as to who is going to be the starting quarterback against Cincinnati?
JM: I do. We have three more days of training camp practices, and it's our job as coaches to evaluate. The competition isn't over. They're still going to go out there, and they have to show not only themselves and their coaches but also their teammates. So, it's definitely still a competition.
Q: You mentioned the strides that Drake has taken and his development so far. What additionally do you need to see from him to be comfortable that he could be your guy on opening day?
JM: Yeah, I think first and foremost is just the entire operation. I think it needs to be faster. I think he needs to get those guys in the huddle faster, get them out of the huddle faster, get to the line and just be on point. I think that's definitely a thing that he has to work on, and I think he is. Like I said, we have three more days of camp, and that's going to be my point of emphasis for him.
Q: I saw Joshua Uche playing into the second half last night. Just wondering, did that have anything to do with the scuffle that we saw in joint practice?
JM: It didn't have anything to do – that wasn't a fight. So, when I was talking about a fight, I'm talking about punches being thrown. Now, scuffles, they happen all the time. It was a bunch of pushing and shoving. But that had nothing to do with it.
Q: Was there any update on JaQuae Jackson?
JM: Yeah, I should have probably started with that. So, obviously a scary incident on the field. The x-rays came back negative, and he'll be getting an MRI this morning. So, as soon as I get more information, I will share it.
Q: Last night we talked about contact that quarterbacks were taking on running around. Is there any – what's your approach going to be in the final preseason game, talking to your quarterbacks about how much time they spend on the move and how much they're looking for avoiding contact?
JM: It's not – I mean, look, you never want to see your quarterback take a lot of shots in the game, but it is part of the game. That's what makes quarterbacks special; the ones that can get smacked, just get right back up and move on to the next play. So, we can't take insurance out on the guys. They're going to go out there and play, and they're going to go out there and compete.
Q: Just following up on the questions about the quarterback competition, can you envision seeing Drake take first team reps over the last three training camp practices?
JM: We'll see. We'll have a staff meeting later on today, and that decision will be made. I do think he definitely showed improvement yesterday as a whole, and we'll see what happens going forward.
Q: Has there been anything specific keeping him from taking those first team reps, or is that just what the plan had been up to this point?
JM: Yeah, this has just been the plan that we put together, and you have to adjust those plans based on the competition, but that definitely is the development plan for Drake.
Q: I just wanted to ask you what you thought of Jacoby's night last night? What did you see on the interception in the end zone?
JM: Yeah, it was just forcing the play. We had other guys open on that play. It was just a poor play. It was a terrible play, and we can't have those, especially when you have guaranteed points on the board. It turns from an 'Alright, we got a field goal, and we're pretty much secure,' to now it being a 7-point play by turning the ball over. So, just a poor play overall. I think if you asked Jacoby, he would say the same thing.
Q: Just a quick follow up on Drake. On the fumbled snap, did you shed any light on why that one happened?
JM: Yeah, we had three quarterback-center exchanges. I mean, you can sit there and say whose fault it is, but it's both. It's a problem between the quarterback and the center, and we definitely have to get better at that. That's part of the preseason, to make sure that we're good on the quarterback-center exchange. You have to get used to taking snaps from other people outside of David Andrews, and we just have to do a better job and rep that more. That was one of the more disappointing things, how many times the ball was on the ground.
Q: What are you seeing from the kicking competition?
JM: Yeah, that one, we had a good kick last night. It's still up in the air. Like I said, it's our job to evaluate not only the coaches, but also the scouts. We're going to try to put pressure on those guys this week and see who comes out on top.
Q: I'm just wondering what you saw from Raekwon McMillan last night? How nice is it to see him stacking success after all he's gone through the last few years?
JM: Yeah, I would just say tone-setter. He went out there on special teams and defense and made a bunch of plays. He was coming downhill, and we talk about block destruction. He was flying around, and I love to see it. I know what he's been through the last couple of years, and it was good to see him out there playing good ball.
Q: Are there any updates on Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones, in regards to that it's been a while since we've seen either one of those guys?
JM: I would say both of those guys are very close to returning.
Q: With them [Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones] out, it's obviously been a greater opportunity for someone like Alex Austin, Isaiah Bolden and Marco Wilson. Has any one of those three stepped forward in that competition to establish themselves as the next guy?
JM: The frustrating part is that it depends on what day you look out there. It's up and down, up and down, and it's about consistency in this league as you know. We're looking for consistency opposite of Gonzo [Christian Gonzalez].
