PATRIOTS HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
PRESS CONFERENCE
September 16, 2024
JM: Good afternoon. You know, I had an opportunity to go back and go through the film. I had an opportunity to go and meet with the coaches as well, in all three phases of the game. We just didn't do enough. We didn't execute when we needed to at the end of the half or the end of the game. It's disappointing, and look, it's a true loss if we don't learn anything from it. We're going to use this as a teaching experience. So, we talked about it at the beginning of the season, what success looks like for me, and that's just getting better each and every week, not only the players, but also the coaches and myself.
Q: Jerod, what do you hope you learn from it?
JM: Yeah, I continually preach that every single play matters. You can go back into that game, and you can find eight to 10 plays where, 'If we would have just done that,' and I hate that. If this would have happened, if that would have happened; well, it didn't happen. To me, it's the average play being five, six seconds, whatever it is, you have to have the ultimate focus and maintain that focus as the game continues on. There were a lot of good things on the film, and look, I'm not into a good loss or anything like that. That's not what I'm saying, but there were a lot of good things. I thought we were still able to run the ball and control the line of scrimmage. Even when we were down, I felt like we were in control of the game. One thing offensively, we've got to find a way to get the ball down the field. We've got to find a way to get the ball in our playmakers' hands so those guys can go out there and make yards. And that's a hybrid. It's on the coaches – myself, starting with myself. That definitely is something that we have to continue going forward. Defensively, those guys went out there and played hard. We had a few three-and-outs. We have to get turnovers. We have to find a way to get turnovers and get the ball back into our offense's hands. Then I would say special teams-wise, the main thing being that blocked field goal that everyone remembers. But like I said earlier, there were more plays than just the blocked field goal that cost us this game.
Q: How easily corrected, in your mind, are all these things?
JM: Look, I don't think anything at this level is easy. I think there is some low-hanging fruit, though, that we can take advantage of going forward.
Q: Now that you've had a day to kind of chew on everything, would you have done anything differently, either with the fourth-and-1 in overtime or the clock management, the way you guys called the end of the first half?
JM: I don't want to get into, 'If this would have happened,' or looking back like that and dealing with hypotheticals. I made a decision, and it's a decision that I have to live with. I'm willing to take the consequences either way. All of those key decisions, whether it's to take the ball going into overtime or not taking the ball, those are all things that can change on a game-by-game basis and also the flow of the game. So, maybe the defense is playing great or the offense is playing great, and all those things come into play. I wouldn't change anything, but at the same time, to your point, you have to go back and evaluate just that whole operation.
Q: It sounded a little bit frustrated. How do those conversations go?
JM: All of those guys in that locker room want to play football. All of those guys in the locker room want to help this team win, and if they're not frustrated, then that's an even bigger problem. Frustrations – every single week someone's going to be frustrated. Every single week you're going to have to put more on one side of the ball or more on one individual than the other just based on matchups alone. If you're not frustrated, that to me just says a lot.
Q: I know you were asked about him yesterday and today, but do you have any update on Chuks [Chukwuma] Okorafor or whether you expect him to be available?
JM: Chuks left the building. He's not with the team. He's doing some thinking, but at this point in time, he's not with the team, so I don't want to get into that. I told you guys I did give him a call. We had a good call. It had nothing to do with football or a roster spot; it had everything to do with just making sure that he was okay.
Q: After [Ja'Whaun] Bentley went down, was [Kyle] Dugger the green dot, and how do you feel like communication went after the injury?
JM: Communication was good, and it was Dugger. Remember, Dugger did it all last year as well, so it was not anything new for him. I've always been a huge believer in a linebacker having the green dot, but I'll tell you, the way Dugger played yesterday as a whole and being able to handle the communication, he definitely filled in for that role.
Q: What went into the decision to make Javon Baker active while putting Kayshon Boutte on the inactive list?
JM: It's hard for offensive and defensive players who feel they aren't just an offensive player or defensive – it's hard at this level. It's not like in college where you have 100 people on the sidelines, so special teams is always part of the conversation. You always try to get – unless you're just the absolute best at your position or a quarterback, they all have to play special teams. We talk about how that's the hidden yardage, and we have to take advantage of those things. We'll see how it goes going forward.
Q: What was that atmosphere like coaching in your first overtime game, having control of everything that the team was doing offensively and defensively
JM: It was great. It was great. Unfortunately, we walked away with an L, but it was good to be home. I thought the fans came out; they were loud, and we're disappointed we weren't able to deliver a win for them.
Q: You've talked a lot about toughness, and Jacoby [Brissett] has shown that. Is there or what is the level of concern with the way and how many times he's been hit in these first two games?
JM: You never want your quarterback to get hit. We have to do a better job in our pass-pro up front, and we have to keep him clean because even when he's not getting hit – or any quarterback, if they're back there and they feel people around them, it always is going to affect you a little bit. Now in saying that, I've always said Jacoby is a great leader, he's a competitor, but he's also a very tough player mentally and physically. Look, we'll try to keep him clean going forward, but look, he has shoulder pads on just like everyone else, so we'll see how it goes.
Q: Do you have any injury updates?
JM: Those guys are with the doctors right now. We had our injury check this morning, and I'm still waiting to hear back on some of that stuff.
Q: What about Vederian Lowe?
JM: The injury check was this morning. Some of these guys had to get MRIs and second opinions. To me, I probably misspoke when I said I'll be able to tell you at this press conference because once again, you can give the team diagnoses, but a lot of these guys, whether it's them or their agents, want to get a second opinion. So, I don't feel comfortable talking about that until they get their second opinion.
Q: If Lowe isn't able to go this week, what's your level of confidence in Caedan [Wallace] being able to step up?
JM: We'll have to see. He's had some good snaps for us, and that's what it's all about. It's next man up mentality. I know it sounds very cliché or very corny, but that's the world we live in. This is the roster that we have, and we're going to make do with it.
Q: Where do you see the challenges for the offensive line? Are they individual issues for the players or is it collectively?
JM: Let's start with the run game. The run game, we talked about being tough and physical up front. I think we've shown that in preseason and through these first couple of weeks of the regular season. In the pass game, I would say there were spurts of clean pockets, but it needs to be more consistent. I would also say, as we got into the second half – I mean, I'm not telling you guys anything you didn't see – but as it got to the second half, our pass-pro kind of broke down a little bit more. I still believe that we have a well-conditioned team, but I would say, on both sides of the ball yesterday, you saw a lot of hands on hips. You have to be able to push through that adversity, still be on the same page and ultimately execute.
Q: Jerod, we saw Christian Barmore in the locker room in workout clothes. Do you guys have any clarity on if he'll be able to return this season?
JM: I'm not going to get too much into the process of what he has to go through, but there are certain benchmarks or levels that he has to hit to even be considered to come back. The first thing is between the doctors here and outside this building helping us with this situation. We'll see how it goes. I'm excited. He's in the building every day. Coming from a player who's been on IR, I had a good conversation with him to not just stay at home by yourself. You can go crazy. He's working on football. He's working on projects. He's around the guys. I think it's important.
Q: Jerod, what does this team need to do in order to get ready to go for Thursday night?
JM: I think the first thing is to recover. That's the first thing. So in saying that, we're going to bring the guys in late every day this week. They'll come in around 2 o'clock. I think it's important that those guys rest up. It also gives the coaches an opportunity to get the game plan put together. That's the first thing. Secondly, it comes back to executing. When you're sore, when you're tired, that's what it really comes back to.
Q: Jerod, you talked about meeting with the coaching staff. What are the conversations like with Alex [Van Pelt] when it comes what you would've liked to have seen on certain drives or certain plays? What's that like for you staying on top of that?
JM: We're on the same page. We know we can run the ball. He [DeMario Douglas] understands that we've got to get some of these other players, Pop [Douglas] in particular, involved more on the offense. That's what we'll do this Thursday.
