Mayo's Intoductory Press Conference

[Nikolai]

tomlin is the GOAT mid coach

Whoa whoa whoa...what about Jeff Fisher? Mr. 8-8 himself

 

[DaBruinz]

Several sentences strung together, Needed a break from Bill, he'll change things so there's no echo chamber, he appreciates diversity of thought and will listen more. Each of these sentences came right after the other. Unless you understand them as part of the same context, they can be understood as criticisms of Bill. If you take them separately, maybe not.

Or it was feedback that HE received on Bill's way out. If you look at it in that context, then he's saying the right things as a developing HC.

 

[yukon cornelius]

So, is everyone feeling that the Pats are in a better place now since the season ended?

neutral

need to see where they go FA and draft to really feel there

i am ok with the change, although not sure it is an upgrade.....i am dismayed at how dysfunctional it all got, and think to a large part the architects of said disfunction are still here, but it is hard to trade an owner

i like the new direction of the front office for sure, but the proof will be in the pudding.....hence the FA & draft before even coming to a prelim conclusion

i like some change in staff.......it really, really comes down to their OC choice



so i'm pretty meh right now.......excited to see what a revamped front office can do, very concerned of all i've seen or heard coming out of ownership (and with what continues to leak out)

 

[yukon cornelius]

Mac may or may not be the #3 QB this year.

And yes, we are all afraid that Josh will be hired and Mac will be competing for the starting job. They would still take a QB in the 2nd or 3rd.

if mac is one of the 3 they carry, i suspect there would be a rookie and a vet added into that mix

 

[yukon cornelius]

Whoa whoa whoa...what about Jeff Fisher? Mr. 8-8 himself

Tomlin really has gotten a fair amount of result out of some really mediocre rosters

he also does a really good job of cultivating/not shooting down problem children, though

 

[Jim Beankie]

I seriously don't get it.

If he can be the #1 for someone else, why isn't possible that he could be a #1 or #2 or #3 for us, with Josh as OC?

Imho, Mac doesn't have a noodle arm. The problem is that his brain activates noodle mode way too often for some strange reason... and many unlucky drops.

 

[Nikolai]

Tomlin really has gotten a fair amount of result out of some really mediocre rosters

he also does a really good job of cultivating/not shooting down problem children, though

Tomlin is weird. He has to be doing something right...or at least right enough to field a respectable team. But you never got the impression that he was a good game-day coach, which is actually very similar to the criticisms leveled at Andy Reid until he found Mahomes.

 

[DaBruinz]

My thought process is either - A) draft MHJ and trade up into the mid 1st for a tackle, then start a veteran QB or Mac, OR B) draft a QB and trade up into the mid 1st for a tackle

In either scenario, you sign Michael Pittman or Tee Higgins as a free agent and re-sign Onwenu as your RT. Probably have a much better offense either way...

According to @BaconGrundleCandy the Pats can get their bookend Tackles in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Onwenu was not a very good RT. Go watch the Giants game. Go watch the last Jets Game. Go watch the last Bills game.. Onwenu was a JAG at RT.

You re-sign Onwenu to be the Starting RG where you know he is an All-Pro talent.

If the Pats draft MHJ, they don't need MORE WRs when you consider Douglas, Boutte, Thornton, and Parker are already under Contract. Adding Pittman or Higgins just clutters things up and makes it so you take valuable snaps from Douglas, Boutte, and Thornton.

 

[Ross12]

if mac is one of the 3 they carry, i suspect there would be a rookie and a vet added into that mix

I could see the team sign a guy like Drew Lock or Jacoby Brissett, draft a middle round rookie QB like Michael Pratt, and also keep Mac and Rourke and let them all jockey a bit in the new offensive system in spring. Once things start to firm up they'll decide if they want to start the veteran or if Mac looks better and pick their starter. If it's Mac then the veteran is insurance for if Mac falls apart again, and they have a developmental rookie (Pratt). If it's the veteran then Mac might be traded and Rourke is the backup while they develop the rookie. Some options. If they are only a middle-weight team in 2024 then they can target a guy like Quinn Ewers next year.

 

[paco130]

Mac may or may not be the #3 QB this year.

And yes, we are all afraid that Josh will be hired and Mac will be competing for the starting job. They would still take a QB in the 2nd or 3rd.

Based on Kraft talking about developing people from within for positions in his businesses, I think he'd have JMD in that category. I believe he's been around "the building" lately. That may indicate he's in line to be the OC. I would like to see someone new come in. No, I don't have any suggestions. Just want new blood.

 

[yukon cornelius]

Imho, Mac doesn't have a noodle arm. The problem is that his brain activates noodle mode way too often for some strange reason... and many unlucky drops.

i truly subscribe to the mac was broken theory.......lasers on the quick outs will never be his forte, but physically he can make the through

his issues were between the ears......he didn't do anything with confidence this year, or at least enough with confidence.....he seemed to be playing knowing he was going to get hit, not knowing if he and the receivers were on the same page, no confidence in the play call.....

not sure that can be recovered here........but i still think it can be recovered

zappe is the opposite......he does everything with confidence, even when it is locking on to a receiver and making the wrong throw.......nobody makes the wrong decision with more confidence

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Wouldn't be surprised if 2 of the 3 are gone by training camp.

Not sure about Uche. Mark Daniels mentioned a Patriot free agent who said his number 1 priority now that Mayo was in charge was to resign with the team. And Uche was quoted positively on Mayo (along with another dozen defensive players) in an article about a month ago. For him to come to Mayo’s presser (and the only upcoming FA to do so) tells me he might be that guy Daniels mentioned.

 

[DaBruinz]

Agreed. Mayo was himself IMO.. he said he wants his coaches to build relationships, and be able to help the players develop. That is huge! I really don't know what catastrophic changes or innovation that people want him to say. He's still putting his staff together, and going through the transition period from Bill after 24 seasons.. I've asked the question could Mayo be a mike Tomlin?

Why would you want Mayo to be a "Mike Tomlin"? A POS who feels the need to interfere with the game play? Someone who tolerates the "EGO" Melon Heads like Antonio Brown and George Pickens to the detriment of the team?

No Thanks.

 

[Ross12]

According to @BaconGrundleCandy the Pats can get their bookend Tackles in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.

Onwenu was not a very good RT. Go watch the Giants game. Go watch the last Jets Game. Go watch the last Bills game.. Onwenu was a JAG at RT.

You re-sign Onwenu to be the Starting RG where you know he is an All-Pro talent.

If the Pats draft MHJ, they don't need MORE WRs when you consider Douglas, Boutte, Thornton, and Parker are already under Contract. Adding Pittman or Higgins just clutters things up and makes it so you take valuable snaps from Douglas, Boutte, and Thornton.

There is certainly depth at tackle this year but finding a more sure thing at LT is harder the later you go, so trading up makes some sense to me.

With receivers - yeah you definitely don't NEED to take MHJ and also sign Pittman but you have the money... I guess you could invest it in a TE instead. There aren't really any LTs in free agency worth chasing, Trent Brown is probably the best one.

 

[TommyD4207]

It's a tricky spot with Mac. Under no circumstances do I want the guy to start for us again but if we draft Jayden Daniels I don't think we just want to throw him into the fire. There would need to be a bridge QB, but I'd hate for it to be Mac.

If Jones was at that press conference, they intend to have him as the starter next year - that's a pretty clear signal.

 

[PaulThePat]

Wow. Thought that was a fascinating presser. Loads of thoughts but a couple stuck out straight away:

1. Mayo aint BB. You wanted different? You got it. For me this is absolutely not a bad thing, it's just, err, different. While giving plenty of credit to BB he was at pains to make it clear he isn't BB. People worried about him being some sort of BB clone...no chance. He will live or die by his own choices and decisions.

2. The gap between and owner and HC looks vast. I don't just mean in age, I mean in everything. I think the only world Jerod and Robert could cohabit is the Patriots. Mayo wasn't afraid to take a contrary position to the owner on several points i.e. Kraft doesn't see colour, Mayo definitely sees colour. BB and RK weren't a million miles off in age so came from kinda similar eras. Jerod is from a different timeline altogether. However, it was bound to happen. It had to happen as any new coach was always going to be much younger than BB.

TBH I really hadn't heard JM talk much before and he wasn't scared to give his opinion. The press will love him - which may be a good and bad thing depending on if we're winning or losing.

 

[TommyD4207]

Wouldn't be surprised if 2 of the 3 are gone by training camp.

Wish in one hand, **** in the other...

 

[DaBruinz]

That is huge accomplishment .. 17 seasons not a loosing season. Thier QB situation has been worse than ours however he still gets his teams to throw playoffs in the toughest division in football.

The "Toughest Division" in Football changes just about every year. Most people would agree that the AFC North has been one of the weakest divisions until recently. Mainly driven by the Ravens and Steelers. With the Bengals and Browns being the jokes of the league.

How many 8-8 seasons has Tomlin had?
Want to know why Tomlin's record is what it is? Because the Steelers have always had a running game. So it doesn't matter much who the QB is.

Tomlin has missed the play-offs 7 of 17 seasons. (58.8%)
6 of the 10 times that the Steelers made the play-offs they were 1 and done. (60%)

That's not something to strive for..

 

[Sam Bam Cunningham]

I think McDaniels will go with BB wherever he lands.
BoB is a possibility to stay on as OC for one more year, if he does not have anything else lined up.
Wolf and Groh will be retained. Its possible Wolf gets a GM job elsewhere.


With all the HC changes, there will be fierce competition for top flight assistants.

 

[stardawg]

I just watched Mayo's intro press conference, I like this guy. He was a hell of a player and I think we're in good shape with him. We'll see, hoping they will be fun to watch again.