TRANSCRIPT: Jerod Mayo Postgame Press Conference 9/29
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Here’s the full transcript of New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo’s press conference following their loss to the 49ers on Sunday, September 29, 2024:
*OPENING STATEMENT:
*This was cut short on the broadcast and joined late:
“…We had energy all week. I’m not going to say anything about the travel. I thought the guys were prepared and ready to go. Obviously, we didn’t hit some of the targets that we talked about. Defensively, keeping the quarterback in the pocket continues to be an issue. Offensively, look, the turnovers, we don’t have a team that can lose the turnover battle and expect to win a football game. We got to do a better job with the turnovers. We have to do a better job with the negative plays. Just overall, we just had to be good. I will say special teams-wise, I thought [Joey] Slye did a good job. I thought the protection was good, the coverage was good. We had a special teams turnover. I thought all that stuff was good. What I told the guys is, “Look, it is a long season. It is a long season. We’re wrapping up the first quarter of the season. I don’t think any of us are happy where we are. I think when we go back and watch the film, though, it’ll be easy to identify so we can put ourselves in a better position to win football games.”
“We sustained a few injuries to some warriors out there today. Some big injuries. Well, not big, big as far as who it was. Those guys will come in tomorrow and do their injury check. I’m not sure how serious or not serious the injuries are, but those guys that couldn’t finish the game, obviously, are a big part of what we do.”
On the hits Brissett has been taking and if any changes might need to be needed to ignite their offense:
“Well, I think there’s a combination of, schematically, we got to do a better job of getting the ball out of our hand right now. Then, secondly, I would say the offensive line just has to do a better job holding up in protection. We’re trying to find different ways to do it. It’s easy on some of those sacks, you go back and watch the film, the ball should be out. It’d be easy for you guys and everyone else to say, ‘Well, the offensive line should have did that.’ I wouldn’t rush to that conclusion. But we got to coach better, we got to play better and execute.”
On if they’ve considered a change at quarterback:
“Look, at this point, Jacoby is our starting quarterback. I haven’t watched any film or anything like that. He’s been a great leader. He just broke the huddle down after I talked to the guys. We got to watch the film. We have a long flight to go back and watch the film, and we’re always evaluating every single position.”
On the issues on the edge on defense and what they need to do from a coaching standpoint to correct it:
“It’s a frustrating thing. Sometimes you tell guys over and over and over, ‘Look, the stove’s hot, the stove’s hot,’ and they still touch the stove. So today, it was just mirrored. If you were to ask me last week, maybe some of was as far as the play call and who were asking to Osi out. But today, and the players will tell you, it’s on them to go out there and set the edge. This is your job. Do your job and we’ll be okay.”
On if guys continue not to do it, if it might get to a point where they’re not given an opportunity:
“Yeah, 100%. We always talk about these guys are competing and we’ll be evaluated every single day, every single week. We want our most dependable players out there, especially when it’s a huge target. We have targets on our back. Can’t keep the quarterback in the pocket, can’t take control of the football. And so we’re going to deal with it until we fix it, and it starts with me.”
On the first possession of the game, why they punted it instead of going for it:
“There are different…We talk before we get to third down, and I say we, it’s primarily myself, but I tell AVP, ‘Look, this is what I’m thinking,’ whether we’re going for it on fourth and four, fourth and five, or we’re going to kick it on three yards or less, that’s kind of how it plays out. But there are definitely times where it’s easy to, in hindsight, look and say, ‘I wish I would have been more aggressive here or there.’ This is how we decided to play the game or play the game today.”
On if the Patriots thought about challenging the spot on the play before that fourth down in the third quarter when Rhamondre got stopped, and if he or Evan Rothstein had any information on it:
“I didn’t get any information on that one. I would say one thing, we got guys in the booth. They can see the replays. I’m on the field. There is a conversation, and put that one on me.”
On how he thought their energy was today:
“I thought the energy was good. I would also say going in at halftime, different than when we were at the Jets. I thought that the guys felt like, ‘Look, we have a chance. We have a chance.’ They were excited to go out there and cover a kick, and it happened to be a big play for us, and we score a touchdown. That’s encouraging. With that being said, there are a lot of things that we just have to correct from an Xs and Os standpoint and also from a personnel standpoint.”
On what he can do to ensure it doesn’t get worse with the players:
“Look, the players know it’s early in the season, and they understand that. We have veteran players in there, they understand it’s a long season. We’ve always talked about that North Star is just to get better each and every week. Now look, there were some good things that happened today. Maybe the score doesn’t reflect it, but we got to fix all the bad football, and that’s my job.”
On the conversation he had with Rhamondre Stevenson after the fumble and how he handled putting him back in:
“To me, a lot of this stuff goes back to body language and showing discipline. I always talk about those type of things, and there’s no one out there more disappointed than Rhamondre as far as his ball security issues are concerned. It was a talk. Look, it is what it is. Change the page and let’s move forward.”
On if there were any thoughts about putting Drake Maye in there like they did against the Jets:
“No thoughts today.”
On the big plays allowed by the defense and if he saw any commonalities on those:
“Just poor execution. They did a good job as well, timing up those shots, and we just got to do a better job.”
On if the hits Jacoby has taken has led to any skittishness or uncertainty in the pocket:
“Well, I would say from this game, let me go back and watch the film and I’ll get back to you on that. What I will say about Jacoby is that he’s tough both mentally and physically. I mean, this guy’s going out there. He’s taking some huge shots and continues to get back up. Sometimes you’re like, ‘Man, is he okay?’ You’re watching him for a while, but he is a tough guy, and I would never use the word skittish with a guy like that.”
On Brissett only getting 70% of the reps in practice and if it’s fair to him and the offense that he’s not getting 100% of them:
“I don’t think, and we’ve talked about this, it’s not all about the reps that are actually on the field. It’s also what we do inside. What do we do as far as our walkthroughs and things like that? I’m not going to go on not being prepared because he’s taking 70% of the snaps. We just got to do better.”‘
On what’s going through his mind with what they need to do this week to get ready to battle Miami:
“Yeah, it’s a huge game for us, a divisional game, and you always want to win those. We want to take the good things that we did today and carry those over and get rid of the bad football. And that’s my job.”
“Thank you. Appreciate you guys.”
(Editor’s Note: This transcript is done via the available footage and is subject to typos. If you spot something, please take a moment to let me know in the comments below.)
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Sept being rough on the o-line was a given. To much change on personnel and the new system. Plus some injuries on the o-line. Look for incremental improvement each month. That’s my hope. By years end the o-line hopefully looks like they can compete and have a solid prospectus for 2025. Same with Drake Maye. I’d expect he’ll be in there by end of Oct. Pats may have looked bad here in Sept on the road vs solid opponents but they have a sad MIA team next week, then HOU (not playing great) and JAX. They have games they can… Read more »