Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo joined WEEI's "The Greg Hill Show" on Monday, December 16, 2024. Mayo discusses play calling, what needs to improve, next steps and more.
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And please to be joined by former Patriot quarterback Brian coy Or. Joined by number thirty seven on your scorecard, but number one in our hearts at least Rodney Harrison.
Good to be home, Good to see you, guys.
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Hello, coach, how are you?
I'm good?
How are you see better? Mondays, it came in a little hot this morning.
I'm I don't know if I did come in hot this morning, because you know the remark that I made last night, like you said it, I didn't. I didn't mean anything by it, you know, maybe a flippant response, and I tried to clarify that with the next question, saying, ultimately it's my decision. Ultimately, all those decisions offensively, defensively and special team follow on me and so I just want to get that out there.
Yeah, I think, I guess there's some who feel like the the there's this narrative out there that at times you are pointing the finger in different directions when it comes to the result not being what it what it could be like what I like, people point to you in your the infamous uh soft player comment soft team comment, Uh, the I.
Can't Everyone says that.
You.
Know, I can't coach these guys when they're out there on the field between it's on them when they get out there like that, and those.
Are things that the players have heard me say. Who ultimately, that's who I care about the most. I have said that since I was a position coach, the exact same thing. So yeah, yeah, I mean it's the it's the world we live in, and it's a different seat that I'm sitting, and I understand that, and and people are going to take it how they want to take it.
When I'm talking of football players, the guys.
In that room, the men in that room, they understand when I say, look, you're on the field, I'm not like I try to give you the tools, go out there and use them and the results sometimes, Look, we would have won the game. Going back to that statement, then everyone will been.
Like, oh, yeah, you know, the players went out there and got it.
Done, but we unfortunately lost the game, and it's me throwing them under the bus, which is not true.
And so your intent was not to throw Alex van Pelt under the one you speak to him afterwards.
I did speak to them. I saved him this morning because I didn't even think about that it was going to be a big story today.
I spoke to him this morning and he's just like, yeah, what are you talking about? Whatever? What are you talking about?
So your intent was to say what? So so there was no Look, he asked a question.
I didn't want to go down the rabbit hole of trying to explain for the next ten minutes after we just lost the game about how that whole process went down. I just said you said it to try to end the question. And look, I shouldn't have done that. And again, just like I tell the players, I'm still learning how those things work.
I think the great thing that we get to do with you is try to clear up some of these things.
No, and I appreciate it, and I appreciate it.
Like how involved are you in the offensive plan.
Look, I'm in there.
I'm in there when they're when they're putting the game plan, and I try to spend more time defensively obviously, because that's my that's my fortebe, you know. And then look, we all at the end of the day, after we get through on fridays of ironing everything out, we're all on the same page and we work together well as the staff.
Gerard to kind of go even a little further like game day operation, you know, being seen from kind of how it works in the inside. Are there times where you'll say, hey, run a QB sneak here, or let's take a shot, or are you more like letting Alex van Pelt putting in his in his hands where you might say, hey, let's be a little bit aggressive here and then he decides what he wants to come up. Or are you actually giving it some input on maybe specific plays that you might want to see.
Or I give input on where I want the ball to go at times, I give him put on whether we should run her and pass it in at times.
But I've said it before.
Look, he's the head coach of the offense, and you know, at times I go over to the I'm on the defensive channel talking to those guys making corrections, and I have enough faith in the a VP and the rest of offensive staff to operate when I'm not on that channel.
So why not a sneak there?
Sorry?
Why not a sneak there?
We just tried to do what we thought was what was best for the team.
Did you have we always looked Early in the season, we talked about the snakes as well, and that was when Drake came out the out of the the protocol. We talked about snakes and then we you know, it was off the table. But he's a big, strong kid, Kenny quarterback snake. Absolutely, we just didn't call it that moment.
But when you say, I think it's important to clarify when you say best for the team, not necessarily the best option to win, But are you trying to protect the quarterback in that in that situation that's best for.
The team, and we're always trying to win, So I don't want to go down that one.
Okay, Your game plan though, is what everybody's talking about today, especially because it seemed like Jonathan and Robert we're having a conversation and the camera went to them, and it seemed like maybe Jonathan said the play calling is horrible. Do you when do you have that conversation with them after every game and are they talking about actual football plays with you when you sit down for that conversation or do they stay in their lane of being owners and you're the coach.
Yeah, I'm not gonna, you know, get into what they said. I didn't see the clip. I heard about it this morning, but look, they owned the football team, they're fans of the team, and they have supported us one hundred on the football side of not really getting involved in that stuff, which.
Has been good.
How frustrating for you was it to not come away with any points that first drive and does that set the tone in any way for the game?
Yeah?
To me, To me, you know, and I know a lot of people that we won the coin toss, and the mindset going into the game is that we want to start fast and try to play with the league.
So we drive the ball.
And then we get we get a penalty right, and then we missed a kick and so we're back at square one.
It feels like this team gets to the thirty five yard line and all of a sudden, like gets nervous. It's like, you know me at my middle school dance, you know, like they're like, oh, what do we do? Okay, we have a chance here. Let's let's you know, run it and then let's settle for a field goal. When I feel like it was a rate drive to start. I mean, I thought, you guys got the ball, we're going down. Drake is will always look good. Madre had a good run.
All of that.
What changes in the play call and the just general offensive approach once you get into the sort of general field goal area of the opposing team.
Yeah, one thing I always said, just holistically, no matter what team you're on, you now add an extra player, that middle of the field safety that was out there in the field, he's now in the box. And so as the field starts to compress, you know, everything just gets a little bit tighter and it comes down to details and execution.
It is the one thing that I noticed, and it was very frustrating to me watching it yesterday. You know, you know, you're you left tackle and low really really struggles. Is there any point in time in the game where you're like, all right, we have to make a change and put somebody out or you just feel like maybe the guy behind them is not ready to handle the situation.
Not to live in the past like we've done that before. You look at the opening game when you know we made it a change, I think the second or third drive. So that's always, uh, that's always a possibility. But look, Lowe's out there. He's given us everything that he has and we appreciate him for that.
Kishan Boudi was asked about the interception and basically said, you know, it's on me, but when the ball is thrown a little bit low, it's hard to handle. Do you put the blame on Drake for the throw? Is it more on Booty for you know, the wabble and and does it worry you that maybe there's some finger pointing there.
Yeah, I don't think there's finger pointing.
And this isn't the first time we've had this conversation with Booty and his messaging to everyone.
To me, it's it's on both of them. It's on everyone.
It's on all eleven guys that are out there the protection. It's on the quarterback making a good throw, and it's on the receiver making the catch. You know, as a wide receiver, receivers in the title of your of your of your of your position, your job description, and so you know he's made that catch. But again, you know some of the frustration, I'm sure it's kind of building up.
We talked about a lot of the same things every week. You're probably getting sick of them. But we've talked a lot about mistackles. Uh dugger, you know, open field mistackle? Is that something that is just Wiggy talks a lot. Whiggy and Tyler actually talk a lot about lack of practice time now in the NFL different than when you guys played, Like what what what causes that?
We're all how do you fix it?
It is different, and I agree with Wiggy and Tylo, and it is different in saying that we're all operating under the same collectively Barden rules and so to go out there and you know, and not be able to tackle at disappoint in the season. It has been disappointed and we've just got to get better.
But why has the defense gotten worse as the season's gone on.
I would say, you know, early on, you know, we felt pretty good about you know, the guys that we had out there. You know, you look at the first game and just yeah, you have Bentley out there, you know, you have the safeties out there rolling you got.
You know, obviously Barmo wasn't there. But those things have definitely hurt us.
Now not making an excuse, and the other guys have definitely stepped up and tried to fill those roles, but those things definitely take a toll and.
It's got to be better.
Did they give you an explanation on what I thought was a horrible, horrible rough in the pastor call, like, did they to make you understand? Because I just looked like it looked like to me Jennings kind of just tripped and went to the side, and I believe it was key On White just kind of gave a little shove in the back.
But they called it on Jennings.
Did they give you a better explanation?
I don't get too far into that.
What I would say is they said that there was forcible contact to the head nick area. You can't challenge you can't challenge those things or anything. Yeah, they've made the call. And I will say this on the penalties on the half class four, like I mean, I think that was the least amount of penalties we've had the last five or six weeks. So that's definitely a good thing.
That only four two weeks ago when we talked to you, you said, you know, during the bye week, there was a lot of things that you wanted to prove on. What was the main focus during the bye week? And do you think that you you followed through on that?
For us, it was just about, you know, just going back to fundamentals, and it didn't show up in the game and the times that we needed to show up.
I'm just curious just to confirm on the then google a question?
Did you just google a question?
No?
No, no, I was just thinking about the No you said, you say you every day I'm cramming google a question. So the reason Mac, I mean, the reason Mac I was thinking about Mac? The reason, Uh, now, Frazzle, I am. I'm gonna walk this back tomorrow.
All right.
So the reason Drake didn't sneak it is because of the concussion issue.
No, it's not, that's what that was a conversation that we had in the past.
So he's clear and all, yeah, he's out of the he's out of the concussion protocol. He can quarterback sneak. And again, look, it's on me. I like that, though, I like that, I'll get you off here. So is there no issue?
Because I think a lot of people, you know, speculate everything we do with speculation here because we're not in here and went off behind the scenes. Is there no issue between you and Alex van Pelt when it comes to philosophy and where you see the offense? Uh, whether it's being conservative, aggressive, whatever it is. Are you guys on the same page.
The same page? And I'm back Alex.
Even more so? Though in that same breath. Do you feel like what you were promised when you took this coaching jobs has come through? Like you were you told that you were going well by the crafts? I guess because we talk about that all the time. Were you told that you had the reins to do whatever you want, that they were going to spend a ton of money, that you were going to pick the staff around you and and maybe that didn't happen. Again, it's all speculation for us. But since you're sitting here.
Yeah, I'm not going to get into that as long as you're here. The staff I want is the staff that we need, and we just got to get better.
But you're happy with how this season, even though maybe the wins.
I'm not happy with. It's hard to say happy with the season. And we're sitting here with this.
Record, happy with how you've been treated as the head coach.
Bye who by the by the by the organization, the organization has been fantastic.
Speak of the staff before we I don't want to get off this topic. Obviously, Brian works for you. He's in your defensive backfield safety's coach. Have you spoken to him? Is he going to go join his dad at North Carolina? Has that come up at all? No, we haven't talked about that at all. And he's been, you know, one hundred percent on the opponent, which was Arizona this past week.
Knowing Bill as well as you do, were you surprised that that's where he's going?
Look, I know, I know he's a great coach and he needs to be coaching.
I'm happy for him.
Yeah, he looks good in Carolina blue.
Carolina blue is nice.
It's a good color.
He'll have more. Jordan's to me, now, how many how many do you have? Count I don't have a lot like that. I actually give them away after, you know, to people.
Last one for me, Uh, oh for six. When it came to converting on third down, Boomer brought up that that package. You've had a chance to look at film. What's the issue there yesterday?
Yeah, I would say at least two of those were situations where we're just trying to get back into field goal range, so situational third downs, but again, we've got to get open and make the place.
Gerd one thing that you talked about, and I think we talked about this with uh.
With who do we interview on Friday?
Like rough weekend? You give me a heart, I'm horrible with.
I'm horrible with.
I mean, I'm gonna keep.
It a buck with names you're on TV and state. Yeah, yeah, that's why I'm like, what's something, what's up my guy?
Yeah?
Yeah, that guy?
Yeah, that is me.
All day long.
But we talked with Jilani on Friday and talked about creating turnovers. How did like, how do you work out work on that in practice to like maybe because you guys have been struggling all year there, what can you do differently maybe in practice in the games. I know it's gotta be difficult for guys to be able to try to create a turnover and tackle at the same time. Is there something that maybe you guys feel like you could do a little bit better.
You're that second guy that comes in. I always has an opportunity to strip at the football.
I would say, I've always said this is that turnovers coming bunches, sacks coming bunches, and we just haven't been able to really get that one to get everything else flowing.
So hopefully it's this week.
All right, Well, we'll let you get this question. Well what what what shime the Helmet's question? Ohe says, I didn't ask the helmets Helman's male.
Question of the week. Yeah, get this guy, you got it here.
You can purchase Helman's at your local Walmart or grocery store to add extra deliciousness and creamy flavor to your game day dishes this football season. Anybody, I have a.
Question, what do you think about just playing on Christmas Day? The NFL's just started it.
Do you like it? Do you think they should?
You know? Is that a what you what are your thoughts on Christmas Day?
NFL football? I think it's good for the league. I think it's I think it's good, you know. And then you get a couple of extra days on the back end. On that look, I love to say I'm a fan of football first and foremost, so I'd love to hear about football on Christmas.
All right, Well, Merry Christmas.
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