HOT SEAT: POPULATION MAYO
The Patriots have 4 games remaining in the season. The first 13 have been underwhelming at best; and those results have the media questioning Jerod Mayo's future. Everything is on the table as the Patriots move towards a critical offseason. Mayo has given us more than enough reasons to question his ability to lead the franchise through this important time. Let's see what the consensus is on the topic.
Greg Bedard: Boston Sports Journal
"The Patriots have only improved in special teams and pass offense (by two spots right now). The rest of the team has backslid. The most distressing part is the defense, which endured plenty of injuries last year (especially at cornerback) and still finished in the top 10. For a defensive head coach, who helped direct the unit last season, to see his defense tumble from 9th to 31st (against the easiest schedule) is flat-out embarrassing. If you're weighing what kind of head coach Mayo might be, if he can't get his side of the ball to play better (and, in fact, regress badly) what hope should you have that he can lift up the rest of the team? And, of course, there are the multiple game management issues from Mayo that have cost the Patriots in winnable games against the Seahawks, Dolphins (QB Tyler Huntley), Jaguars, Titans (Mason Rudolph), Rams and Colts.
The Krafts were alarmed when the team was 1-6, which is the time ownership started to have communications around the league. It wasn't just about how to support a rookie quarterback, as it was reported. The conversations were also about how to support Mayo better going forward (which is the preference), and if that was even possible. They also did some research on Mayo's final years on the staff to get a better sense of his role in the demise of the team. They began to understand why Mayo rubbed some people the wrong way, including Mayo's perceived disrespect of Belichick and Bill O'Brien. Multiple sources said Mayo was harsh about the offense in staff meetings while expressing that his side of the ball was fine. The Patriots named Mayo head coach on Jan. 16. Two days later, O'Brien agreed to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State (before the Boston College job opened up).
As of today, I would say the odds are strong that everyone is retained and they try to add some more experienced hands and swap out some positional coaches. But the final four games will have an impact, one way or the other. If the Patriots conclude the season losing their final seven games and some are lopsided, anything could be possible."
The reports of Mayo trashing the offense last year is new to me. If that is true; toot toot for us. We've been saying the guys is a phony. He is positioning himself as a culture setter. However; he was undermining and creating a toxic culture himself last year. With a toxic culture this year seems to add up he could be a problem.
Bill Barnwell of ESPN
"Leaving the endgame scenario aside, Mayo's defense has unquestionably been disappointing. The Pats had the league's best defense during the second half of the 2023 season by points allowed per drive and EPA per play, and that was with the worst average starting field position of any team and without stars Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez. Nobody expected them to be good on offense this season, but even with Bill Belichick leaving, the hope had to be that they could keep themselves in games by thriving on defense.
Instead, the Pats rank 19th in points allowed per drive and 29th in EPA per play. Gonzalez has excelled, but Mayo's defense hasn't found a formula that works. With Judon in Atlanta and no recognized star edge rusher on the roster, they are blitzing at one of the highest rates in football. After blitzing 32.3% of the time last season, they are back at that mark again, with their 32.4% blitz rate ranking sixth.
What needs to happen next: Patriots fans have gotten on Mayo for some late-game decisions and the frustrating play of the offense. I'd be surprised if New England made a change just one year after letting Belichick go, but with four games against teams that are .500 or better after the bye, the Pats just lost their best chance at a victory in December. Can they improve in the red zone? That would be a positive step heading into 2025."
Chad Graff of the Athletic
"Jerod Mayo’s first decisions this offseason will likely revolve around his coaching staff. Will he make any changes? On one hand, it’s hard to envision running things back with the same group given the underwhelming season so far (unless things really change in the final four games). On the other hand, Mayo could be looking for continuity and loyalty as he enters Year 2. The guess here (and this is just a guess) is that defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington is on shakier ground than offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt given the defensive falloff this season. Some positional coaches could change, too."
Mike Giardi of Boston Sports Journal
"Is one year - not even - insufficient time for a first-year head to take over a bottom-of-the-barrel roster and make it look decidedly different? Yes. Yes, it is. That said, should Mayo, his staff, and players have shown more growth than we've seen to this point? Yes. Yes, they should. And while Drake Maye has given the offense a serious injection of life - the Pats are averaging a touchdown more per game with him as the starter - the operation is still as messy as ever. They're 9th in the league in penalties, can't seem to craft a gameplan to affect opposing offenses (their pressure rate is in the bottom three in the league), and still struggle mightily to protect their own quarterbacks, whether it was Jacoby Brissett (pressure rate at 50%) or Maye (39%). Yet, Mayo's confidence in himself and his potential for future success has not waned.
"100%. I know I'll be successful. 100%. And look, you're going to go through these trying times. Like, that's what it is. The mark of a true leader is being able to navigate this and knowing that you're going the right way. And I truly believe that we are going the right way. In the short term, it may be disappointing, but in the long term, we're doing it the right way."
The more I read Giardi the more I agree with him. I always thought he was a cunt whenever I would see him on television. When you take away his cunty appearance and mannerisms; seems like this guy gets it.
