Sep 8, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo name a play through the second quarter towards the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Photographs Run the ball and cease the run, these are the muse stones for the New England Patriots in 2024.
Head coach Jerod Mayo credited his maligned entrance for setting a tone for toughness that carried the Patriots to a 1-0 begin in a 16-10 victory over the Bengals in Cincinnati.
“I have been saying it for a very long time, I believe the entire offensive line dialog has been overblown,” Mayo mentioned Monday. “They did that (Sunday). I am probably not too involved with the offensive line.”
Mayo echoed the sentiment from gamers on Sunday who mentioned the troublesome coaching camp helped impression the result of the sport. Rhamondre Stevenson carried 25 instances for 120 yards and a landing to assist make the ball-control strategy efficient.
“We’re a recreation plan crew general. One factor (GM) Eliot (Wolf) and I agree on: Rhamondre is a really particular again,” Mayo mentioned. “He could not get all of the publicity and issues like that, however this a man that may run the ball, fall ahead 4 yards each single play, catch the ball out of the backfield. A really sensible soccer participant. You need to get the ball within the arms of your greatest gamers, and I’d say Rhamondre is certainly one of them.”
The Patriots loved the flight again to Foxborough on Sunday evening however Mayo made certain to emphasise competitors begins over on Monday.
In Week 2, New England hosts the Seattle Seahawks (1-0) and one other rookie head coach — Mike Macdonald — who equally believes in leaning into a standard offense constructed across the working recreation.
“It is one recreation,” Mayo mentioned of his message to the crew and coaches, noting he didn’t give gamers a customary time off for “Victory Monday.”
“We received one recreation. We might simply be right here subsequent week, if we do not exit and execute … win, lose or draw, we’ll wrap the sport up the day after and transfer ahead,” he mentioned.
Kenneth Walker III had 103 speeding yards on 20 carries for Seattle in a 26-20 win over the Denver Broncos. Seattle ran 33 instances for 146 yards. The Patriots ran 39 instances for 170 yards.
One other similarity between the Week 2 foes: Seattle counts on a retread beginning quarterback, Geno Smith, to steer the offense and take pictures downfield when the protection invitations them. Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett had 32 speeding yards — together with a 16-yarder — one of many surprises of Week 1 for Mayo.
“(Brissett) truly made some performs together with his legs, which was shocking, as a result of he is in all probability the slowest Black quarterback within the league,” Mayo joked Monday in a separate radio look on WEEI.
–Subject Stage Media
