CINCINNATI — Let the document present that Jerod Mayo’s first postgame information convention as a head coach within the NFL was additionally his first postgame information convention as a victorious head coach within the NFL. However when he stood there within the tiny interview room at Paycor Stadium on Sunday afternoon following the New England Patriots’ 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, he satisfied no one when he stated, “I strive to not get too excessive, I strive to not get too low.”
For anyone within the room who might need had issue summoning the phrases to clarify simply how off-the-mark Mayo was with that comment, thank heavens the Patriots have quarterback Jacoby Brissett of their make use of. For when Brissett was summoned to ship an evaluation of Mayo’s postgame feelings, he replied: “Excited, man. It’s exhausting to win on this league. He performed on this league. He understands how exhausting it’s, particularly on the street, towards a very good opponent. What’s the phrase? Ecstatic? Elated? Any phrase you may consider meaning overjoyed, he must be. It’s his first one.”
Excited. Ecstatic. Elated. Overjoyed. Who knew the Patriots introduced a playbook and a replica of “Brissett’s Thesaurus” to Cincinnati?
To be honest, Mayo additionally spoke numerous phrases that conveyed his understanding of the importance of what he and the Patriots achieved Sunday. He went as far as to say his household, his grandparents “and my Pop Warner coaches and all of the individuals who instilled not solely the X’s and O’s of soccer but in addition the way to function in life.” It’s additionally value noting that Mayo delivered his postgame remarks at about 106 mph, suggesting a person very a lot caught up within the second.
GO DEEPER
Patriots defy ‘rebuilding’ narrative, pull off enormous upset vs. Bengals in Jerod Mayo’s debut
Sure, it was a giant upset for the Patriots to topple the Bengals on their house area, sending 1000’s of orange-shirted Cincy followers out to the streets with crimson faces. Sure, it was large that the New England protection did so good a job of bottling up the Cincinnati passing sport that quarterback Joe Burrow spent a lot of the day delivering nothing however pass-the-gravy passes. It was large that Christian Gonzalez was so proficient at shadowing Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase that it was exhausting to consider New England’s second-year cornerback was misplaced for the 2023 season after simply 4 video games on account of a labrum tear.
And, sure, the Patriots are 1-0. That’s a very powerful facet to New England’s victory over the Bengals, besides that it isn’t. Mayo’s first victory as head coach might end up to pay long-term dividends for the Patriots in that it has taken the group precisely 60 minutes of soccer to distance itself from the looming presence of Invoice Belichick, who occurs to be the best coach in NFL historical past. Oh, make no mistake: Belichick isn’t going wherever. He’s just about a 24/7 tv character now, along with ladling out hints he’s nonetheless keen on being a head coach once more if any NFL proprietor on the market involves the idea that their underachieving group is only a Corridor of Fame-bound coach away from getting over the hump. And for many who preserve monitor of this at house, it’s Belichick 333, Mayo 1 on the All-Time Victories Scoreboard.
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However know this: Had the Patriots misplaced this opener, because the oddsmakers instructed us they might, it could have been the 0-1 Pats taking up Seattle in Week 2 at Gillette Stadium. A loss there and it’s the 0-2 Pats heading to the Meadowlands to play the Jets. The controversy over precisely when, or if, Drake Maye will step in for Brissett as beginning quarterback will proceed all season. New England’s offensive line will proceed to be a speaking level, although it was not a difficulty towards the Bengals. However not solely is Mayo within the win column within the season opener, but in addition his gamers lavished a lot reward on him after the sport that it’s clear they’re shopping for what he’s promoting. And it wasn’t simply the sport Mayo’s gamers had been speaking about, however the weeks, even months, main as much as that sport.
“Guys are excited, guys are joyful,” middle David Andrews stated. “(They) put in a variety of work, from guys from the offseason on their very own time to exercises to OTAs to coaching camp. And clearly a variety of work this week.”
Everybody contributes, everybody wins. pic.twitter.com/acOqLjmDv5
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 8, 2024
Brissett, the journeyman quarterback who contributed 15-of-24 passing for 121 yards to an offense that was highlighted by operating again Rhamondre Stevenson’s 120 dashing yards, stated he cried thrice earlier than the sport and that Mayo had one thing to do with that.
“I cried after I received to the stadium,” Brissett stated. “I cried when Mayo got here as much as me earlier than the sport, and he began laughing and stated like, man, you’re about to win us a sport, you’re about to ball out. I had by no means heard that from a coach and that meant loads to me. After which I cried after I received on the sector and we’re going out on offense.”
GO DEEPER
How New England’s dashing assault, protection stifled Cincinnati in Mayo’s debut
Mayo contributed a dialogue he says he had with Stevenson earlier within the yr.
“I challenged Rhamondre within the spring,” Mayo stated. “I stated, ‘You don’t get a variety of love, a variety of hype.’ However I’ve all the time believed he’s top-of-the-line operating backs within the league, and after we signed him to the extension, there was nobody happier than me as a result of I do know what he’s able to and he confirmed that right now.”
.@dreeday32 IS MOVING ➡️
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/8om9AMZcXI
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 8, 2024
In the event you’re the kind who believes Sunday’s consequence was as a lot a product of Cincinnati’s failures as what New England did proper, have at it. And anyway, it’s only one sport, only one victory.
However Mayo has his first Gatorade bathe and a sport ball to placed on his shelf. It’s his group now, solely with out the enormous shadow.
(Photograph: Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Photographs)
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