LONDON — Fast-hit ideas and notes across the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Maye vitality: When first-year Patriots coach Jerod Mayo was describing what it was like being round rookie quarterback Drake Maye within the aftermath of his first profession NFL begin final week, he made a connection to Rob Gronkowski.
Mayo was referring to Maye’s upbeat angle and mentality, which he additionally noticed from Gronkowski in 2010 when the longer term Corridor of Fame tight finish joined the Patriots as a 21-year-old from the College of Arizona. Mayo was in his third season as a Patriots linebacker when Gronkowski arrived as a happy-go-lucky presence within the crew’s all-business locker room.
The just-turned-22 Maye is not precisely “Gronk-ish,” as Mayo acknowledged in his weekly radio interview on WEEI final week, however he has introduced an analogous youthful vitality to the crew.
And the Patriots, who face the Jaguars on Sunday at London’s Wembley Stadium (9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Community) as they appear to finish a five-game dropping streak, respect the surge of vitality.
“Completely. He is a younger pup. My daughters [Payton and Katherine] are 22 and 25; I put that in perspective,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt mentioned. “He does have that youthfulness to him, however from a professional strategy, he is doing it the best approach getting himself prepared each week.”
In that sense, Maye is certainly similar to Gronkowski, whose relentless work ethic as his profession progressed was usually ignored due to playful issues like his “Nutcracker dude” landing celebration in London in 2012.
Veteran tight finish Hunter Henry, now in his ninth NFL season, has appreciated the best way Maye has built-in himself inside the crew — initially as a backup to 31-year-old Jacoby Brissett.
“He is been nice. Early on, he was in a position to sit again and observe quite a lot of issues and be taught. And now he is type of setting into that position as a man,” Henry mentioned. “He is nice within the locker room. He is a enjoyable man to be round. These relationships are solely going to proceed to construct.”
Maye mentioned Friday he has made a concerted effort to not change what he does now that he is a starter. The most important change for him has been within the huddle, asserting himself extra, however as an alternative he mentioned he is deferring to captains whereas working “to earn the respect of these guys and as we go down the street I can type of construct an increasing number of verbally.”
Van Pelt additionally noticed how that advanced behind the scenes.
“He is a pure chief,” he mentioned. “He is an important studier, a really clever man that may ask nice questions within the assembly room. He is every part you’d need in a younger quarterback.
“Sitting and watching the preparation of Jacoby for the primary 5 weeks was an enormous piece of that. Seeing how the quarterback room operates on the professional stage and the questions that have to be requested, the issues and feedback all through the week. I believe that simply helped construct up his stock of learn how to undergo conferences and ask the questions that he must get answered. Very spectacular along with his strategy.”
Query: There are many followers right here within the UK who’ve but to have an NFL crew they assist … What’s your message for these followers on why the Patriots?
Drake Maye: “First off, I believe it comes with the crew identify – New England.”
(The rookie is sharp on his ft.) pic.twitter.com/IJVZL5BtVH
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 18, 2024
2. Onwenu’s critique: Patriots offensive lineman Mike Onwenu, who signed a three-year, $57 million contract within the offseason, gave a straight-forward critique of his play within the crew’s 1-5 begin.
He mentioned he must be higher. Onwenu instructed ESPN two areas he is working to handle are higher hand utilization and interesting defenders faster by not letting them get into his chest-plate first.
Onwenu ranks one hundred and sixtieth amongst 166 qualifying offensive linemen in cross block win price (81.1%) and 128th amongst 163 qualifying offensive linemen in run block win price (67.4%), based on ESPN Analytics.
A part of his up-and-down play could possibly be attributed to all of the adjustments round him, as he has bounced between proper sort out and proper guard with the Patriots lining up with six completely different beginning O-line configurations within the first six video games.
However Onwenu, who hasn’t missed a snap this season, mentioned that is no excuse. He cited former Patriot Joe Thuney for example of a participant whose efficiency by no means wavered it doesn’t matter what place he performed, or what was taking place round him, which is the usual Onwenu needs to succeed in.
3. No knee-d to know: Maye was added to the harm report Wednesday due to his knee, however each he and Mayo mentioned he has seemed good in practices during the last week as a full participant.
Not lengthy after arriving in London on Friday, Maye stiff-armed questions from reporters about when the harm occurred, and whether or not it was a residual from final Sunday’s loss to the Texans or one thing from Wednesday’s observe. Maye was sacked 4 occasions final week and in-game statisticians recorded eight hits. Maye was faraway from the harm report later Friday night.
“Accidents are one thing we do not attempt to share with the media,” Maye mentioned.
Talking of accidents, Patriots operating again Rhamondre Stevenson was a full participant in observe Friday and mentioned he was trending towards taking part in within the crew’s sport in opposition to the Jaguars.
“I am feeling good proper now. I needed to take a pair days off, however I am feeling like I ought to be capable of play on Sunday,” he mentioned after observe.
Stevenson has been sidelined by a foot harm and is listed as questionable.
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Is there fantasy optimism for Stevenson with Maye at QB?
Area Yates explains his fantasy outlook for Rhamondre Stevenson with Drake Maye at quarterback for the Patriots.
4. Harrow-ing expertise: The Patriots practiced in a historic spot upon arrival in London, at Harrow College, a boarding faculty based in 1572. Veteran defensive lineman Deatrich Sensible Jr. relayed that teammates had been mentioning Sir Winston Churchill as a distinguished alum of the varsity on the bus experience to observe.
Guests to the 324-acre campus walked down “Soccer Lane” to the observe area, the place rugby is without doubt one of the faculty’s high sports activities. Mayo additionally famous how the film “Harry Potter” filmed a scene on campus.
5. Why not Jones? Mayo was disillusioned within the Patriots’ kickoff return unit in final week’s loss, with Houston difficult to return six kickoffs and first returner JaMycal Hasty averaging 23.8 yards per kick return with shaky blocking in entrance of him.
“We simply did not present up in that section of the sport,” Mayo mentioned.
One lingering query is why the Patriots would not use third-year professional Marcus Jones (5-foot-8, 188 kilos) within the position, as he was the crew’s main returner in 2022 earlier than sitting out most of final season due to harm.
Particular groups coordinator Jeremy Springer, who might think about different choices Sunday together with operating again Antonio Gibson (6-foot, 228 kilos) and receiver Ja’Lynn Polk (6-1, 203 kilos), defined his thought course of on what he is on the lookout for with the NFL’s new kickoff guidelines.
“We’re looking for guys that may get downhill fast. There may be not quite a lot of motion. You would possibly say ‘Marcus Jones is a helluva returner’, however these [returners] are getting hit and getting hit arduous across the league,” Springer mentioned. “You do not actually desire a [returner] who’s going to do a lot transferring round like punt returns. It is extra straight downhill, one minimize and go, be capable of take an enormous hit. So greater our bodies are basically what I am on the lookout for.”
6. Penalty flip: The Patriots had been the least penalized crew within the NFL by way of the primary 4 video games of the season — 16 accepted flags for 172 yards. They’ve exceeded the entire over the previous two video games — 21 accepted flags for 155 yards.
“The penalties come right down to focus more often than not and lack of method,” Mayo mentioned. “We’ve to get again to what we began the season doing.”
7. Elliss’ probability: Mayo mentioned there can be “lineup adjustments” this week and defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington may need recognized one spot when he mentioned third-year linebacker Christian Elliss (6-2, 231 kilos) has earned an opportunity to play extra on early downs.
Elliss’ main position has been on particular groups and his eight tackles are tied for third within the NFL. He has began to get extra time on protection in passing conditions in latest weeks. After taking part in six snaps over the primary three video games, he has totaled 63 over the previous three.
If Elliss elevates into extra of a high position Sunday, it might come on the expense of veteran Raekwon McMillan, who seemed to be out of place on two lengthy runs in final week’s loss to the Texans. Covington mentioned it is a comparable state of affairs to final 12 months when former Patriots linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. steadily noticed his position improve.
8. Jacoby & Shaq: Brissett has one thing new hanging in his locker at Gillette Stadium, and he says it means rather a lot to him. It is guard Shaq Mason’s white Houston Texans’ jersey.
Brissett approached Mason after final Sunday’s Patriots-Texans sport and instructed him: “I would like that jersey.”
Mason gave it to him on the spot, with Brissett returning the favor and handing over his pink throwback Patriots jersey.
“I relied on him rather a lot once I first received right here [in 2016] and spent quite a lot of time with him,” Brissett mentioned of Mason, who was a fourth-round choose of the Patriots in 2015. “I like to see the best way his profession has gone. He is deserved every part he is gotten. It was the primary time we performed in opposition to one another and had been in a position to jersey swap.”
9. They mentioned it: “He was a man — I would not say we had been down on — however we did not see him as a starter early by way of camp. I believe the largest factor was the best way he approached observe; he actually put his arduous hat on and did nice work — for [the offense] and scout crew. His angle was glorious and he earned the best to be on the sphere. I am so happy with him for his perseverance. We had been on him early and he responded effectively.” — Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, on Kayshon Boutte (40-yard TD final week) rising as one of many crew’s high receivers
10. Do you know? The Patriots will play in entrance of their largest crowd this season Sunday in opposition to the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium, the place capability is 86,857. Capability for residence video games at Gillette Stadium is 64,628. Earlier street video games have been on the Bengals’ Paycor Stadium (65,515), the Jets’ MetLife Stadium (82,500) and 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium (68,500), with upcoming video games on the Titans’ Nissan Stadium (69,143), Bears’ Soldier Area (61,500), Dolphins’ Exhausting Rock Stadium (64,767), Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium (65,000) and the Payments’ Highmark Stadium (71,621).
