Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo uses strong choice of words on quarterback controversy after devastating loss to Jets
The New England Patriots quarterback controversy has been one of the hottest and most talked about topics surrounding the team throughout the spring, summer, and now fall. And the coaching staff's questionable decision brought all of that back up again, when they decided to put in Drake Maye for the Patriots final drive in primetime […]
The New England Patriots quarterback controversy has been one of the hottest and most talked about topics surrounding the team throughout the spring, summer, and now fall.
And the coaching staff's questionable decision brought all of that back up again, when they decided to put in Drake Maye for the Patriots final drive in primetime loss to the Jets.
So after the game, Mayo of course was asked if this means a quarterback change is coming. And on Thursday night, he didn't give a conclusive answer.
“I don’t know," Mayo said. "We talk about it every single week, you’re competing for a job. So, we’ll get together as a coaching staff and see how it goes,”
However, on Friday morning, after having some time to watch the film and regroup, Mayo gave a much more definitive answer.
"Jacoby [Brissett] is our quarterback until I say he's not the quarterback," Mayo told reporters. "I thought last night he showed a lot of toughness, a lot of grit. On protection breakdowns, he tried to do what we asked him to do. I would say as a team, as a coaching staff, we’ve just got to be better."
Why this is the right decision
There is no way anyone could have watched Thursday night's game and say that the issues on offense were Brissett's fault.
Through three games this season, the New England Patriots quarterback has taken hit after hit after hit in the pocket. And despite some clear discomfort, he gets up each and every time, ready to go back out there and play.
"I'm big enough. I can take it. I'm a grown man. I can take a couple of hits," he told prior to the team's Thursday night matchup against the New York Jets.
Everyone is calling for the Patriots to put in rookie quarterback Maye, who they drafted with the No. 3 overall pick this past year. That even includes former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III.
But considering what is happening to Brissett every game, why risk the future face of the franchise.
Yes, Brissett has made some mistakes. But every single quarterback in the league does.
He is not the main issue. It's the offensive line.
Brissett has absolutely no time to throw the ball. The line in front of him can't protect him at all.
Even on Brissett's Hail Mary attempt at the end of the first quarter, the entire line was in front of him with most of the Jets defenders deep to prevent a possible catch. However, the few pass rushers still managed to break through and nail Brissett down.
That shouldn't be happening.
If Brissett had a line that could give him some time in the pocket, he could make something happen as we've seen the first two weeks.
