HC Jerod Mayo on WEEI 12/23: "It's about putting four quarters of complimentary football together"

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Loss yesterday, but not a terrible one. We treat it like a moral victory Monday. I'm sure you don't, but how is your overall feeling with how the guys played?

Jerod Mayo (0:08)

You know, having an opportunity to go back and watch the film, I thought the guys really came out and started fast, you know, in a hostile environment. That's not an easy place to play. Offensively and defensively in that first quarter is one of the best quarters we've had all year. Unfortunately, we weren't able to carry that over into the second half, but thought the guys played hard, and I mean, you hit it on the head. There are no moral victories, but we'll learn from this and correct it and try to get better going forward.

SPEAKER_1 (0:33)

A big question that we had last week, we talked about it with you last Monday, and then I know AVP was asked about it, and he touched on it, but design run plays for Drake and the lack thereof. He basically, I don't want to quote him incorrectly, but said that the reason in which maybe there aren't many or aren't at all is that they don't want to put Drake in a situation where he could get injured at the end of this season. That was a difference yesterday that we saw. There were some design run plays for him. What was the change?

Jerod Mayo (0:59)

To me, we're trying to win a football game. To us, we all are trying to win a football game, coaches and players included. We're always going to do what's best for the team. That was what was best for the team yesterday. He used his legs and made a couple of plays.

SPEAKER_3 (1:12)

Jerod, you talked about the tale of two halves. First half offensively, you were able to move the ball well. What do you think was the biggest issue in the second half? I know obviously turnovers were a huge part of losing that football game. But what do you think were the biggest issues for you not being able to sustain that success in the second half, especially when it came to offense and maybe moving the football?

Jerod Mayo (1:37)

When we talk about complimentary football, that's all three phases. And our best defense in the first quarter was our offense going out there having extended drives. That was against a team like this. And anytime you get an MVP caliber type of player and Josh Allen on the sideline for that amount of time, it's good for us. Now I'm saying that this game came down to two things. It came down to us turning the ball over. It came down to us not being able to stop the run. I mean, if you boil everything down, decisions made, do this, do that, it was those two things that really hurt us the most.

SPEAKER_4 (2:10)

Can you fix those two things for Saturday afternoon? Were they fixable moments or is it a product of just a build up and a football play for instance?

Jerod Mayo (2:22)

They're definitely fixable. And what this game comes down to is just consistency. Consecutive six second plays, play after play after play after play, being consistent and all 11 guys being on the same page. So to answer your question, yes.

SPEAKER_1 (2:36)

Jelani Tavae talked to us on Friday and said that he felt like it was a good week of practice, felt like the defense was clicking, they knew what they needed to do going into this one. Started off strong, kind of fell off in the second half. What do you think it is about that second half of games where your guys maybe aren't fully executing?

Jerod Mayo (2:53)

Well, I guess it depends on what game you watch as far as second half play is concerned. You know, for me, the players, they go out there every single play and try to do what they think is right. And so I have no gripe against that. I would just say, just on a going back to consistency, we just have to, in all three phases, go out there and do and run the plays. I mean, that's what it comes down to. I have to coach better. And we just have to get in that win column. I think, you know, winning is all.

SPEAKER_3 (3:24)

Jerod, this game is all about confidence. Your team was able to do some that not many teams can say that they do, which hold the Buffalo Bills to under 30 Basically, frustrated Josh Allen through the majority of the game, limit him and what he was able to do. How can you, even though it's a loss, how can you take some of that, especially defensively, and say, okay, we were able to do this against a really good offense, I was going to work on the run, but to build off of some of that confidence kind of moving forward in these last two games.