Head Coach Jerod Mayo Discusses Loss to Jaguars, Drake Maye's Performance

Jerod Mayo (0:00)

Good evening, or whatever time it is. Look, a disappointing game, disappointing game. We came out, we started fast. What I would say is, look, we're a soft football team across the board. We talk about what makes a tough football team, that's being able to run the ball, that's being able to stop the run, and that's being able to cover kicks, and we did none of those today. They controlled the ball for most of the day, you know, their run game averaged over four and a half yards to carry. Our run game, not sure what the average was, but it wasn't good.

Look, back to the drawing board. I mean, we can't sit here and pout. We just got to put a game together.

SPEAKER_2 (0:34)

How do you explain what's happened to the run game?

Jerod Mayo (0:37)

I'm not sure. I'm not sure that's something that you got to watch on, you know, watch on film. What I will say is, it's a mentality, it's an attitude, and here as of late, our run game just hasn't been able to do anything offensively and then defensively. I mean, the players, like, we just got to play better. We got to play better technique, got to lock our guy out in front of us, and really just, I mean, that's what it comes down to, locking the guy out in front of you, dominating him and making a tackle.

SPEAKER_3 (1:01)

What do you think has caused this to be, as you mentioned, a soft football team personally?

Jerod Mayo (1:06)

I'm not sure. I mean, that's something that, you know, I have to think about. You know, we have a long flight back, and I'm not sure. It's not like all of a sudden, you know, we did something different, and now we're a soft football team. It's just the mentality that we've got to get back in the guys.

SPEAKER_4 (1:21)

Do you think you need to consider a change to the defensive play role?

Jerod Mayo (1:24)

Look, once again, I'll go back over the film, and from where I was standing, even when you're in the right call, they're still not doing their job, so that's on me.

SPEAKER_5 (1:38)

The decision to go for the two-point conversion after the touchdown.

Jerod Mayo (1:44)

Yeah, so that decision, at some point in time, you have to go for two, and I just wanted to at least know what situation we were going to be in with more time on the clock. So, we went for two on the first one. I'm sure other people see the different ways, just the philosophical thing.

SPEAKER_3 (1:58)

What did you see on the punt of the turn?

Jerod Mayo (2:01)

I saw guys getting out of leverage. I saw a punt down the middle of the field, which is always difficult to cover. And look, he has a strong leg, and he outkicked his coverage, and we weren't disciplined in our lanes.

SPEAKER_2 (2:12)

How did you see Drake Maye's play in the second start?

Jerod Mayo (2:15)

I thought Drake did a good job, especially starting the game off fast. He made some good throws. He made some plays with his legs. But again, I had to go back to the film and really just study that.

SPEAKER_5 (2:25)

Jerod, with the 2006 straight loss, are you worried that you're losing the players at all, that guys are getting really down?

Jerod Mayo (2:31)

No, I'm not worried about that. Look, the guys, they understand. Every week is its own week, and it's my job. When we get there on Wednesdays, it's to change the page.

SPEAKER_2 (2:39)

Jerod, you used that word the other day, rebuild, which was great. He started rebuilding. Does it feel farther away than maybe even you thought when you took this job?

Jerod Mayo (2:48)

No, not at all. You know, I don't want to go back and say we should have won this, because we could have lost all of the games. And saying that, we just got to keep working, going out there with the players that we have, and get better.

SPEAKER_4 (3:01)

Jerod, the run game offensively, what do you think that phase is not having the success for you through there?

Jerod Mayo (3:06)

I mean, that kind of goes back to what I said earlier. It's a mentality. It's a mentality, and it's about reestablishing the line of scrimmage.

SPEAKER_2 (3:13)

Level of concern with Jalen Polk, I mean, just hands on the wall and not finish.

Jerod Mayo (3:17)

Yeah, we need more from Polk. We need more concentration. He'll be a good player in this league. just got to continue to work at it.