Head Coach Jerod Mayo Discusses Week 11 Loss to Rams on WEEI 11/18

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SPEAKER_4 (0:30)

Good morning, Coach.

Jerod Mayo (0:30)

Morning. How are you?

SPEAKER_4 (0:31)

Good. Hung in there yesterday, chance to win that game at the end.

Jerod Mayo (0:35)

Yeah. I would say overall thought the guys went out there and played the way that we wanted to play. The execution started to waver a little bit in critical situations. But when you look at the stat sheet and to really be two to one as far as time of possession, they went out there and try to do the right thing. And unfortunately, we didn't walk away with the win.

SPEAKER_6 (0:57)

Jerod, I would imagine the one thing that has to be very difficult as a head coach is always the second question. And maybe the next day you're able to look and say, all right, would have did things differently. My question is not about the field goal. The penalty at the end on the punt, when you guys elected to add the five yards on and got the ball at the 10-yard line, why wouldn't you decline and have them repunt? Maybe kicks in the end, don't you get better field position? Can you take me a little bit through your mindset?

Jerod Mayo (1:27)

No, it's a great question. I would say, just how you said, maybe it goes in the end zone. To me, to give a punter another opportunity to back you up to be inside of the 10 is a huge problem, and so decided to take the yards.

SPEAKER_4 (1:42)

Why not kick the field goal? Which one? Early in that game, the 55-yard or whatever it was.

Jerod Mayo (1:48)

Look, there are multiple reasons. As we go through the game, I'm sure we'll talk about some of the other decisions that I made during the game. It's easy to say, why didn't you do this? Why didn't you do that? But I would say ultimately, I have to make those decisions. When I was a player, there were oftentimes decisions made where I was disappointed. When I was a coach, a position coach, there were oftentimes that I wish the decision went the other way. As a head coach, you actually have to make those decisions and live with the repercussions, like sitting up here with you guys, asking me all these questions.

SPEAKER_7 (2:20)

Drake's decision-making was pretty good in this one, but that interception at the end, he said he and Pop Douglas were on different pages. Is that just Drake as a rookie learning from mistakes, or do you put that on Pop as well?

Jerod Mayo (2:33)

No. Look, one thing about Drake, he always takes responsibility and I appreciate that about him. The same thing, we're both going through this together. When I say we, I'm talking about Drake and myself. I'm a rookie head coach, he's a rookie player, and we're going to learn through these experiences, and they definitely run on the same page.

SPEAKER_8 (2:50)

Jerod, I would just ask about not the field goal specifically, but with this team, where you were, you're three and seven entering that game. What's there to lose from being a little bit more aggressive?

Jerod Mayo (3:00)

We're always trying to win the football game, and I'm always going to make decisions that I believe will help us win those games.

SPEAKER_8 (3:05)

But doesn't it show more of a belief either in the kicker or the fourth, and what was it, the two-yard line, you got the field goal at the fourth quarter. Is that a situation, maybe you get to see what Maye does with this offense, show confidence in him to get a touchdown.

Jerod Mayo (3:17)

I have nothing but confidence in our coaches. I have nothing but confidence in the players that are out there on the field. And again, tactically, it goes back to like I'm doing what I believe is best for the football team.

SPEAKER_4 (3:28)

Speaking of confidence, Kendrick Bourne sat last week, looked like he was very motivated out there yesterday. Is that kind of what you wanted to try to accomplish there?