CINCINNATI — Let the record show that Jerod Mayo’s first postgame press conference as an NFL head coach was also his first postgame press conference as a coach. victorious head coach in the NFL. But as he stood in the small interview room at Paycor Stadium on Sunday afternoon after the New England Patriots’ 16-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he convinced no one when he said, “I try not to go too high, I try not to go too low.”
For anyone in the room who struggled to find the words to explain how far along Mayo was with that comment, thank goodness the Patriots have quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Because when Brissett was called upon to analyze Mayo’s emotions after the game, he responded, “Excited, man. It’s tough to win in this league. He’s played in this league. He understands how tough it is, especially away, against good opponents. What’s the word? Ecstatic? Elated? Any word you can think of that means ‘overjoyed,’ he should be. It’s his first.”
Excited. Ecstatic. Delighted. Overjoyed. Who knew the Patriots would bring a playbook? And a copy of “Brissett’s Thesaurus” to Cincinnati?
To be fair, Mayo also had plenty of words to say that conveyed his understanding of the significance of what he and the Patriots accomplished on Sunday. He even went so far as to mention his family, his grandparents, “and my Pop Warner coaches and all the people who taught me not only the X’s and O’s of football but how to function in life.” It’s also worth noting that Mayo delivered his postgame remarks at about 106 mph, suggesting he was very much in the moment.
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Yes, it was a huge surprise for the Patriots to beat the Bengals on their home field, sending thousands of Cincy fans into the streets in orange shirts and red faces. Yes, it was amazing that New England’s defense did such a good job of containing Cincinnati’s passing game that quarterback Joe Burrow threw nothing but pass-the-gravy passes for most of the day. Yes, it was amazing that Christian Gonzalez was so good at shadowing Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase that it was hard to believe New England’s second-year cornerback was out for the 2023 season after just four games with a labral tear.
And yes, the Patriots are 1-0. That’s the most important aspect of New England’s win over the Bengals, except it isn’t. Mayo’s first win as head coach could pay dividends for the Patriots in the long run, because it’s taken the organization exactly 60 minutes of football to distance itself from the looming presence of Bill Belichick, who just so happens to be the best coach in NFL history. Oh, make no mistake: Belichick isn’t going anywhere. He’s a pretty much 24/7 TV personality now, and he’s hinting that he’s still interested in being a head coach again, should an NFL owner decide that their underachieving team is just one Hall of Fame coach away from getting over the hump. And for those keeping track at home, that’s Belichick 333 to Mayo 1 on the All-Time Victories Scoreboard.
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But know this: If the Patriots had lost this season opener, as the bookmakers told us, it would have been the 0-1 Pats who would face Seattle in Week 2 at Gillette Stadium. A loss there and the 0-2 Pats would head to the Meadowlands to play the Jets. The debate over when, or if, Drake Maye will replace Brissett as the starting quarterback will continue all season. New England’s offensive line will continue to be a topic of conversation, although it wasn’t an issue against the Bengals. But not only is Mayo in the win column in the season opener, but his players have praised him so much after the game that it’s clear they’re buying what he’s selling. And it wasn’t just the game Mayo’s players talked about the weeks, even months, leading up to that match.
“Guys are excited, guys are happy,” center David Andrews said. “(They) put in a lot of work, from guys from the offseason on their own time to practices to OTAs to training camps. And obviously a lot of work this week.”
Everyone contributes, everyone wins. photo.twitter.com/acOqLjmDv5
—New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 8, 2024
Brissett, the veteran quarterback who completed 15 of 24 passes for 121 yards in an offense highlighted by 120 rushing yards from running back Rhamondre Stevenson, said he cried three times before the game and that Mayo had something to do with it.
“I cried when I got to the stadium,” Brissett said. “I cried when Mayo came up to me before the game and started laughing and said something like, ‘Man, you’re going to win us a game, you’re going to be out.’ I’d never heard that from a coach before and it meant a lot to me. And then I cried when I got on the field and we went on offense.”
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Mayo contributed to a conversation he said he had with Stevenson earlier this year.
“I challenged Rhamondre in the spring,” Mayo said. “I said, ‘You don’t get a lot of love, a lot of hype.’ But I’ve always believed he’s one of the best running backs in the league, and when we gave him a contract extension, there was nobody happier than me because I know what he’s capable of and he showed it today.”
.@dreeday32 IS MOVING ➡️
📺: CBS photo.twitter.com/8om9AMZcXI
—New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 8, 2024
If you’re the type who believes Sunday’s result was as much a product of Cincinnati’s failures as it was of New England’s goodness, go for it. And either way, it’s just one game, one win.
But Mayo has his first Gatorade shower and a match ball to put on his shelf. It’s his team now, just without the giant shadow.
(Photo: Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
