Jerod Mayo Addresses Jacoby Brissett's Status as Patriots Starter After Loss to Jets

The quarterback threw for just 98 yards and was sacked five times in New England's 24–3 loss.

New England Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett is sacked during his team's 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday night. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Jacoby Brissett will remain the New England Patriots' starting quarterback after the club's 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday Night Football, coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Friday morning.

Immediately after the loss, Mayo, when pressed to say if Brissett—who threw for just 98 yards and was sacked five times—would remain the team's starter, said "I don't know."

The Patriots coach added that he would consult with the coaching staff and "see how it goes."

So, after consulting with the coaching staff, what was the verdict on Friday morning?

"Jacoby is our quarterback until I say he's not the quarterback," Mayo said. "I thought last night he showed a lot of toughness, a lot of grit. Protection breakdowns, he tried to do what we asked him to do.

"But I would say, just as a team, as a coaching staff, we just gotta be better."

Brissett, who seldom looked downfield Thursday, was ineffective, but he certainly wasn't helped by a running game that generated just 78 yards and a porous offensive line.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Mayo had seen enough, inserting No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye at quarterback for the team's final drive of the game. Maye, who had been competing with Brissett for the starting job during training camp, completed four of eight passes for 22 yards and scrambled for another 12 yards on the ground. He was sacked twice.

Mayo chalked up the drive as a "good opportunity" for the rookie.

"I just thought it was an opportunity, a good opportunity for him to go out there with the ones and put a few drives together," Mayo said. "He moved the ball, we'll watch the film and evaluate."

No matter who starts at quarterback, the Patriots offensive line—which has yielded a league-high 11 sacks through three games played—will have to be better.

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