Jerod Mayo Was Brutally Honest in Assessment of Patriots' Blowout Loss to Chargers

Talk about a tough watch.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo on Dec. 22, 2024.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo on Dec. 22, 2024. / Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers absolutely wrecked the New England Patriots on Saturday afternoon, a 40–7 rout that Pats fans were likely not shocked by at all. New England, now 3–13, has had an incredibly rough year, with the only silver lining being the promise of fledgling quarterback Drake Maye and the continuing possibility that the team earns the No. 1 draft pick next year. The loss is extra disappointing after New England played a surprisingly close game against Buffalo last week.

Speaking after the contest on Saturday, Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo gave a brutally honest assessment of the blowout. "Really nothing good to take out of that game today," Mayo told reporters. "We just didn't play well enough in any phase of the game. No complementary football, that's what you get."

As for the "fire Mayo" chants that filled Gillette Stadium afterward, the coach said the team just needs to "play better."

"If we play better, we don't have to hear that stuff," he said

Additionally, Mayo maintained his confidence in his coaching staff, and said the pressure of coaching for his job, if you will, is really nothing new to him. "Look, I’m always under pressure," he said. "It’s been that way for a long time, not just when I became head coach of the Patriots. I’m ok, and I always do what’s best for the team.”

The Pats' only touchdown was on a 36-yard pass to DeMario Douglas, which also cemented Maye as the only rookie quarterback in franchise history with a TD pass in eight consecutive games. Still, the 22-year-old was sacked four times and briefly left the field due to a head injury.

New England will get another chance against Buffalo on Jan. 5.


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Brigid Kennedy
BRIGID KENNEDY

Brigid Kennedy is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, she covered political news, sporting news and culture at TheWeek.com before moving to Livingetc, an interior design magazine. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, dual majoring in television, radio and film (from the Newhouse School of Public Communications) and marketing managment (from the Whitman School of Management). Offline, she enjoys going to the movies, reading and watching the Steelers.