‘It’s hard to really pull out positives out of this one’: What Jerod Mayo said after the Patriots’ seventh loss
“We never want to lose games. I feel like crap right now.”
Jerod Mayo hasn’t been one to mince words after losses this season, and he certainly didn’t after the Patriots’ 20-17 overtime loss to the Titans on Sunday.
“We never want to lose games. I feel like crap right now,” Mayo said. “So it’s hard to really pull out positives out of this one for me, at least.”
Even so, he praised the performance of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who went 29 for 41 for 206 yards and a touchdown, plus another 95 yards on the ground after spending the week progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol.
With four seconds on the clock and the Patriots trailing, 17-10, Maye kept the final play of regulation alive for nearly 12 seconds, scrambling around in the pocket and avoiding multiple sacks before finding Rhamondre Stevenson in the end zone to force overtime.
“Just mental toughness and the ability to make plays with his legs, which he has shown before,” Mayo said. “He gave us a chance to win the game. Obviously just didn’t pull it through.”
Maye threw two interceptions, including one that sealed the game for Tennessee in overtime, but Mayo was quick to his quarterback’s defense.
“Look, he’s a guy out there trying to make a play. He’s just trying to make a play,” Mayo said. “And I think sometimes, as well as he has played, sometimes we forget how young he is, and he’s going to continue to develop, and he’ll be a good quarterback in this league.”
Maye also lost a costly fumble in the fourth quarter, bringing the Patriots’ turnover total to three on the day. The Titans coughed up the ball just once, as Jahlani Tavai grabbed an interception in the end zone in the second quarter.
“We never want to go out there and and turn the ball over,” Mayo said. “We came into the game saying we need to get turnovers and not turn the ball over. That’s the recipe for us to win football games, and we just didn’t do that today. [Maye] will learn from his mistakes.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com