Mayo's Patriots in 2024: 3 Reasonable Expectations
For all Bill Belichick accomplished in New England, he couldn't warm up the crowd for his successor Jerod Mayo.
Belichick's final four-win slog officially gave way to Mayo, who made his first public appearance as the New England Patriots' head coach upon being formally introduced by the team on Wednesday.
Succeeding Belichick carries an unprecedented amount of pressure after his historic run but the extreme fixer-upper nature of the modern Patriots made their vacancy one of the league's least attractive. Barring an undisputedly perfect offseason (and/or a reincarnated Tom Brady rising up the quarterback depth chart), Mayo likely isn't destined for the unprecedented heights Belichick reached in the early stages of his tenure (i.e. winning a Super Bowl in only his second season at the helm).
There are, however, sturdy stepping stones for May to walk upon in his maiden Foxborough voyage ...
USA TODAY SPORTS
Win With Defense
Few, if any, were willing to pluck silver linings from the Patriots' brutal season after so many years of embracing an all-or-nothing approach under Belichick. But Foxborough's desperately optimistic could at least take solace in the fact that the Patriots' defense at least helped them both linger in certain contests and set up a blueprint for the future thanks to select breakouts.
Making a name for himself on the coaching front as the linebackers' overseer, Mayo made the best of a situation where Matthew Judon was lost for the year by cultivating the talents of young veterans like Ja'Whaun Bentley, Anfernee Jennings, and Jahlani Tavai. New England also did a solid job covering the middle of the field, allowing only 5.9 net yards per pass attempt, which ranked ninth in the league last season. The front seven also allowed only 3.3 yards a carry, which surprisingly topped the 32 last year.
While there may be some uncomfortable decisions to make (i.e. Jennings and Kyle Dugger hitting free agency) the Patriots have stockpiled young defensive assets to surround Judon, who has developed into the closest thing the team has to a franchise face under Mayo's watch. Premier rookie Christian Gonzalez had flashes of brilliance before a season-ending injury while second-round successor Keion White got involved in the pass rush during the final hours.
That's all to say that May has the tools and assets to win with his defense in the offseason-happy AFC East, one dominated by young franchise quarterbacks and intriguing cases of what might've been. If the continued fostering of the defense adds at least two wins to the Patriots' otherwise cursed ledger, the Patriots can at least inch their way into the "watch out for this team next season!!" category Detroit found itself in after the 2022 campaign.
Get Out of the Basement
The Patriots are picking third in the upcoming draft and it gives them a prime opportunity to immediately define their future: will they become a staple among the top 10 like fellow early choosers Washington and both New York teams? Or was this past season just an aberration, a necessary dive to rock bottom to officially begin that transformation process with a new boss in tow?
It shouldn't be too much to ask Mayo to drag the Patriots out of the depths of the football underworld, or at least get them on the staircase that leads to the exit. The common refrain among New England observers this time around was that no one was expecting playoffs but what transpired remained unfathomable.
With the outliers of their 2024 opponents list featuring fellow bottom-feeders (i.e. Chicago, LA Chargers), there's a chance to pick up some extra wins and probably pull themselves away from the top 10 choices in 2025, ensuring that it doesn't become a tradition like had or did in other cursed locales.
A good amount of attention will focus on who is delegated a glut of the offensive responsibilities come the 2024 season, but Mayo's oversight carries an attainable achievement: he should be able to help get the Patriots' offensive categories back into at least the top 20.
The franchise quarterback discussion will obviously be a project and practice of patience, but there is budding weaponry (i.e. Demario Douglas, Rhamondre Stevenson) that can help get the team back on track. If Mayo and his staff can help develop one consistent fantasy football star, they'll have done something right in year one of the new regime.
Split the Six
Meaningless as the game was, there was perhaps no appropriately macabre way to end the Belichick era than with a loss to the New York Jets, killing off any remaining victorious tradition left over from Brady's lengthy tenure.
Even with its definition of mutual futility, the Week 18 loss to the Jets did mark the latest turning of the New England tide: divisional foes often forced to play cannon fodder for the past two decades are finally able to take revenge. New England did manage to score an inexplicable upset win over the Buffalo Bills, but the Miami Dolphins roundly handled business before the Jets scored a long-sought win that will no doubt be sold as some semblance of momentum as the team counts down the days until Aaron Rodgers' on-field return.
Losing, of course, is quite contagious and could lead to lengthier problems. The Patriots can't allow the biggest crapshoot in professional sports, NFL divisional games, to become a problem that gets out of hand, and there's a golden opportunity for Mayo and Co. to straighten the ship in those waters.
While Buffalo still isn't going anywhere despite some early stumbles this year, the Dolphins are at an intriguing crossroads where it's hinted they've grown weary to both Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa. As for the Jets, Rodgers is wedging open a contention window that hits fast forward on the development of young offensive stars like Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson. Taking the college approach of enduring a losing season while reveling in a rivalry's riches might be the perfect way for Mayo to endear himself to the Foxborough fateful while he takes his early lumps at the helm.
