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Unlike in Week 3, Jerod Mayo made it clear there won't be any questions on who the New England Patriots will start at quarterback between Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye. The Patriots' head coach said the team will stick with Brissett as their starter following their loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
“As this point, Jacoby is our starting quarterback,” Mayo told reporters. “I haven’t watched any film or anything like that. He’s been a great leader. He just broke the huddle down after I talked to the guys and we’ve gotta watch the film. We’ve got a long flight to go back to watch the film and we’re always evaluating every single position.”
Even though Brissett struggled again in the 30-13 loss, Mayo's declaration isn't much of a surprise. Maye is still considered to be a “ways away” from starting, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported earlier Sunday.
Jerod Mayo addresses potential for quarterback change after loss to 49ers 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Q4zevPhJjc
— Patriots Coverage on NBCS Boston (@NBCSPatriots) September 29, 2024
Still, there is a reason why Mayo's had to answer the question of who the team's starting quarterback will be for a second straight week. Brissett completed 19 of 32 passes for 168 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. While the 168 yards were the most Brissett's thrown in a game this season, his 5.3 yards per attempt were his second-fewest in a game this year. His interception, which was his first of the year, was also a pick-six, with Fred Warner scoring a touchdown off his mistake in the second quarter.
What Jerod Mayo said of Jacoby Brissett's performance in Patriots' loss to 49ers
Of course, the situation around Brissett hasn't been great all season long. That story continued in Sunday's loss to the 49ers. Brissett was sacked six times and the 49ers recorded 10 quarterback hits, further showcasing the issues New England has along the offensive line.
There were certainly plays where Brissett didn't play well under pressure on Sunday. However, Mayo commended his starting quarterback's toughness after the game.
“What I will say about Jacoby is that he’s tough, both mentally and physically,” Mayo said. “I mean this guy’s going out there, he’s taking some huge shots and continues to get back up. Sometimes you’re like, ‘Man, is he OK?’ watching him for a while. But he is a tough guy. I would never use the word ‘skittish’ with a guy like that.”
Brissett has taken a beating over the last few weeks. After only getting sacked once in the team's season-opening win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he's been sacked 14 times over the last three games. There have been several moments in that stretch where Brissett has grimaced or moved gingerly after taking a hit.
As Brissett took several blows on Sunday, it's easy to wonder if Maye would play at some point just to give him a breather. That wasn't under consideration though in Sunday's game.
“No thoughts there,” Mayo said when asked if the team thought about playing Maye in the fourth quarter in Sunday's game like they did in their Week 3 loss to the New York Jets.
Mayo will hope to avoid being asked about the quarterback situation for a third straight week after the Patriots host the Miami Dolphins in Week 5.
