Jerod Mayo: Patriots have ‘renewed sense of energy’ after naming Drake Maye as starting QB

"I mean, you can feel it, first of all, before you even see anything," Mayo said.

Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has sensed a change in the vibes at Patriots practice this week, telling reporters that he’s like what he’s seen from rookie quarterback Drake Maye over the last few days.

“Good week of practice. I thought Drake went out there and performed well overall,” Mayo said. “Look, we’ve got to wait and see if it happens in the game, but he’s done a good job. I feel like there’s a renewed sense of energy throughout the team, and now it just comes down to Sunday, going out there and executing.”

Maye’s first start has been highly anticipated ever since the Patriots selected him with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The team made it clear since the draft that they had a development plan in place for him. Even though Maye got the opportunity to compete with Jacoby Brissett for the starting job in training camp and the preseason, Maye began the year on the bench.

As the Patriots’ offense ranks 31st in both yards and points per game, Mayo opted to pull the trigger, giving Maye his first start in Sunday’s game against the Texans. The Patriots’ anemic offensive play has been the main reason for their four-game losing streak. The team just 11.5 points per game in that stretch.

Brissett hasn’t been stellar, either. He’s 27th in passing yards (696) and has thrown for just two touchdowns in five games. But he’s far from the only issue with the team’s offense as they don’t have a receiver who has more than 200 receiving yards this season. The Pats’ offensive line also ranks toward the bottom in many metrics.

Regardless of how much Brissett is to blame for the team’s woes, the change has noticeably given the team a pep in their step, according to Mayo.

“You just see it through — I mean, you can feel it, first of all, before you even see anything,” Mayo said when asked how he’s sensed a renewed energy of the team. “You can just feel the guys are locked in and ready to go. Those guys are running back to the huddle and just ready for the next rep, so it’s encouraging.”

Mayo also made a point to credit Brissett during his press conference on Friday. When he was asked a question about senior offensive analyst Ben McAdoo’s influence on Maye, Mayo pivoted his response to how Brissett has helped the rookie.

“I don’t want to forget Jacoby as well, his mentorship, how he approaches the game, how he’s played the game, and his toughness and leadership,” Mayo said. “We had a captains’ meeting yesterday, and he’s in there, still has a lot of respect in that locker room. He’s rooting Drake on, which is special to see.”

Relegated to a backup role, Brissett will be on the sideline rooting Maye on in Sunday’s game, joining the dozens of thousands of fans at Gillette Stadium doing the game.

As Patriots fans are hoping to see their first home win in nearly a full calendar year, Mayo thinks that Maye’s first coming at home can be beneficial. But Mayo recognized that the team needs to give them something to cheer for as well.

“Look, we have to establish — as a team — home-field advantage,” Mayo said. “That has to be part of our identity, and hopefully the entire team goes out there and plays well on Sunday. “