Jerod Mayo

DT Vince Wilfork recovered a fumble for a second week in a row. LB Jerod Mayo picked up his first two sacks of the season. And Brady rushed for two touchdowns after a one-yard plunge last week.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 16"

LB Jerod Mayo, after snatching his first career interception with a diving snag, he doubled his career total with another diving pick to secure the win. Don’t look over your shoulder, Rob Ninkovich. Your role on goal line offense might be in jeopardy.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 14"

And LB Jerod Mayo had his first career interception on an athletic diving play over the middle in the fourth quarter.

5. WR Chad Ochocinco had his first reception since week 10 against the New York Jets. Ochocinco making a miniscule contribution is nothing new. How he was used was. Ochocinco’s reception came when the offense was running a no-huddle attack. This might be a sign of Ochocinco’s understanding of the offense. He wasn’t on the field during no-huddle or two-minute offense situations before. Ochocinco doesn’t play much, but if he fully grasps the offense, his role could expand. It would add a new wrinkle to the offense late in the season. Defenses don’t want to deal with another Patriot weapon.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 13"

1. It was great to see some familiar faces. RB Kevin Faulk, DT Brandon Deaderick, LB Jerod Mayo, and OT Sebastian Vollmer all returned to action. Faulk, in his first game since being activated off of the physically unable to perform list, started the game in place of BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 8"

A leader. 

Upon arrival in Foxborough, with 51 already worn by LB Jerod Mayo, Spikes asked for and received 55. He remembers what Willie McGinest and Junior Seau did for the Patriots and Spikes wants to be a playmaker like they were. 

Continue reading "Spikes Becoming the Next "55""

Let me make this clear: The ILBs have been great. Jerod Mayo leads the league in tackles and is an every down player. Brandon Spikes hasn’t played like a rookie all year long. Gary Guyton is very good in coverage and is still improving. And Dane Fletcher, a rookie free agent that rose from a long shot to playing defensive snaps deserves a lot of credit. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 13"

Will ILB Gary Guyton play alongside Jerod Mayo or has Brandon Spikes already nudged the Georgia Tech product aside? We’ll see if S Pat Chung can take the first step toward warding off challengers James Sanders and Brandon McGowan. And if WR Wes Welker sits this one out, who is the back-up plan? 

Continue reading "First Look"

tion will be rated for the Patriots’ need, with 1 not a need and 5 being ugent:Linebackers

Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Tully Banta-Cain, Adalius Thomas, Rob Ninkovich, Tyrone McKenzie, Eric Alexander, Bruce Davis, Shawn Crable, Bo Ruud, Thomas Williams, Marques Murrell

Continue reading "Draft Evaluation: Linebackers"

He can still play when healthy, of course. But I want him around Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton, and Tyrone McKenzie to teach them how to be professionals and leaders. 

Pierce would play in a reserve role, maybe even be a consistent part of the rotation, spelling either Mayo or Guyton or being part of certain defensive packages. But his locker room presence and approach to the game would be invaluable to the young inside trio as they learn how to become better pros. There are a lot of tips Pierce can teach them through film study, he would set an example for the work ethic needed to improve year after year, help them fine tune their technique, and so on. 

Continue reading "Window Shopping"

o polo shirt. 

It’s very possible the linebacking corps will be very young next year. Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton will be third year players in 2010. If blessed with good health, Shawn Crable and Tyrone McKenzie will contribute after a season on injured reserve. If more youngsters are added through free agency and the draft, it will be a very impressionable unit. 

Continue reading "A New Coach"

As we sit here on January 21st it seems like the 2010 NFL season is a lifetime away. There will be many moves made between now and the start of training camp, and probably even more made between training camp and the opener in September, so while it is both foolish and presumptuous to predict what will happen over the next seven months it will make me feel somewhat better seeing what needs to be addressed.

Continue reading "2010 New England Patriots Defensive ..."

oss under wraps. 

A few things I’m looking for: 

Gunther Gebel-Williams: ILBs Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton need to take a page from the late Ringling Brothers lion tamer and cage Miami’s Wildcat. 

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 9"

Beyond them…good luck. 

As much as we like ILB Jerod Mayo, his injury set him back. He’s eighth on the team in tackles. No one from the front seven has a chance of getting voted in. 

Continue reading "Pro Bowl Ben?"

The injury to LB Jerod Mayo briefly affected Thomas’ role on the team as New England flip-flopped between 3-4 to 4-3 and back. But to have just one sack after six games when he was the star of training camp is very disappointing. Thomas will be back in the lineup maybe as soon as Sunday. Will we see a different Thomas for the rest of the year? The proof will be in his play.  

Continue reading "Changing Whether"

where needed to keep the rotation fresh? Does Junior immediately get plugged in to start next to LB Jerod Mayo, moving Gary Guyton to the outside? Or is Seau in for Pierre Woods on the outside? That decision is up to the coaches. 

Continue reading "Seau Back In the House"

n the Patriots, but the Broncos made the plays and earned the overtime win. 

I want to meet Jerod Mayo’s doctor. The second year linebacker returned from a knee injury in just three weeks. He quickly made an impact, forcing a fumble that was converted into three points. 

Continue reading "Pick Six: Week 5"

eady pegged as a starter in his second year, now he’s the focal point of the defense with MLB Jerod Mayo out for six to eight weeks with a sprained MCL. Guyton slides over from outside linebacker to Mayo’s spot. Guyton must also shoulder the extra responsibility of delivering the defensive play calls in the huddle and making sure his teammates are in the right places before the snap. 

Continue reading "Guyton in the Middle"

Because Vince can play in either defensive front, he has added value. 

ILB Jerod Mayo – The reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year has added responsibility as he will call the defense and has to make sure everyone is in the right place. With the exception of OLB Adalius Thomas, there isn’t a lot of game experience around Mayo at the linebacker position. He has to become a genuine leader. 

Continue reading "The Core"

When the team played a 3-4, Guyton was in there with Jerod Mayo, Adalius Thomas, and Pierre Woods. 

But if called upon, Guyton can switch to OLB. As the season winded down last year, Guyton shifted out when injuries added up and Junior Seau was brought back. The versatility to stay on the field gives Guyton plenty of chances to make plays. 

Continue reading "Breakout Player"

quits after the third preseason game left the Pats short-handed, they can count on second year LBs Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton stepping up. Besides, with the players on defense, the Pats had the flexibility to play either a 3-4 or a 4-3 alignment. 

Continue reading "Out of Reach"

ds to New England playing predominantly a 4-3 alignment. 

Currently on the roster there are Jerod Mayo, Gary Guyton and Eric Alexander as known inside linebackers. In years past, a rotation of three ILBs was good enough to get through the season. If this is the rotation for the Patriots, they are in trouble. Based on preseason play, Alexander has shown he can’t get the job done. 

Continue reading "Linebacker Fall-back Plan"

a-Cain. 

The names mentioned above are more accomplished than the list of true linebackers: Jerod Mayo, Tedy Bruschi, Gary Guyton, Shawn Crable, Pierre Woods, Erick Alexander, Vinny Ciurciu, Paris Lenon, and sometimes Tank Williams. 

Continue reading "4-3, or Not 4-3? That Is the Question"

tle” aggressiveness. 

Who can be the tone-setters for this year’s Patriots? ILB Jerod Mayo comes to mind. Only in his second season, he’s shown to be a sure tackler and occasional “Ooooo” generator. But I’d feel more encouraged by Mayo when he’s better in pass coverage. 

Continue reading "Establishing the Defense"

at leaves Eric Alexander, Tedy Bruschi, Tully Banta-Cain, Vinny Ciurciu, Shawn Crable, Gary Guyton, Jerod Mayo, Pierre Woods, Vince Redd, Paris Lenon, and Adalius Thomas as the roster LBs (rookie Tyrone McKenzie is on injured reserve for the year). 

Continue reading "Deep Thoughts"

Unfortunately, Jerod Mayo, who had his "coming out party" this game with a game high 20 tackles, dropped to the wrong zone leaving Jet TE Dustin Keller with a seam down the middle. Favre saw the mistake and exploited it. Keller made the catch and busted through Brandon Meriweather to pick up the first down. You can see this play here at the 5:10 mark.

Continue reading "The Play that Cost the 2008 Patriots the Playoffs"

Those will be big shoes to fill for the rookie. But he has a better chance of sharing time with Jerod Mayo and Gary Guyton after Tedy Bruschi retires than Izzo ever would. 

91: Myron Pryor – Before Pryor, every player wore the number in the form of a sticker on the back of their helmet in honor of Marquis Hill. The former LSU Tiger drowned in 2007 while rescuing his girlfriend during a Jet Ski accident. The loss of Hill remains a sore spot for some players, especially DE Jarvis Green, but everyone must move on at some point. 

Continue reading "Numbers Game"

He would join Adalius Thomas, Jerod Mayo, and Tedy Bruschi in the starting lineup. 

Hmmm…Curry…Mayo…Bruschi… I’m getting hungry. Could Gary Guyton change his last name to Gumbo? 

Continue reading "Cooking up a Patriots Mock Draft"

Rey Maualuga – Linebacker (USC) : After the Patriots success with Jerod Mayo last season it’s doubtful that Maualuga will last past the top-15 picks. Players like him are always in demand, look for Denver or San Diego to pounce on him.

Continue reading "Combine Players to Watch for Patriots Fans"

By the start of next season, Bruschi will be 36, Mike Vrabel 34, and Adalius Thomas 32. Rookie Jerod Mayo is the only under-30 starter, and fortunately it will be a while before he crosses that threshold.

Continue reading "One More, Bruschi, Harrison?"

When I heard that LB Jerod Mayo received 49 of 50 votes for Defensive Player of the Year, I asked two questions: 1. Who got the one vote, then later, 2. Who the hell voted for Keith Rivers?

Continue reading "Stray Votes"

Changes need to be made as more youth infuses the D with speed and aggression. LB Jerod Mayo and S Brandon Merriweather are just the beginning. Finding a shut-down corner with a short memory would allow more creativity by the D coordinator to mix coverages. A rush linebacker or two to create consistent pressure, get sacks, and force turnovers would greatly aid a suspect secondary. And an emphasis on the fundamentals, particularly tackling, would keep running backs from breaking long runs.

Continue reading "Wanna Trade, Cleveland?"

(from New Orleans) LB Jerod Mayo - New England
11. CB Leodis McKelvin - Buffalo
12. OT Ryan Clady - Denver
13. RB Jonathan Stewart - Carolina
14. OT Chris Williams - Chicago

Continue reading "Playoffs or Draft?"

's mantra for individuals: Do your job.

Mayo and Friends -Since his 20-tackle performance, rookie Jerod Mayo averaged just six total tackles the last three weeks. Mayo and the returning LBs (Junior Seau and Rosevelt Colvin) must return to their standards quickly.

Continue reading "Hours Before Kickoff: Week 15"

ways.

They even drafted LBs in the past, but they never used a first day draft pick on one until Jerod Mayo. Only one day two LB, seventh-rounder Tully Banta-Cain, ever got beyond training camp. Banta-Cain later signed a free agent deal with San Francisco.

Continue reading "Younger Depth at Linebacker"

I was going to write about the atrocity that took place on the field of Gillette Stadium on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I couldn't write a sentence without vomiting in my own mouth. So instead I choose to sum up where the Pats are as they head into the final quarter of the 2008 season.

Continue reading "Patriots 2008 Three-Quarters Report"

game? You heard it from me first. 

RC: Also on the Patriots, they have a rookie linebacker, Jerod Mayo. Last Thursday (against the New York Jets) he had a 20-tackle performance. I don’t know how much you’ve seen of him, but I understand he was compared to a former teammate of yours, Al Wilson. 

Continue reading "Romanowski on the Patriots"

Some last things to pass along before the weekend hits and I disappear into a fog of naps, shopping, cooking and of course the highlight, football watching. There will probably be some diaper changing and bottle feeding in there as well, along with a dash of tummy time. Such is the life of a Patriots Fan/Dad.

Continue reading "Friday's Final Thoughts Before Patriots ..."

bsp;      Keith Rivers (CIN): 36 TCKLS 1 FF 1 INT 39 YDS

MLB = Jerod Mayo (NE): 48 TCKLS 1 FR
           Curtis Lofton (ATL): 41 TCKLS 1 SCK 1 FF

Continue reading "MID-SEASON NFL ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS"

But is inexperience bad? If a player is ready, regardless of age, play him. So far ILB Jerod Mayo has handled himself well this season. He's not the only one with four or less years in the league that is performing well for the Pats. Just look at what the greenhorns did against Denver:Mayo led the team in tackles with eight and he recovered a fumble two teammates failed to secure.S James Sanders has started every game this year so far and has been solid. He got his first interception of the year along with five tackles, good for second on the team for the night.LB Gary Guyton went undrafted in the 2008 Draft, but plays like a day one pick. He recovered a fumble in the game.Guyton's fumble was caused by DL Mike Wright, another rookie free agent who was playing in place of an injured DL Jarvis Green. Wright added a tackle for a loss, a quarterback hit, and a sack.The team leader in interceptions is second-year Merriweather. He added his third on Monday night. Merriweather also defended two passes.Signed from the practice squad to restore some depth lost at the running back position, BenJarvis Green-Ellis played the second half for Sammy Morris and averaged five yards a carry. Green-Ellis finished with 65 yards.K Stephen Gostkowski continues to have a breakout year as he added eleven points to the night, including two field goals and five extra points. He missed just one field goal this season, a 48-yarder.DL Le Kevin Smith made the most of his limited playing time by recovering a fumble.OLB Pierre Woods got a quarterback hit on a play that led to an interception.

Continue reading "Youth Serving"

taste of one, you want more.

Maybe I haven't been paying attention so far, but I finally saw ILB Jerod Mayo make a solo tackle for a minimal gain. It was a first half run to the defensive left and Mayo was one-on-one with the ball carrier. The play maybe netted one yard. Being second on the team in tackles is nice, but what kind of tackles are these? Are they assists? Is he making them downfield? Are these tackles from behind? Big numbers are nice, but I'm more interested in meaningful tackles. I want drive-ending tackles like the third down stop by LB Tedy Bruschi on RB Frank Gore. I expect Mayo to come up with more of these meaningful tackles.

Continue reading "Quick review"

Can We Play? - Rookies LB Jerod Mayo and CBs Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite I expect to play a lot. Mayo will start inside with LB Tedy Bruschi. Wheatley might start, but more likely he and Wilhite will play nickel and dime roles. But when the Patriots are up by 30 or more in the fourth, I want to see the other rookies. Keep your helmets close by Crable, O'Connell, Slater, and Guyton.

Continue reading "Hours Until Kickoff: Week 1"

elieved Lynch was.

Talking about keeping an eye on, all of Patriot Nation watched very closely LB Jerod Mayo in his first preseason game and came away impressed. Excuse me, blown away. The loved the big hit he gave Baltimore running back Ray Rice that knocked off Rice's helmet. Every tackle was explosive. Heck, even when he didn't make a play, it was a good thing. Based on reaction, just five days after LB Andre Tippett became a Hall of Famer, the next great Patriot linebacker to receive that honor will be Mayo.

Continue reading "Lynch in, Easy on the Mayo"

revious post:

Linebackers: I'm very encouraged by the performance by the youngsters on the whole. Jerod Mayo looked fast and exploded on Baltimore's Ray Rice, knocking off Rice's helmet during the tackle. I'm not jumping to conclusions after a three-tackle performance, but I think it's been a while since I've seen that kind of speed at the position. Shawn Crable came away with an interception and a half a sack. I always thought he was good in coverage but he surprised me with consistent pressure and did well shedding blockers. Pierre Woods was OK with pressure in the first half but was nearly unblockable in the fourth quarter when he got a sack and batted a pass.

Continue reading "Go to the tape"

The hoopla will be magnified with Jerod Mayo because he's a first round draft pick. But it comes down the plays made. The story will be the same for Shawn Crable and Bo Ruud. There's a purpose to their being on the field. I'll keep a close eye on the pass rush as well. Pierre Woods should create consistent pressure against first teamers, dominant if facing the second string.

Continue reading "Near and Favre"

They started with Jerod Mayo, drafted Shawn Crable in the third, and added Bo Ruud in the sixth round. All three were clocked between 4.5-4.6 in the 40-yard dash. Even the addition of Victor Hobson helps since he's seven years younger than Bruschi.

Continue reading "Room for improvement"

On the day where the big story was supposed to be the first practice of first round pick Jerod Mayo, what stole the show was the number of veterans not on the field. Eleven players were on the physically unable to perform list:DL Jarvis GreenCB Ellis HobbsOT Nick KaczurOG Stephen NealOT Oliver RossLB Mike VrabelLB Bo RuudWR Wes WelkerC Ryan WendelDL Mike WrightRB BenJarvis Green-Ellis

Continue reading "A dozen PUP-ies"

to keep his job.

In other news, second round pick CB Terrence Wheatley signed Tuesday, leaving LB Jerod Mayo the only draft pick without a contract. Based on Scot Pioli's track record, I expe

Continue reading ""

m $295,000 this year to $550,000 in 2011.

 Expect the contract for first round draft pick LB Jerod Mayo to dwarf those numbers.

In fact, don't be surprised if he's the highest paid LB on this team, ahead of veterans Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, and Adalius Thomas. That's probably what it will take to sign the 10th pick overall.

Continue reading "Drop and give me $20 million"

e than anything it's a great way to get the young guys more repetitions during all these minicamps. Jerod Mayo, Shawn Crable, and Bo Ruud could bury their nose into their playbooks, but it's not the same as putting what they are trying to learn into practice as they try to pick up adjustments on the fly.

Continue reading "Say When"

Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo is the newest New England Patriot. I said the pick would had been Keith Rivers if N.E. didn't trade out of the seventh pick.

Let me say that I'm a huge fan of this pick. The Patriots really needed a linebacker and got one. They also saved a little money in the process by dropping three slots and upgraded a fifth round pick, turning it into a third round pick, their third pick in that round. They can get a dramatically better player to start day two.

Continue reading "Patriots don't pass on Mayo"

Pittsburgh Steelers – LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
12-year veteran ILB James Farrior gets an understudy to mold into his replacement

24. Tennessee Titans – DE Lawrence Jackson, USC

Continue reading "Mock Draft 3.0"

be available at 31st overall? A short list off the top of my head would include LBs Quentin Groves, Jerod Mayo, and Curtis Lofton; WRs DeSean Jackson, Mario Manningham, Andre Caldwell, and Early Doucet; CBs Brandon Flowers, Reggie Smith and Antoine Cason; S DaJuan Morgan. Any of these players would become a starter for the Pats with just one year of situational play.

Continue reading "Got 'till it's gone"

New York Giants – LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
New York lost two ‘backers in free agency

Continue reading "Mock Draft v2.0"

e Patriots are adjusting to what's available.

That's why Oklahoma's Curtis Lofton and Tennessee's Jerod Mayo were brought to Gillette Stadium to be evaluated in person. Lofton is 238 pounds and stands six feet. Mayo stands taller at 6'1" but he carries about 242 pounds on his frame.

Continue reading "Size doesn't matter?"

s
He replaces the traded Corey Williams in the D-line rotation

31 New York Giants – LB Jerod Mayo
New York lost two ‘backers in free agency

Continue reading "Mock Draft v1.0"