First year Patriots Jerod Mayo is learning on the job. And, at times, it’s trial and error.
At times, it’s more error than trial.
Beyond the failure to go for two after scoring a touchdown that made the score 17-16 with no time on the clock — and refusing to talk about it — Mayo made a mistake on the kickoff to start overtime.
“The wind at the time, I would say the wind had changed,” Mayo told reporters on Monday. “The wind had changed from the beginning of the game to the end of the game. So that’s what happened.”
Which points to an obvious solution. Check the wind before overtime.
And it’s not some minor point. After the Titans kicked a go-ahead field goal in the extra session, the New England drive ended with an interception. Quarterback Drake Maye said he was “throwing into the wind.”
Which is enough to make Patriots fans throw up into their mouths.