The New England Patriots have been the pleasant surprise of Week 1 in the NFL. Why? Because they are navigating a lengthy rebuilding process following the Brady-Belichick era and were up against none other than Joe Burrow and his powerful Bengals. In light of this, and after securing an outstanding victory, it was none other than HC Jerod Mayo who issued a warning to the rest of their rivals about what’s to come.

During his appearance on The Greg Hill Show, the former linebacker and ex-assistant to Bill Belichick was asked about the strategy used to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals. He acknowledged that he had literally executed the plan he had discussed with the media days before the game.

“I think sometimes it gets overblown,” Mayo said on WEEI. “‘Oh, they know the scheme.’ Look, we’re going to run the ball all year. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Listen so I never have to answer this again. We will always, always offensively be a run-first team, and you gotta stop it. And if you do, then we have other answers after that. It’s not a secret.”

Head coach of the Jerod Mayo walks onto the field before a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on August 08, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

It’s worth noting that despite being one of the teams with lower playoff projections, the Patriots secured a significant victory in their visit to Cincinnati and have no intention of lowering their standards for what’s ahead.

The Patriots and a long road ahead

Despite securing a notable victory in their debut, Jerod Mayo’s squad understands that the road is just beginning and the goal is to stay grounded throughout the entire journey.

On the horizon is a tough matchup against the Seattle Seahawks, but this time the Patriots will have the chance to delight their fans at Gillette Stadium, marking their first home game of the season.

With the debate over the starting role between Brissett and Maye fully settled, head coach Jerod Mayo has made it clear what his strategy will be moving forward, with no secrets left.

Marcus Jones #25 of the New England Patriots celebrates after recovering a fumble in the second quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on September 08, 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Brissett’s support from his teammates

After an extensive debate over who would be the starting QB in Week 1, Coach Mayo chose Brissett for his experience, and his intuition proved to be spot on.

Not only did the coach trust in the abilities of the former Browns and Colts QB, but his teammates also sent a clear message regarding his performance last weekend in Cincinnati.

Center David Andrews, in statements to ‘The Quick Snap’, made positive remarks about Brissett: “It’s nice having a veteran presence at quarterback”.