New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye (13) reacts with New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) within the third quarter of the NFL sport at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. There is no extra time for celebration for New England Patriots first-year coach Jerod Mayo.
Mayo got here away with a victory in his debut, however he’s removed from content material as New England prepares to face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon in Foxborough, Mass.
The Patriots (1-0) shocked the Cincinnati Bengals final Sunday, holding them to 13 first downs and 224 yards of whole offense in a 16-10 win. Rhamondre Stevenson shined for New England, speeding for 120 yards and a landing on 25 carries.
Though the Patriots made few errors in opposition to Cincinnati, Mayo believes there may be loads of room for enchancment.
“From a person perspective, the most important bounce it’s best to see out of your gamers is from 12 months 1 to 12 months 2, or Week 1 to Week 2,” Mayo mentioned. “I might say this week, to not look again at Cincinnati, however there are numerous performs that we left on the market. I feel the gamers acknowledge that.
“When you go to Week 2, we anticipate everybody to be higher. … And I did allow them to know, ‘What received us the win in Week 1 will not get us the win in Week 2 if we do not proceed to enhance.'”
Taking issues one step at a time is one thing that Seattle coach Mike Macdonald has additionally been emphasizing.
“It is about every follow,” Macdonald mentioned. “You may’t have an important Thursday if you do not have an excellent Wednesday.”
Macdonald, additionally in his first season on the helm, coached the Seahawks (1-0) to a 26-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 1. Like New England, Seattle leaned on its speeding assault, getting 103 yards and a TD on 20 carries from Kenneth Walker III. Quarterback Geno Smith additionally ran for a rating.
Walker may battle to get going in opposition to the Patriots, although, as New England allowed the third-fewest speeding yards within the league final week (70). That’s after all if Walker performs, because the 23-year-old didn’t follow on Wednesday as a result of an indirect harm.
“Thoroughly-coached, clearly, however they play robust, they’ve good gamers, they play laborious,” Macdonald mentioned of the Patriots. “All the basics, simply go proper down the checklist — examine, examine, examine. Play sq., get off blocks, what it takes to play actually good run protection. Numbers again it up, tape backs it up.
“So we received an important problem forward of us.”
With Sunday marking the house opener for New England, the Seahawks may also need to cope with a Patriots fan base that’s beginning to really feel a renewed sense of optimism after sitting by means of a 4-13 season in 2023.
Nonetheless, Seattle enters the assembly with New England as the favourite.
“They do not actually discuss that,” Mayo mentioned of his gamers discussing the Patriots’ underdog standing. “This goes again to the entire motivation dialog. It is about self-discipline.”
Guard Sidy Sow is coping with an ankle harm and was the one participant to overlook New England’s follow on Wednesday. Working again Antonio Gibson (hip), security Jabrill Peppers (hip), linebacker Joshua Uche (foot) and defensive finish Deatrich Clever (shoulder) have been amongst these restricted.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu has already been dominated out for Sunday’s sport as a result of a knee harm. Offensive sort out George Fant (knee) and linebacker Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) did not follow for Seattle on Wednesday.
Seven Seahawks have been restricted in follow, together with receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh), tight finish Noah Fant (toe) and cornerbacks Tre Brown (quadricep) and Riq Woolen (hamstring).
–Discipline Stage Media
