New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye (13) reacts with New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) within the third quarter of the NFL recreation at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. There isn’t any 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) surprised the Cincinnati Bengals final Sunday, holding them to 13 first downs and 224 yards of complete offense in a 16-10 win. Rhamondre Stevenson shined for New England, dashing for 120 yards and a landing on 25 carries.
Though the Patriots made few errors towards Cincinnati, Mayo believes there may be loads of room for enchancment.
“From a person perspective, the most important bounce you must see out of your gamers is from 12 months 1 to 12 months 2, or Week 1 to Week 2,” Mayo stated. “I might say this week, to not look again at Cincinnati, however there are loads of 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 bought 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 apply,” Macdonald stated. “You may’t have an incredible Thursday if you do not have a very good 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 dashing assault, getting 103 yards and a TD on 20 carries from Kenneth Walker III. Quarterback Geno Smith additionally ran for a rating.
Walker would possibly battle to get going towards the Patriots, although, as New England allowed the third-fewest dashing yards within the league final week (70). That’s after all if Walker performs, because the 23-year-old didn’t apply on Wednesday because of an indirect damage.
“Thoroughly-coached, clearly, however they play robust, they’ve good gamers, they play laborious,” Macdonald stated of the Patriots. “All the basics, simply go proper down the checklist — test, test, test. Play sq., get off blocks, what it takes to play actually good run protection. Numbers again it up, tape backs it up.
“So we bought an incredible problem forward of us.”
With Sunday marking the house opener for New England, the Seahawks may even need to take care of a Patriots fan base that’s beginning to really feel a renewed sense of optimism after sitting by way of a 4-13 season in 2023.
Nonetheless, Seattle enters the assembly with New England as the favourite.
“They do not actually speak about that,” Mayo stated 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 damage and was the one participant to overlook New England’s apply on Wednesday. Working again Antonio Gibson (hip), security Jabrill Peppers (hip), linebacker Joshua Uche (foot) and defensive finish Deatrich Smart (shoulder) have been amongst these restricted.
Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu has already been dominated out for Sunday’s recreation because of a knee damage. Offensive sort out George Fant (knee) and linebacker Tyrel Dodson (shoulder) did not apply for Seattle on Wednesday.
Seven Seahawks have been restricted in apply, together with receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh), tight finish Noah Fant (toe) and cornerbacks Tre Brown (quadricep) and Riq Woolen (hamstring).
–Area Stage Media