Patriots in London: Jerod Mayo makes pitch for optimism during rebuild

HARROW ON THE HILL, England — An early-setting sun cast a shadow on Robert Kraft as he strolled the practice field at the Harrow School here in Northwest London, this posh boarding school in a picturesque English town serving as the backdrop for the New England Patriots’ final session of the week.

It was here that Winston Churchill once studied, a place deemed so striking they shot scenes for “Harry Potter” at the school. This is where the Patriots set up shop Friday, finalizing preparations for a second international game in as many years. They had Rhamondre Stevenson back at practice, Drake Maye throwing passes despite a recent knee injury, and made their pitch to undecided fans here why they should embrace the Pats during this rebuild.

“I would say that we’re hitting the reset button and looking forward to building something special — building the next dynasty,” Jerod Mayo said when asked for his message to fans across Europe. “It starts with, obviously, through the draft and developing, but also through free agency. We look to get back on top here pretty soon.”

It was a message for the European fans, but it might as well have been one for the diehards back in New England yearning for this team to turn things around.

Still, it’s a reminder, as if there needed to be one, of how things have changed since the Patriots were last here in 2012. And surely, a matchup on Sundays between 1-5 teams isn’t too enticing since the Jacksonville Jaguars have their own issues.

But Kraft’s spot at practice offers another reminder of how important these international games are to owners.

Two weeks ago, the New York Jets fired Robert Saleh after his team lost in London. A year ago, Kraft joined his team in Frankfurt, Germany, and made the importance of that game against the Indianapolis Colts clear.

Now , the Patriots are back overseas hoping this trip jumpstarts a dull season.

“I think we’re on the come up, and we’ve got a lot of things to look forward to, a lot of bright futures ahead,” Maye said.

Of course, much of the hope this dismal Patriots season turns around is on Maye’s shoulders. He replaced Jacoby Brissett as starter last week and proceeded to move the ball against a reputable Texans defense unlike any other quarterback had, notching a debut arguably better than any other rookie drafted in April.

Still, the usual concerns remain both for him and the offense. The offensive line can’t block anyone. The wide receivers don’t get open. The same topics have been discussed since July.

But now there’s a new one. Maye first popped up on the injury report on Wednesday due to a knee issue and has remained on the injury report this week. He dodged questions Friday about how he suffered the injury and how significant it is.

“I’m feeling good now and ready to go for Sunday,” Maye said.

Some reps at the Harrow School 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/AbvVoy7sIm

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 18, 2024

In Maye’s debut, the Pats easily notched their most passing yards (243) and passing touchdowns (3) this season while scoring their most points of the year (21).

This struggling Jaguars team that the Patriots will meet Sunday at Wembley Stadium was here last week, too. That defense allowed rookie quarterback Caleb Williams to throw for 226 yards and four touchdowns.

Their advantage this week, though, might be in rest and an absence of jet lag. After losing to the Chicago Bears, the Jags remained in England all week, whereas the Patriots just landed Friday morning before practice.

“When it’s all said and done, it’s about who has the most energy and who goes out there and executes their game plan,” Mayo said. “So, I don’t see it as an advantage or a disadvantage. I think whoever executes the best will win.”

The offensive line isn’t likely to do Maye any favors. They are poised to have their seventh different starting five in their seventh game Sunday, this time likely with Mike Onwenu kicking back to right tackle, Demontrey Jacobs at left tackle, and Michael Jordan and Layden Robinson as the team’s guards.

Earlier this week, Mayo signaled that other lineup changes could come after the Patriots lost by 20 points to the Texans, their fifth straight defeat.

“The mood is good,” Mayo said. “We changed the page from the last game. We took out some of the positives and corrected the bad plays. We’re looking for progress. We talk about it all the time, and it starts Sunday.”

It was noteworthy Mayo mentioned that the team is hitting the reset button. He doesn’t too often talk about the reality of this rebuild or how long it might take, instead trying to get his team to focus on the next game and not the big picture of the Patriots’ situation.

But here in London, he was candid about where the Pats are. And he and everyone else know so much of it comes down to how Maye plays as a rookie.

That campaign continues Sunday with Maye’s first nationally-televised game, a chance to showcase why the Patriots are optimistic about the future despite the 1-5 record they brought with them here.

“He’s definitely confident,” Maye said of Mayo. “He’s confident in the way he’s running the huddle, confident going out there, making plays and still continuing to build that chemistry with the receivers, the tight ends and the backs. So he’s been good, and he understands that every week, he has to do better.”