FOXBORO - Jerod Mayo’s been pretty scarce lately. Having been the tip of the sword for the Patriots defense from the moment he came into the league, injuries in 2013 and 2014 took Mayo out of the mix for all but 12 of the 37 games the Patriots played.
This season, as he comes back from the patella tendon injury he sustained in Week 6 last season, Mayo’s playing time is way down. He’s played just 26.6 percent of the Patriots defensive snaps in 2015. With the team transitioning to a base 4-2-5 in 2014, Jamie Collins and Donta Hightower are the guys the team goes with most of the time. Mayo, 29, is on the field situationally.
The team’s also added two younger, lower-priced linebackers this season, Jonathan Freeny and Jon Bostic. It’s impossible not to acknowledge the elephant in the room – the team is gradually moving on from Mayo.
The reason it’s a touchy topic is because the role Mayo has on the team. He is one of the smartest, hardest-working, most-prepared players the team’s had over the past decade. Bill Belichick canonized Mayo long ago as a team leader and there is a pull that Mayo’s personality has on both teammates and coaches. He doesn’t take anything too seriously, but he treats the game with real respect.
I asked Mayo on Wednesday how the reduced time is impacting him.
“I've been cool,” he laughed. “I been through a whole lot worse than something that can happen on the football field. I feel good. I’m taking it one day at a time.”
Hightower hurt his ribs Sunday in Dallas, so, the chance exists Mayo will see his playing time spike to pre-injury levels. Asked if he expected that to happen, Mayo said, “I don’t know so I just approach this day like every other day.”
New England Patriots
One thing that’s been pretty clear when Mayo has been out there is that he can still play. His speed, tackling ability and understanding of the defense have always been his strong suits. None of that appears to have slipped. The change isn’t in Mayo, it seems to be in the scheme. Hightower is bigger than Mayo and is versatile enough to play on the end of the line and be a force in the running game. Collins is longer, faster and more explosive and can play better in coverage. If the Pats were using three linebackers, Mayo would be out there a lot more. But the Patriots are usually playing five defensive backs so Mayo’s time is actually being taken by whichever corner or safety is the fifth guy in coverage.
This week, the Patriots have Indy. The Colts would be wise to try a different approach against the Patriots, taking the ball out of Andrew Luck’s hands a little bit and trying to lean on running back Frank Gore. If that’s what Indy shows, Mayo won’t be surprised.
“They’re running the ball a little more,” he agreed. “They have a great running back, great offensive lineman, tight end who can do some different things both catching and blocking. We go in every week talking about stopping the run first and foremost and trying to make a team one-dimensional. They’ve acquired some pieces this year and it’s gonna be a challenge. We need to get 11 guys to the football.”
We’ll see if Mayo is one of those 11 as he’d been for so long.