Could Jerod Mayo, Patriots opt for change at offensive play-caller?

Jerod Mayo seemed to signal Monday that the Patriots are willing to entertain a change at quarterback ahead of Week 6 against the Texans. 

But as New England weighs the scenario of handing the ball to Drake Maye moving forward, Mayo doesn’t seem as ready to take the keys to the offense away from current play-caller Alex Van Pelt. 

During his media availability Monday morning, Mayo was asked if the team was mulling a potential change as far as who conducts New England’s offense. 

“That’s not under consideration,” Mayo declared. 

Little has gone right for the Patriots this season, especially on the offensive side of the football. 

But even though putrid offensive-line play, back-breaking turnovers, and a grounded passing game have all loomed large over New England’s current offensive woes, Van Pelt’s play-calling has also raised eyebrows. 

Brought in as a seasoned offensive coach with experience in developing quarterbacks, Van Pelt’s familiarity with Jacoby Brissett in Cleveland offered hope at a successful partnership out of the gate as Maye developed on the sideline. 

But so far, Van Pelt’s tenure on the sideline has seen New England’s offense continue to regress from last year’s misery. 

The Patriots now rank 31st in the NFL in both points (12.4) and yards of offense (250.8) per game, with Brissett and New England’s aerial attack largely a non-factor. 

Van Pelt didn’t do himself any favors in Sunday’s frustrating 15-10 loss to the Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. 

Despite setting a new franchise record by averaging an impressive 7.9 yards per carry on the ground against Miami, New England abandoned the run game at critical junctures of Sunday’s matchup. 

The worst infraction came at the end of Sunday’s divisional matchup. With New England on Miami’s 12-yard line with more than a minute left on the clock and three timeouts, the Patriots opted to attempt four straight passes in hopes of a go-ahead touchdown — leading to a turnover on downs. 

It was a bizarre about-face from what was projected to be New England’s strength on offense out of the gate this year. A potent rushing attack from Rhamondre Stevenson helped New England bleed the clock and stack several promising drives together in the team’s lone win thus far in 2024 against the Bengals. 

Mayo didn’t offer much after Sunday’s loss about why New England focused so heavily on the passing game down the stretch.

“There were a bunch of conversations about that,” Mayo said. “We ended up throwing the ball. That’s what we decided to do, and ultimately it’s my decision. I would say we averaged over seven yards a carry, I’m not sure, so that definitely was part of the discussion. We just didn’t finish it up.”

Turning to Maye at QB might give New England’s beleaguered offense the lift it needs going into a daunting matchup against the Texans on Sunday. But if Van Pelt and New England’s coaching staff continue to go away from the team’s strengths on the ground, the end result might end up bring the same.