FOXBORO – Jerod Mayo opened his stint as New England Patriots head coach with a win.
It was a preseason game, of course. But the man to follow Bill Belichick had to start somewhere, and that was Thursday night at rainy Gillette Stadium.
Mayo’s quarterback roulette found a couple late hits and the defense carried a shutout deep into the fourth quarter. The Patriots eased to a 17-3 victory over the Carolina Panthers, their first outing after nearly a quarter century under their former leader.
“It was almost like you get on a rollercoaster and you hear that click,” Mayo said.