Patriots Notebook: Mayo passes playcalling test ahead of first game, stat check

Before the in-stadium practice, Bill Belichick pointed out that new defensive playcaller Jerod Mayo had yet to really make any calls in practice.

“We’re not calling anything at camp yet,” Belichick said. “The plays are all scripted.”

Belichick explained that there's a progression in camp.

"There’s a whole planning structure to training camp and everything that we do,” he said. “We do drills offensively that benefit us, that benefit the offense. Each side has a chance to know what the other side is doing so that one side’s not unprepared, if something happens, then we might not get anything out of it because we haven’t covered it. So that’s not very beneficial."

But that changed in the joint practices against the Lions, when both teams did situational periods designed for the coaches and players to make calls on the fly.

How did Mayo do the first time out?

"Oh, he did a good job," said safety Duron Harmon. "That’s a tough job to do. You have to know the personnel, you already have to have the type of players you want for the down and distance, so it’s a tough job.

"But if anybody can do it, it would be him. He’s been around the game so long and he’s a smart football player, he’s a leader of men and we love him on the staff. But like everybody else, he’s going to continue to improve, we’re going to continue to improve and we’ll give feedback to him, he’ll give feedback to us. By the time we start playing games, hopefully, we’re where we need to be."

Harmon wasn't just blowing smoke. The Patriots didn't have any coverage busts or personnel issues that would cause hesitation or even a timeout. That's a good first step for Mayo, who will continue to be tested starting with tonight's preseason opener against the Lions.

"I feel like we had good communication across the board with the defense and coaching staff," said linebacker Elandon Roberts, who wears the green communication dot on occasion. "And all we can do is keep building."

FINAL STAT CHECK

A final look at the numbers in several key categories after the joint practices with the Lions.

OFFENSIVE ONE-ON-ONES

[table id=325 /]

DEFENSIVE ONE-ON-ONES

[table id=326 /]

QUARTERBACKS

[table id=327 /]

OFFENSE

[table id=328 /]

DEFENSE

[table id=329 /]

PUNTING

[table id=330 /]