Patriots Rumors: Insider Feels Week 1 Win vs. Bengals 'Shifted Expectations' for Mayo

A win in Week 1 may have set the bar a bit too high for the 2024 New England Patriots and head coach Jerod Mayo.

Mike Reiss of ESPN reported that the Patriots' 16-10 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in the opening game "shifted expectations" despite a lackluster roster and put more "pressure" on the first-year head coach.

"Looking back, one high-ranking team official said the unexpected opening win shifted expectations when the roster was lacking enough talent to compete, putting more pressure on Mayo," Reiss wrote. "Nonetheless, players have noted how Mayo stayed the course throughout in the locker room."

Since that victory, the Patriots have gone 2-13 and a loss in Week 18 to the Buffalo Bills would hand the team the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

"I knew this was going to be a challenging season," Mayo said, per Reiss. "Obviously the expectations here are always high. Unfortunately, we just haven't been able to meet those expectations. In saying that, I think the biggest problem with us as a team -- and it starts with me -- is just being consistent."

New England has had its worst season since 1992, when the team finished 2-14. It would eventually select quarterback Drew Bledsoe with the No. 1 pick. The Patriots have not had a No. 1 pick since then, and have risen from a franchise on the verge of moving to one that has won six Super Bowls.

The 2024 season could be one that leads the team into the next era and Mayo will hope for leniency as he looks to shift the focus from a shaky opening statement to a more prosperous 2025.