This Patriots Player Exceeded HC Jerod Mayo’s Expectations In Preseason Opener

The New England Patriots celebrated a big win after their preseason opener. It was a beautiful 17-3 win for the Patriots and they had a much better performance than the Carolina Panthers. It seems like the Panthers still struggle to find their groove.

One particular player stole the spotlight during the game. Sixth-round quarterback Joe Milton III turned out to be a great option for the Patriots and he exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Milton was the last quarterback Jerod Mayo used in the win over Carolina. Well, none of this matters as he showed better performance than anyone else. The talented player completed 4-for-6 passes for 56 yards and a score. Oh, he also had a magnificent run that scored 13 yards.

“Honestly, I need to go back and watch the film. The easy answer would be Joe,” Mayo told the media, per team-provided video. “Joe went out there — I don’t think we’ve ever seen a quarterback here run around as much as he did and still was able to get the ball down the field. He’s one of those guys. So, it was Joe.”

JOE MILTON!

The @patriots QB making things happen.

📺: #CARvsNE on @nflnetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/lXOxs1tAAz

— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2024

Milton looked good on the football field, but he is not the No.1 quarterback for the Patriots. The quarterback chart is pretty packed and the Patriots have a few players ahead of Milton.

“We know he has a big arm. He has the athleticism. He’s getting better with his reads every single day. He has natural leadership ability,” Mayo said. “But once again, it’s not just about one game, it’s about the full body of work. You can come out here and play well but you also have to do it on a day-to-day basis, in practice and you’ve got to gain the confidence of not only the coaches but also your teammates. And this was a step forward for him.”

The Patriots quarterback expresses gratitude after winning preseason opener

Milton didn’t see much playing time, but it was more than enough to leave a good impression. He initiated an 11-play drive that led to a 42-yard field goal from Joey Slye. The next series covered 75 yards in six plays and Milton launched a 38-yard TD pass to JaQuae Jackson.

“Hearing that from the head coach, thanks to him,” Milton told reporters, per team-provided video. “But I feel like I’ve got a lot more work to do. There’s a lot of things in the offense that I need to learn and I need to learn fast. Just being hard on myself. That’s the only way I’ve got this far is being hard on myself.”