In the closing moments of the New England Patriots’ 25-24 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the team had a chance to make a dramatic play, but instead of attempting a Hail Mary pass, Jerod Mayo opted for a 68-yard field goal with Joey Slye. The kick, though well-struck, fell just short, leaving Mayo to defend his decision against criticism for not choosing the more conventional route of a Hail Mary.
Mayo took full responsibility for the choice, explaining that he believed a long field goal attempt gave the Patriots a better shot at victory. “That was 100% me,” Mayo said. “Slye was hitting it well in pregame, and I felt that was the best way to win. I’m not sure about the stats on Hail Marys versus field goals, but I thought it was the right call.”
Mayo further justified his decision by pointing out that Hail Mary passes are extremely low-percentage plays, often resulting in incompletions or interceptions. He also noted that Slye had already nailed a 63-yard field goal earlier in the season, proving he had the leg for a long attempt. Additionally, the wind at the time was in the Patriots’ favor, making the 68-yard kick a more plausible option.
However, some questioned Mayo’s confidence in Slye, particularly after he missed a 25-yard field goal earlier in the game. Mayo addressed this miss, simply stating, “Just a miss-hit. Nothing to it.”
Earlier in the game, the Colts had mounted a 19-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, followed by a successful two-point conversion that put them ahead with just 12 seconds left. During the drive, Will Mallory made a controversial seven-yard catch, leading to questions about why Mayo didn’t challenge the play. Mayo explained that he didn’t see enough of a clear angle to contest the call.
Mayo also chose not to call any timeouts during the Colts’ final drive, allowing Indianapolis to run down the clock before scoring the go-ahead touchdown. Some felt Mayo should have stopped the clock, but he defended his decision, citing a past example of the Patriots winning a Super Bowl by preserving timeouts. “Absolutely, there was a thought about it,” Mayo said. “But we’ve won a Super Bowl here doing it the other way. Keeping our timeouts was what I felt was best for the team.”
Ultimately, there was no last-minute heroics like Malcolm Butler’s famous interception to save the Patriots. Instead, the team fell to a 3-10 record heading into the bye week.
