Milton exceeded Mayo’s expectations in Patriots’ pre-season opener originally appeared in NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots and Carolina Panthers didn’t play the most entertaining game of the preseason at rainy Gillette Stadium on Thursday night, but there was a some emotional moments that left fans on their feet.
Most of them belonged to rookie quarterback Joe Milton.
The University of Tennessee product was the last of the Patriots’ four QBs to take the field, but he led two scoring drives in the fourth quarter of a 17-3 victory.
The first ended with a field goal. Milton completed 3 of 3 pass attempts for 16 yards and also ran for 12 yards as New England drove to field goal range.
The next drive ended with the Patriots’ second touchdown of the game. Milton froze the safety in the middle of the field and then found wide receiver JaQuae Jackson for a 38-yard score down the left sideline.
Milton finished with four completions on six attempts for 54 yards and a touchdown. He also picked up 25 yards on two attempts.
When asked after the game if any player exceeded his expectations, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo singled out Milton.
“I need to go back and watch the film, but the easy answer would be Joe,” Mayo said during his postgame press conference. “It’s been a long time – I don’t think we’ve ever seen a quarterback here run as hard as he does and still take the ball downfield.
Milton liked Mayo’s comments.
“I heard that from the head coach, thanks to him. But I feel like I have a lot more work to do,” Milton said in his post-game press conference.
“There are a lot of things on offense that I need to learn and I need to learn them fast. Being hard on myself was the only way I got here. Thanks to coach Mayo for saying that, but there’s a lot of work to go. I’ve got to keep studying, no. I can get complacent no matter how well the game went tonight. I just have to prepare for the next one.
The Patriots’ second preseason game will be next Thursday, August 15, against the Philadelphia Eagles, at home. It should be another opportunity for Milton to showcase his dynamic skill set and continue to prove he is worthy of an NFL roster spot.
“Joe went there, we know he has a big arm and athleticism. He’s improving his readings every day,” Mayo said. “He has a natural leadership ability.
“But again, it’s not just about one game. It’s about all the work. You come here and play well, but you also have to do it day to day in training. You have to gain confidence not only from the coaches, but also from his teammates. This was a step forward for him.”
