Jerod Mayo has his head buried in the sand with Patriots QB decision

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw a season-high 168 passing yards in the team's 30-13 Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. To put it kindly, that's nothing to write home about.

Brissett's poor play is weighing down the entire Patriots offense. The unit isn't getting held back by his struggles, but he's doing little to uplift New England's supporting cast. With rookie first-round quarterback Drake Maye lurking in the shadows, the leash ought to be shortening -- right? Recent comments from head coach Jerod Mayo suggest that couldn't be further from the case.

During his press conference on Monday, Mayo didn't mince words. He was as transparent as can be, saying that Brissett will remain under center, regardless of how rough it's been through four games:

"Jacoby [Brissett] is 100 percent our starter," Mayo told reporters. "He's 100 percent our starter, and that's how we're going to look at this going forward. Hopefully, I cleared it up."

Jerod Mayo emphasizes a QB change won't be happening anytime soon

Why is Mayo so adamant about rolling out Brissett? While there are understandable concerns about throwing Maye into the fire, the Pats are gaining nothing from the veteran signal-caller's reps.

Yes, New England has a disastrous offensive line and what may be the worst skill-position group in the NFL. However, you can argue that further exacerbates the need for Maye. The 22-year-old could inject any life into a dormant bunch that ranks 31st in points per game (13).

Maye, not Brissett, is the future of the Patriots franchise. New England spent the No. 3 overall in this year's draft on the UNC product. If they wait for the perfect timing to anoint him the starter, we may not see him until 2026 (kidding, but not really?) It may not be favorable circumstances, but that's not always the case in football. These are valuable developmental opportunities a young passer can benefit from.

Mayo is toeing a fine line between protecting Maye and upsetting the Foxborough faithful. If Brissett performed even remotely better thus far, perhaps this top would be avoided. Nevertheless, New England's sideline general is only delaying the inevitable.