3 reasons hiring Jerod Mayo will pan out sooner rather than later

3. Defense will continue to be a priority for Mayo

While Mayo being young will certainly impact how the team goes about finding their quarterback and figuring out an offensive identity, it's the defense that will continue being a priority for the new head coach. And, contrary to how it may have felt over the last few seasons, defense still matters.

Look at arguably the top two teams in football right now, the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. These are both top-8 defenses in most major categories, with many believing the Ravens have the most feared unit overall.

While most fans are keyed in on what the Patriots will do at quarterback, you can rest assured that Mayo will not allow the defense to be forgotten. That's his baby. It's his top area of expertise, after all.

It's almost as if the Patriots made this move because of the fact that they won't even have to think twice about defense, and the rest of the coaching staff and front office can zero-in on the offense, and primarily the quarterback position. It's actually a genius move, if you think about it.

Here's one simple, yet profound fact that some fans may not realize: each of the past three seasons, New England has had a top-10 defense. Yet, we forget about it because of the offense's lack of production.

Being able to walk into the offseason and next regular season without any doubts about the defense is an advantage. We know what Mayo brings, and we know that the consistency there has already been established and will only carry on.

Now, it's on to focusing in on the most important part of today's game, and I'm certain Mayo already has a plan mapped out, and he will have plenty of help in that regard.

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