Mayo explains why Brissett is best choice for Patriots’ starting QB originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots lost their third consecutive game Sunday in a Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on the road, and starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett gave his worst performance of the season so far.

Brissett completed 19 of 32 pass attempts for 168 yards with one touchdown and two turnovers (a pick-6 and a fumble). The Patriots lost 30-13, but the game wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.

Despite the lackluster outing from Brissett, head coach Jerod Mayo seems committed to the veteran remaining as the starter.

“Jacoby is 100 percent our starter. He’s 100% our starter, and that’s how we’re going to look at this going forward,” Mayo told reporters during a video conference call Monday morning.

Why is Mayo sticking with Brissett as QB1?

“He’s done a good job doing what we’ve asked,” Mayo said. “Are there a lot of plays that we could do a better job with? Absolutely, but I would never question his toughness, his dependability, his leadership style for this team, and that’s what we need right now.”

Brissett deserves a lot of credit for standing in the pocket and taking a ton of hits. The offensive line has really struggled this season and Sunday was yet another example.

Brissett was sacked six times and hit 10 times. The 49ers generated pressure on 53.8 percent of the Patriots’ dropbacks, which was the highest rate allowed in Week 4.

Brissett also needs to play better. The passing attack has to be at least somewhat of a threat for the Patriots to be competitive, and it just isn’t right now. New England ranks dead last with 112.3 passing yards per game. The Patriots also have two passing touchdowns in four games, which is tied for the second-lowest amount among the 32 teams.

The Patriots’ next matchup is a Week 5 matchup Sunday afternoon against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.