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Whispers continue to hover over the 3-10 New England Patriots, suggesting that first-year head coach Jerod Mayo may need to earn at least one win over the season’s final four weeks to keep<\/span>\u00a0his job through the winter.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Patriots icon and Hall of Famer Ty Law seems convinced team owner Robert Kraft will run it back with Mayo regardless of what happens through Week 18.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “I<\/span>\u00a0think Mr. Kraft is a smart enough businessman to give him time,<\/span>”\u00a0<\/span>Law said about\u00a0<\/span>Mayo’s<\/span>\u00a0short-term future during a Tuesday appearance on Boston sports radio station WEEI,\u00a0<\/span>Nick\u00a0<\/span>O’Malley<\/span><\/a>\u00a0of MassLive shared.<\/span>\u00a0“<\/span>How much time? I\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0know, but\u00a0<\/span>he\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>definitely<\/span>\u00a0secure for next season.<\/span>”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mayo’s<\/span>\u00a0first season in charge has been filled with positives for a rebuilding Patriots team that was never supposed to compete for much. New England players have continued to play hard for Mayo following a previous claim about a potential\u00a0<\/span>locker-room mutiny.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Rookie Drake Maye has looked capable of becoming a franchise quarterback sooner rather than later. Additionally, the Patriots are\u00a0<\/span>inching toward<\/span><\/a>\u00a0possibly having the first pick in next\u00a0<\/span>year’s<\/span>\u00a0draft.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft reportedly\u00a0<\/span>remain high<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on Mayo even though the 38-year-old has made some understandable mistakes on gamedays. Law hinted that Mayo needs another offseason to get<\/span>\u00a0“<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>own<\/span>\u00a0guys in<\/span>”\u00a0<\/span>the locker room and move on from some who played under living legend Bill Belichick.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n “W<\/span>hen I think Mr. Kraft went in,<\/span>”\u00a0<\/span>Law said,<\/span>\u00a0“<\/span>of course he wanted better. The expectations were more than what we got. But I think\u00a0<\/span>that he<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>didn\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0have expectations as far as, like,\u00a0<\/span>we\u2019re<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>gonna<\/span>\u00a0go to the playoffs or be a Super Bowl contender when he [hired Mayo].\u00a0<\/span>You\u2019ve<\/span>\u00a0got to give him a chance<\/span>.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Outsiders\u00a0<\/span>can’t<\/span>\u00a0say with any certainty whether or not the Krafts would change their minds about giving Mayo a second year if the team finishes the season at 3-14. All Mayo can do is try to stack wins beginning with this coming\u00a0<\/span>Sunday’s<\/span>\u00a0matchup at the 6-7 Arizona Cardinals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As of Tuesday afternoon,\u00a0<\/span>DraftKings Sportsbook<\/span><\/a>\u00a0listed the Patriots as 4.5-point underdogs against the Cardinals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n