What would they do if they finished with the No. 1 draft pick?

On Monday, Jerod Mayo said his team prepared a play, but they made the move they thought was best for the team – which was to shoot the extra point. He said they have plans for all possible situations and take all sorts of things into account, including the flow of the game, analysis, weather and other factors.

I found it interesting to hear Drake Maye's response when asked about the decision: “After such a high intensity ride, I think it's hard to choose 2. I think it's easy to look back now and say that.”

If they didn't cap the drive with an exhausting 11.82-second play that ended in the touchdown, might they end up going for 2?

Mayo, whose team is 1 for 2 on 2-point attempts this season, said Monday that it was easy to question the decision in hindsight. Why?

“Because we lost the game,” he said. “It’s that simple because we lost the game. Coming back earlier in the season we chose 2. We didn't understand it. You will be criticized. And then you kick [extra point] here and you will be criticized. That’s why I will always do what I think is best for the team.”

Will Drake Maye end the season in one piece? Can the Pats offensive line keep him out of danger?

—Ed Helinski, Auburn, NY

It won't be easy, Ed, but I believe the quarterback will finish the season in one piece. When it comes to a successful offense, all 11 players matter – and the line that keeps it clean – but in this case, the style of play also matters.

A few weeks ago, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt expressed caution when it came to the idea of ​​special runs for Maye, saying he had seen such runs lead to season-ending injuries.

Still, they're a better option than making Maye run for his life, as we saw when he rushed for 95 yards against the Titans. The ideal game plan from this point of view? Mix in some targeted runs and get him moving more often, find a better protection plan and look for weak spots along the opponent's defensive line.

The Patriots are currently on top when it comes to number 1 in the overall ranking. Who do they take if they finish first overall?

– Reggie, Boston, via email

If you don't sign one or two durable, reliable offensive lineman in free agency, I think you have one of two options. They trade down a few spots and take either Kelvin Banks Jr. from Texas or Will Campbell from LSU. Both are top-notch offensive tackles, the best on the team, but overall probably not worth winning.

Or you can go all-in on someone like Colorado's Travis Hunter, a game-changing wide receiver (from what we've seen so far) who seems worth the No. 1 pick.

If you're looking to trade down a few spots but still want an elite receiver in the top five, Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan might be the right choice. He caught 66 passes for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns in nine games.

But either way, you have to find help on offense in the offseason. It just depends on the methodology.

Will we ever see Cole Strange act again? The last I saw, he was scheduled to return in October. It's now November (regardless of the thermometer) and there are no signs that he's getting any closer to being able to play.

– Mark. C., Beverly

Strange has been in the locker room more and more lately, but I would still preach patience when it comes to a return. Spurred in part by that question, I asked Jerod Mayo about Strange and Christian Barmore on Wednesday, addressing the question of whether or not they had any value at this point, considering it's Week 10 and neither is in put on pads this season.

Mayo compared them to acquisitions at the trade deadline.

“We would always welcome them back,” he said. “Again, whether we're talking free agency, a trade deadline or anything, we're always trying to improve as a team and sometimes they're under the same roof.”

Why can't the Patriots run the ball anymore? When the season started, they were able to do it but not fall behind. Now they throw it all the time and the running game is terrible.

— Justin, via email

My colleague Nicole Yang wrote an excellent article about this in which she noted that a lot has gone into offensive changes in the last few months. From my perspective, it's a combination of the offensive line's inability to get pressure, play-calling, personnel, and simple situational football.

It seemed to start with the loss to the Jets in Week 3, when Van Pelt later complained about getting out of the run so early.

One more thing: In the two games in which they were able to run the ball most effectively – the first two weeks of the season – they had a lead in the second half. They trailed late in many games last month, requiring them to rely on the passing attack.

Why have we heard virtually nothing from Eliot Wolf during this dire period? Many of this team's shortcomings were his fault. Where is his responsibility? And is his job possibly at stake?

—Mark Voelkel, Marshfield

Fair points. There is no rule that says Wolf has to talk, but for the most part he has remained silent except for one press conference in training camp. In my view, his job is not at stake; I believe he and Mayo will have at least two years as a team to turn things around.

But a quick press conference with us might (at least) take some of the pressure off Mayo and the rest of the brain trust. There is still a lot of time until the end of the season, so the tone and mood of the team could change. But he's preparing for an extremely important offseason, at least from a team-building perspective.

Christopher Price can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @cpriceglobe.