FOXBORO — Just over a week ago, head coach Jerod Mayo tried to defuse some early-summer struggles from the Patriots’ offense by saying that the defense is always a step ahead in training camp.

The offense seemed to take that as a challenge.

“I kind of spoke too soon,” Mayo said before Saturday’s practice. “The offense is honestly — I challenged the defense on that. … The offense the last couple of days, they’ve done well whether it’s running the ball, the play-action game, pushing the ball down the field, I think those guys are doing a good job.”

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Ultimately, it’s good for the offense and defense to have as much back-and-forth, challenging one another, as possible in training camp. The offense got the better of the Patriots’ defense Thursday and Friday after an off-day Wednesday.

“They’re playing with confidence and getting more comfortable in the scheme,” Mayo said of the offense. “The defense just has to play better, play with better fundamentals, play with better pad level, play with better just overall awareness. I challenged those guys and we’ll see how they respond today.”

Things were certainly better for the defense on Saturday. The defense intercepted starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett twice and registered six sacks in team drills while stuffing the Patriots’ rushing attack with offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor and Calvin Anderson out, leaving Vederian Lowe and Caedan Wallace as starters.

Brissett was 11-of-18 but hit Hunter Henry for a last-second touchdown in a two-minute drill. Maye was 6-of-14 and went 0-for-4 in his two-minute drill. Bailey Zappe was 3-of-5, and Joe Milton was 2-of-8 to round out competitive team drills.

So, what was Mayo’s message that the defense responded so well to?

“Just about cleaning up communication,” safety Kyle Dugger said Saturday after practice. “We struggled with it a bit the day before, communicating smoothly between plays and things like that, motion. Just so cleaning that up. … Guys definitely wanted to finish this day before the day off at a high level. I feel like we did that.”

Dugger believes the defense heard Mayo’s message loud and clear.

“We received it, knew what it was and wanted to make sure we could execute it. … He challenged us to be better than the day before, and I feel like we did that today.”

Brissett’s first interception was intended for wide receiver Jalen Reagor down the right sideline. Cornerback Azizi Hearn broke up the pass and tipped it up where safety Jaylinn Hawkins picked it off. His next interception came in the middle of the end zone. Tight end Austin Hooper stopped his route, allowing cornerback Alex Austin to easily pick the ball out of the air. Hawkins and rookie safety Dell Pettus also broke up passes.

It was a productive day overall for Hawkins, who also got in the backfield for a sack. Defensive linemen Deatrich Wise, Keion White and Trysten Hill also had sacks.