After Hill torched Belichick’s defense in his first two career games against the Patriots (making a total of 14 catches for 275 yards and four touchdowns), Hill hasn’t eclipsed 100 yards in the ensuing five games against New England. ![]() Not that it made a difference in the result Sunday night, but Belichick remains one of the best coaches in the NFL at limiting Tyreek Hill. So far this season, though, Stevenson ranks 50th in the stat (1.67 yards).ħ. 1 in yards after contact per rush last season (3.81). It didn’t matter that he was consistently hit by defenders at the line of scrimmage because he was breaking tackles. Last season, Rhamondre Stevenson was one of the best runners in the league after contact. The offensive line’s struggles play a role in that. They rank 23rd this season in yards per rush (3.5). This might sound obvious, but the Patriots need to get their run game going to have more offensive success. Also, they’re not gaining yards after the catch when they throw it short.Ħ. It’s due to their not executing when they do throw it downfield. The Patriots’ lack of explosive plays isn’t due to their not throwing it downfield. But Jones ranks 10th in the league with 8.1 average air yards per throw. The common thought is the Patriots’ lack of explosive plays stems from a struggling offensive line and an inability to throw it downfield. They entered Monday ranked 30th in percent of explosive plays (5.4 percent). So the Patriots look very good when viewed through that lens.īut success rate doesn’t factor in explosive plays or turnovers, two areas in which they’ve really struggled. They rank fourth in the league in that stat, which defines a “successful” play as picking up half the yards to go on first down, 70 percent of the yards on second down and moving the chains on third down. If you only looked at success rate, you’d think they had one of the best units in the league. Here’s an example of the duality of the Patriots offense. Whatever the case, that should be an emphasis early in next weekend’s game.ĥ. Or maybe it’s because they’ve fallen behind in games so quickly that O’Brien has felt like the defense isn’t likely to bite on play-action passes. Perhaps that’s because O’Brien hasn’t trusted the offensive line to hold up long enough. The Patriots rank ninth in expected points added per play when they run play action. What’s more troubling is that New England is still having a lot of success with those plays, despite how little they’re being run. A year ago, the Patriots ranked 28th in the league in play-action usage. Two games in, though, the play-action offense has gone missing. When O’Brien was named offensive coordinator, the thought was that he would lean into what Jones has had success with in the past: run-pass options and play-action passes. If that group continues to struggle, there are bigger issues at play.Ĥ. If he does, then you’re pretty much at the intended starting five, depending on whether you want Riley Reiff or Calvin Anderson at right tackle.Īt that point, the Patriots can no longer blame the line’s problems on injuries. There’s a chance left tackle Trent Brown returns from a concussion to play this weekend. But the injuries that plagued the Patriots early are almost in the past. But it’s also a reminder of the tough spot Belichick is in when the margins are so thin.ĭo you change the rules for a rookie sixth-round pick? That doesn’t seem right.īut can you afford to cast aside one of your only playmakers early in a game in which the offense struggles? That doesn’t seem wise, either.ģ. And that’s why it hurt the offense so much when Belichick benched him after his first-quarter fumble. Rookie Demario Douglas might be the current team’s only consistent playmaker at wide receiver. The message was stern, but everyone knew the punishment for turnovers, mishaps or carelessness.īut as my cohort Steve Buckley suggests, these aren’t those Patriots. When the Patriots had Tom Brady, that generally worked quite well. The longtime coach has built his reputation on being a tough, disciplined leader who doesn’t tolerate mistakes. Bill Belichick has put himself in a tough spot with the lack of weapons on offense. New England Patriots September 18, 2023ġ. Matthew Judon Live Postgame Press Conference: (All stats below are from TruMedia unless noted otherwise.) With that in mind, let’s reset after the Patriots’ second straight frustrating loss and explore where the team is, where it’s headed and what to expect next weekend against the Jets in New York. ![]() This team, he said, isn’t going to close up shop because the first two games haven’t gone as planned and the playoffs now seem like an unlikely goal.
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