For whatever reason(s), this season has seen a number of Patriot players, on both sides of the ball, start the season with a level of play well below what most of us, including pundits, and I would dare say, Patriot management, expected: Jonnu, Guy, Godchaux, Van Noy, Hightower, and Wynn.He has been ok - had a bad holding penalty against LAC. He was good against the Jets. If Brown comes back and they keep Onwenu at RT I could see them playing Brown at LT. Wynn has also come in and out of games - it is unclear if he got hurt mid-game vs the Chargers or they gave him a breather. I don’t think the option will impact who they start at LT the remainder of this year if Brown is actually healthy and ready to play. I’m not saying it’s a slam dunk but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Wynn continues to be up and down if Brown replaces him to finish the season. Just something to keep an eye on.
For years there was no surer sign that a game was lost as when Bolden (or Slater) were getting touches or targets. That Bolden wheel route was a killer and yet, this year, it has proven to be a savior.I can't believe I am writing this, but I am actually happy that Brandon Bolden is on the team. It felt like a running joke for 3-4 years when he was on the roster year after year. He already has a career high in catches, and is 70% of the way toward his career high in yards from scrimmage. In particular Pats QBs are 22-24 (91.7%) for 189 yards (7.9 YPA) and a TD (113.4 passer rating) when targeting Bolden. The offense would be lost without him.
It's not even the same team.34 ppg last 6 (includes defensive points) after 17.75 the first 4.
But maybe they’re not where they are today if he didn’t start from day 1. I don’t think this is a legit argument. If Harris doesn’t fumble in week 1 is this even a thing?Does anyone think the beginning of the season was easing Mac into the offense or were they just unnecessarily holding him back? I’m on the side that if you didn’t think he could go 100% and lead this offense from the get go than he shouldn’t have started. Curious how others feel.
I'll go with (C), it's basically an entirely new team and needed time to develop some chemistry.Does anyone think the beginning of the season was easing Mac into the offense or were they just unnecessarily holding him back? I’m on the side that if you didn’t think he could go 100% and lead this offense from the get go than he shouldn’t have started. Curious how others feel.
He needed the on the job training. There were also a lot of new faces on offense, and the OL was terrible early on. I think the team handled his development about as well as could be expected.Does anyone think the beginning of the season was easing Mac into the offense or were they just unnecessarily holding him back? I’m on the side that if you didn’t think he could go 100% and lead this offense from the get go than he shouldn’t have started. Curious how others feel.
I think that from day 1, he was the best option available, so he started.Does anyone think the beginning of the season was easing Mac into the offense or were they just unnecessarily holding him back? I’m on the side that if you didn’t think he could go 100% and lead this offense from the get go than he shouldn’t have started. Curious how others feel.
Agreed - Mac has improved as the season has continued on his deep ball, not playing too fast, and checking into better plays. But the entire team needed time. Agholor, Bourne, Henry, Jonnu Smith, Rhamondre (to a lesser degree) are new. With the OL you had some shuffling and adapting to life without Thuney and with Brown suddenly out at RT.I'll go with (C), it's basically an entirely new team and needed time to develop some chemistry.
Isn’t that what the off-season/pre-season is for?I'll go with (C), it's basically an entirely new team and needed time to develop some chemistry.
These guys barely play real football in the preseason these days. I suspect a huge reason why Mac has been so serviceable is precisely because they put guardrails on him early on. Just look around the league, throwing rookie QBs into the deep end of the pool is a recipe for turnovers and bad decisions.Isn’t that what the off-season/pre-season is for?
I guess I’m still a little frustrated with how conservative/safe things were in the beginning. Might have made a difference, might not. Guess it doesn’t matter much now.
I think you have a totally unrealistic situation of how much a rookie QB can learn in the preseason. And how long it takes to integrate new players into what is widely recognized around the league to be one of the more complex offenses.Isn’t that what the off-season/pre-season is for?
I guess I’m still a little frustrated with how conservative/safe things were in the beginning. Might have made a difference, might not. Guess it doesn’t matter much now.
Wynn did enough there to get Garrett's hands down. Jones needs to get the ball out on the third step, the sack was on him.Now let's show the attempted cut block by Wynn on the left side that nearly got Mac Jones killed by Myles Garrett. And we can then compare and contrast the two.
And they both have one key thing in common...playing the Jets and Dolphins.Its a simple stat, but the Pats are at a plus 98 in points differential. Just one team in the NFL is better (Bills).
While that is true, I have 2 points:And they both have one key thing in common...playing the Jets and Dolphins.
It is a good smell test stat and why some people have some questions about the Ravens, but the AFCE is really helping for both the Bills and Pats there. Games vs those teams = 53% of the Bills and 60% of the Pats point differental.
Pats lost to MIA so that isn't really helping. Pats last 3 opponents are all .500 and their point differential in just those 3 games is +59 which by itself would be good for 5th in the NFL. Outside of the NYJ and MIA they have only played one other team below .500 in HOU.And they both have one key thing in common...playing the Jets and Dolphins.
It is a good smell test stat and why some people have some questions about the Ravens, but the AFCE is really helping for both the Bills and Pats there. Games vs those teams = 53% of the Bills and 60% of the Pats point differental.
I really appreciate you putting together these simple and telling stats.Pats' O and D broken down...
Offense
- First four games: 17.8 points, 311.8 yards, 1.8 turnovers
- Last six games: 40.8 points*, 392.6 yards, 1.0 turnovers
*Two defensive touchdowns, so without those, it's 38.0 points a game.
Defense
- First six games: 21.2 points*, 359.2 yards, 1.3 turnovers
- Last four games: 12.5 points, 281.3 yards, 2.3 turnovers
*One defensive touchdown, so without that, it's 20.0 points a game.
In the last two weeks, the Pats have played two elite defenses. Carolina has the 2nd ranked defense. Cleveland has the 5th ranked defense. And the Pats did pretty good work against both of them.
It's coming together, folks. It really is.
I didn’t expect them to come out of the gates firing on all cylinders. I was expecting a little less trepidation though in the beginning. Seems silly to reflect on what ifs now that they’re playing the way some of us expected them to. VERY excited for the future of this team.I think you have a totally unrealistic situation of how much a rookie QB can learn in the preseason. And how long it takes to integrate new players into what is widely recognized around the league to be one of the more complex offenses.
The 2014 Patriots offense was very meh the first 4 games of 2014. New acquisition Brandon LaFell had 0 catches his first 2 games, and Amendola had 4 catches for 33 yards his first 6 games.
Maybe that's what preseason used to be. Covid limits, fewer preseason games than historical, head injury rule limits on practice-- this team's philosophy of keep improving every game through the last quarter of the last game of the season has become much more observable to fans like us.Isn’t that what the off-season/pre-season is for?
I guess I’m still a little frustrated with how conservative/safe things were in the beginning. Might have made a difference, might not. Guess it doesn’t matter much now.
Amendola finished the year with only 200 yards so I'm not sure he's the best example ... but that 2014 team definitely had some issues to work out offensively (particularly what to do at G after trading Mankins).I think you have a totally unrealistic situation of how much a rookie QB can learn in the preseason. And how long it takes to integrate new players into what is widely recognized around the league to be one of the more complex offenses.
The 2014 Patriots offense was very meh the first 4 games of 2014. New acquisition Brandon LaFell had 0 catches his first 2 games, and Amendola had 4 catches for 33 yards his first 6 games.
Youre assuming that week 2's Jones would have been able to handle "more" offense than week 10's Jones. I dont think that's a valid assumption. But it *is* water under the bridge.Isn’t that what the off-season/pre-season is for?
I guess I’m still a little frustrated with how conservative/safe things were in the beginning. Might have made a difference, might not. Guess it doesn’t matter much now.
The truth about Odell Beckham Jr., Mac Jones, Matt Rhule, Cam Newton and more: Mike Sando’s Pick Six – The AthleticThis game against Cleveland ranks second to the Patriots’ Week 7 victory against the Jets for offensive expected points added (EPA) by New England — not just this season, but since 2015 Week 4, a span of 115 regular-season and playoff games, according to TruMedia. That is remarkable for a team that has played so much excellent offensive football over the years. The 115-game stretch includes Tom Brady’s 2017 MVP season. For the Browns, this was their second-worst defensive EPA game since the 2016 season. Only their 47-42 defeat to the Chargers in Week 5 was worse by that measure.
Coincidence that it was the Jets and Browns?This is from CBS Sports - and noted that it's not all coming from the offense, but this seemed the appropriate thread:
"The Patriots scored 45 points against the Browns, meaning they've now scored 45 or more points in consecutive homes for the FIRST time in franchise history. Considering Tom Brady played there for 20 years, it's hard to believe that the Patriots had never done this before."
I didn't mean the level of competition, mea culpa. I meant more the organizations that BB would be comfortable scoring on end against.Point taken, but I'd guess they've played consecutive home games in the past against teams just as bad or worse.
I should have picked up on that - especially since I wondered for a moment yesterday why BB was still pedal to the metal and did remember his Browns' days. When/if there's been the opportunity before, has he piled on the Browns before? It's a brand new franchise in every way but the name since BB's reign. But you're right - that'd be a heck of coincidence.I didn't mean the level of competition, mea culpa. I meant more the organizations that BB would be comfortable scoring on end against.
They did, however, score 48+ in 3 straight games in 2007---first 2 on the road at Dallas and Miami, then home against Washington. Then, after only scoring 24 in the next game, dropped 56 at Buffalo.This is from CBS Sports - and noted that it's not all coming from the offense, but this seemed the appropriate thread:
"The Patriots scored 45 points against the Browns, meaning they've now scored 45 or more points in consecutive homes for the FIRST time in franchise history. Considering Tom Brady played there for 20 years, it's hard to believe that the Patriots had never done this before."
At game-time, I was a bit surprised that Onwenu sat and not either Wynn or Karras. But in hindsight, I wonder if sitting Onwenu was the simplest play as a hedge in case Brown immediately pulled up lame. But going forward, will that need to hedge against a Brown injury mean that they change things to get Onwenu in somewhere (either back at LG replacing Karras) or back at RT with Brown moving to LT?I’m of the belief that Karras should stay at LG. Him, DA, and Mason have played great football since TK got put in there. I wouldn’t break that up. As much as I love Onwenu, Brown when healthy is a better option at RT. The depth now on the OL is really nice to have. Onwenu and Brown can share duties until TB is back to full game shape. I also think it’s a possibility that with the short week that TB sits in order to preserve his health for Tennessee and Buffalo and Onwenu plays.
I am also of the belief that if the OL stays healthy that the run game can get even better with more continuity of the starting 5(6 if you include Onwenu/Brown combo).
McDaniels said today they knew Trent wouldn’t play the whole game so he started and Onwenu just came in for him. He said Onwenu is going to be part of every game FWIW.At game-time, I was a bit surprised that Onwenu sat and not either Wynn or Karras. But in hindsight, I wonder if sitting Onwenu was the simplest play as a hedge in case Brown immediately pulled up lame. But going forward, will that need to hedge against a Brown injury mean that they change things to get Onwenu in somewhere (either back at LG replacing Karras) or back at RT with Brown moving to LT?