With the 4-13 Patriots’ 2023 season reaching its conclusion Sunday with a loss to the Jets, listed below are leftover ideas on a irritating marketing campaign.
Offense was worse
The Patriots’ offense was embarrassingly unhealthy in 2022 and someway received worse in 2023.
That appeared unimaginable with Bill O’Brien taking up for Joe Judge as quarterbacks coach and Matt Patricia as offensive coordinator. One particular person throughout the group defined how Patricia and Judge’s lack of expertise might need truly been useful. Without any preconceived notions of what an offense is de facto alleged to appear like, they had been simply operating performs that they thought would rating them probably the most factors. There’s some inherent bias concerned with extra of a seasoned coordinator like O’Brien.
That being mentioned, accidents and a tougher schedule didn’t assist the Patriots.
QB state of affairs met expectations
Expectations weren’t overly excessive from some members of the group on the quarterbacks coming into the 2023 season. I keep in mind asking one crew supply in the course of the offseason whether or not there was a perception that Jones can be considerably higher underneath O’Brien, and the reply was a considerably stunning no. There was hope Jones can be higher, however that wasn’t essentially the expectation.
One supply just lately described Jones as having backup-level expertise however that he may have to humble himself to tackle that sort of position. And the crew was not excessive on Zappe all the way in which from the offseason till the top of the season. He struggled sufficient over the summer season to be reduce, and he by no means organically handed Jones on the depth chart as a result of he was throwing interceptions in follow and checking all the way down to operating backs throughout scout-team drills.
Best, worst of free company
Let’s rapidly divide up the offseason additions.
Good signings: RB Ezekiel Elliott, LB Chris Board, WR Jalen Reagor, CB Alex Austin
Bad signings: OT Calvin Anderson, RB James Robinson, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, TE Mike Gesicki, OT Riley Reiff
We’re being fairly liberal with calling Board and Reagor good signings, however for the cash, they weren’t detracting from the crew. There was much more unhealthy than good this offseason, nevertheless.
Grading 2023 draft
With one season all the way down to assess the Patriots’ newest draft class, it feels truthful to provide the group a B- or C+ at this level.
Gonzalez was an amazing discover within the first spherical, assuming he can keep wholesome sooner or later. Wide receiver DeMario Douglas was a steal within the sixth spherical. Punter Bryce Baringer performed properly. Defensive finish Keion White, security Marte Mapu and guard Sidy Sow had their moments.
Center Jake Andrews barely performed, kicker Chad Ryland struggled mightily, guard Atonio Mafi was demoted by the top of the season, and broad receiver Kayshon Boutte barely received an opportunity.
Cornerback Ameer Speed is off of the crew, and fellow cornerback Isaiah Bolden missed the season with a concussion.
Benching Pop was regrettable
There’s a perception throughout the group that benching broad receiver Pop Douglas after his Week 2 fumble towards the Dolphins in the end held again the offense. Douglas performed 41.3% of offensive snaps in Week 1 and didn’t get again to that charge till Week 7.
He was the Patriots’ greatest cross catcher for nearly your entire season and appears like he could be the crew’s future slot receiver so long as he can keep away from concussion points.
2022 draft a large number
Last yr’s draft is trying like an unmitigated catastrophe. Left guard Cole Strange struggled for many of the season after which suffered a season-ending harm simply as he was enjoying his greatest soccer. Tyquan Thornton couldn’t make an affect regardless of a litany of accidents at broad receiver. Cornerback Marcus Jones missed many of the season.
Cornerback Jack Jones, operating again Pierre Strong and guard Chasen Hines are now not on the crew. Zappe struggled in reduction of quarterback Mac Jones. Kevin Harris appears to be like like a good third choice at operating again. Sam Roberts was a wholesome scratch for many of the season, and Andrew Stueber was on the follow squad all yr.
Defensive teaching deserves kudos
The Patriots’ protection completed eighth in anticipated factors added (EPA) per play towards, fifteenth in dropback EPA per play towards and first in rush EPA per play towards. That’s clearly nice.
It’s even higher when you think about the entire adversity they confronted. Their greatest defensive participant, edge defender Matthew Judon, and their first-round choose, Gonzalez, each suffered season-ending accidents in Week 4. Another cornerback, Marcus Jones, performed simply two video games, sub-package defensive deal with Daniel Ekuale performed three video games, and the crew used 10 (!) totally different cornerbacks on protection, not together with Breon Borders, who was elevated from the follow squad however didn’t play.
Safety Jabrill Peppers, linebackers Jahlani Tavai and Mack Wilson, and defensive deal with Christian Barmore all earned career-high PFF grades. Gonzalez was instantly an affect participant. Unheralded defenders like Myles Bryant, Anfernee Jennings and Jeremiah Pharms performed key roles. And rookie cornerback Alex Austin, a midseason addition who was drafted by the Bills within the seventh spherical and reduce from the Texans’ follow squad, appears to be like like a respectable discover. He was the Patriots’ highest-graded defender Week 18 towards the Jets.
The Patriots’ offensive teaching was dysfunctional once more this season. But their defensive coaches – linebackers coaches Jerod Mayo and Steve Belichick, line of defense coaches DeMarcus Covington and Joe Kim, cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino and safeties coach Brian Belichick – are all well-respected within Gillette Stadium. Mayo, Steve Belichick and Covington are all coordinator-level skills.
Barmore deserves extension
Barmore deserves particular point out for the season he put collectively. He impressed Patriots decision-makers each day in follow and video games and is an ideal candidate for a long-term extension now that he’s coming into the fourth yr of his rookie contract.
The Alabama product is an impactful participant as a cross rusher and towards the run. He actually put all of it collectively this season and needs to be considered as one among a handful of the Patriots’ greatest gamers.
Source: www.bostonherald.com