The Patriots are taking this season on the chin.
Mercy gained’t come for one more two months, however the Pats have momentarily been granted a breather with their annual bye. It’s time for relaxation and reflection.
With seven video games to play, listed here are seven Patriots ideas and nuggets coming into the break:
Mac has misplaced the locker room
After he was benched for a second time this season throughout a Week 5 loss to New Orleans, a number of members of the group misplaced religion in Mac Jones. But now, after getting benched for a 3rd time final Sunday in Germany, Jones’ assist is vanishing.
One crew supply estimated that at the very least 80% of the Patriots’ locker room is out on Jones. Another mentioned the “vast majority” of gamers are accomplished with him. Both mentioned the shortage of perception spreads to each side of the ball, with a shared sense that Jones’ worst errors negate the very best efforts of his teammates.
Certain gamers, together with working again Rhamondre Stevenson, mentioned they’re nonetheless behind Jones after Sunday’s 10-6 loss to the Colts. Asked if the crew may benefit from a change at quarterback, working again Ezekiel Elliott replied “I don’t know,” and vast receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster mentioned the crew would wish to determine that out after the bye.
Jones’ 10 interceptions ranks second within the league, and he’s recorded probably the most turnover-worthy performs of any quarterback this season, per Pro Football Focus. He’s monitoring for profession worsts in passer ranking, landing proportion, interception proportion and yards per try.
Good riddance, Jack Jones
It was time to go.
Why Belichick stood by Jones by means of final season’s suspension, final summer season’s arrest for carrying loaded weapons and large-capacity magazines into Logan airport, his storming out of a coaching camp observe after which lacking curfew two weeks in the past made much less sense by the day. Jones’ expertise coated for him in Foxboro. But as soon as that expertise didn’t ship, as quarterbacks loved a 106.1 passer ranking when focusing on him this season, Belichick minimize ties.
Jones believed he deserved a much bigger function, in accordance with a supply, and acted out in ways in which undercut his push for extra enjoying time. He missed curfew on the crew lodge earlier than the Pats’ house loss to Washington on Nov. 5, a supply confirmed to the Herald’s Doug Kyed. After getting benched for the primary quarter of that recreation, his angle and degree of engagement suffered, together with in the course of the crew’s journey to Germany, per one supply.
Against the Colts, Jones once more sat the whole first quarter and didn’t play a full collection within the second half. To a level, off-field issues have been at all times to be anticipated with the Jack Jones expertise. Once his play fell off, too, he misplaced all leverage and declare to a roster spot.
The Patriots are higher off now, even when their protection suffered alongside the way in which. Jones blew the protection on Miami’s game-sealing landing throughout a 31-17 win on Oct. 29, and allowed a number of catches within the Pats’ final two losses to Washington and the Colts.
Don’t rule out Belichick to the Giants
Two weeks in the past, it was floated on this house, and others, that Belichick might coach the Commanders subsequent season. But what about one other NFC East membership?
Belichick’s historical past with the Giants — with whom he gained two Super Bowls as an assistant and first earned recognition as a defensive mastermind — is well-documented. So is his love for the franchise.
This was Belichick on the Giants’ possession the final time the Patriots and Giants performed in Oct. 2019: “Of course, the Mara family — single ownership. They’ve certainly been through all the phases of the league, and not only have done things very professionally and for the good of the game on the field, but present everything well off the field as well — their family and their organization and just the way they do things.”
He continued: “So that’s a storied franchise and it goes way, way back. I was very, very fortunate to be a part of that great organization for 12 years and I learned a lot there from so many people. … I was very fortunate to be a part of that.”
Kyed: 13 last ideas on Patriots’ eventful expertise in Germany
The Giants are 2-8 underneath second-year coach Brian Daboll, who many presume is secure. But in 2017, the Giants fired Ben McAdoo amid his second yr after he went 11-5 in his debut season. In 2021, they canned Joe Judge after his second yr. If Belichick has communicated a willingness to return by means of again channels, why could not the Giants transfer on from Daboll, too?
Non-obvious preseason take I obtained proper: Slow the Marte Mapu hype prepare
From the summer season: “(Mapu) has one pass breakup in 12 practices, and his path to playing time as a rookie is probably limited to subpackage linebacker. And that’s if Bentley or Mack Wilson (who’s had a strong camp) don’t hold onto the job. Let’s see Mapu in action during the preseason, then I’ll move up from the caboose of this hype train closer to the conductor.”
In 10 video games, Mapu has performed simply 152 snaps. That nonetheless trails Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez, who have not performed since Week 4. Mapu has but to make a single splash play and was at the very least partially liable for two touchdowns earlier this yr. Not to say, the teaching employees is primarily enjoying him at security, not linebacker, the place the 230-pounder can be higher suited.
Patriots-Colts movie evaluation: Why the Germany loss will not be all-time low
Non-obvious preseason take I obtained mistaken: The go rush might be their greatest in 20 years
Also from the summer season: “Matt Judon. Josh Uche. Christian Barmore. Deatrich Wise. Keion White (two preseason pressures against Houston). Ja’Whaun Bentley blitzing like a Hummer with its brakes cut. Watch out.”
Ha. A whole whiff right here. The Patriots’ 18 sacks are tied for fourth-fewest within the league, as is their 6.5% QB knockdown proportion. Barmore is the one brilliant spot.
Bentley and Wise have not practically matched their output from final season. White and Uche have underwhelmed. I’m taking this L.
The blitz is damaged
Through Week 7, the Patriots protection ranked fourth-worst in strain fee. Naturally, they tried to warmth up quarterbacks by blitzing extra. Instead, these blitzes have had the alternative impact.
Over the final three weeks, in losses to the Dolphins, Commanders and Colts, the Pats allowed the second-highest passer ranking (137.5), third-highest EPA (Expected Points Added) and fourth-highest completion proportion (73.9%) to their opponents when blitzing. After failing to warmth up Washington’s Sam Howell and Indianapolis’ Gardner Minshew within the first half, the Pats all however deserted the blitz within the second half of every recreation. Might they discover extra fixes as they cool off in the course of the bye?
Source: www.bostonherald.com