FOXBORO — There had been warning indicators this summer time that the Patriots offense wasn’t immediately going to show from inept right into a juggernaut.
But it was additionally straightforward to disregard them — the early-summer red-zone struggles, quarterback Mac Jones’ lack of ability to hit a receiver deep in stride, JuJu Smith-Schuster’s quiet camp, persistent strain from a battered and continually shifting offensive line — with the sheer quantity of optimism emanating from Patriots gamers with a seemingly competent offensive coordinator taking on for Matt Patricia and Joe Judge in Bill O’Brien. Players had been smiling. Offensive gamers had been hyping up Jones’ progress. The group was celebrating in observe and having enjoyable. The stink of 2022 had worn off and the unit was beginning anew by difficult what was anticipated to be a stout protection earlier than accidents modified these plans.
Now previous the halfway level within the season with a 2-7 report, the Patriots’ offense is someway taking part in considerably worse than they carried out in 2022 when it appeared just like the post-Tom Brady period had hit all-time low. It sadly hadn’t.
The Patriots ranked twenty fourth in anticipated factors added (EPA) per play at -0.047 in 2022. They’re thirtieth this yr at -0.162. They had a 41.1% success price final season. That mark stands at 40.9% this season. Their dropback EPA per play was twenty second at -0.026 final yr. Now they’re twenty ninth at -0.162. They had been twenty first in rush EPA per play in 2022. Now they’re twenty fifth.
So, what precisely triggered the Patriots to not dwell as much as the optimism that surrounded the unit three months in the past?
“I don’t think you can point to one thing,” O’Brien stated. “At the end of the day we haven’t played on a consistent level at all. We have to do a better job of being more consistent all the way around. We have a really good group of guys. They work really hard. There’s no finger-pointing going on, anything like that. We watch the tape, we try to get better, they work hard to get better. And the results just haven’t been there. We have to continue to — there’s no substitute for hard work. We can’t all of a sudden just not working at all. We just have to continue to work at it. There’s a lot of ball left. And let’s see if we can get better starting this week.”
Jones has regressed for the second straight yr. The Patriots changed Jakobi Meyers with JuJu Smith-Schuster. And head coach Bill Belichick didn’t make a transfer to repair an offensive line that already struggled to guard Jones in 2022, substituting Riley Reiff, Calvin Anderson, Vederian Lowe and rookies Sidy Sow and Atonio Mafi for Isaiah Wynn, Marcus Cannon and Yodny Cajuste. Reiff was moved from proper deal with to protect early in camp, Anderson was benched then positioned on injured reserve, and Lowe was benched after being acquired from the Vikings in a commerce weeks earlier than Week 1. Since shifting Mike Onwenu to proper deal with and inserting Sow at proper guard, the offensive line has settled extra. But extensive receiver Kendrick Bourne is out for the season with a torn ACL, Smith-Schuster has not lived as much as his offseason hype, and DeVante Parker noticed his snaps diminished for Eagles first-round castoff Jalen Reagor earlier than lacking Week 9 with a concussion.
“I think you start with turnovers,” tight finish Hunter Henry opined about why the Patriots haven’t performed as much as their potential. “Turnovers are one thing that obviously hold back any offense no matter how good of an offense it is. That’s hurt us. And a lot of those turnovers too have given the other team points. So you can kind of point to that right away. Not being great in situational football and specifically probably third down. Just staying on the field and sustaining drives. We just haven’t been good in those areas. Clean those things up, and we can finish stronger.”
The Patriots rank twenty eighth in turnover differential this season. They have the league’s ninth-most turnovers. They’re twenty seventh in third-down dialog proportion at 33.05%. It’s virtually all unhealthy.
“Just being consistent and trying to work together,” Jones stated about his offense’s struggles. “We’ve got some young guys playing. And just making sure we’re all on the same page and out there executing every week. Like I said, each week is different. It’s important to understand what we need to do this week. That’s where our focus is. Communication needs to be up there. Make everybody be on the same page, and then it’s pretty good.”
The Patriots had two rookies — Sow and extensive receiver Demario Douglas — beginning Sunday’s loss to the Commanders. Two second-year execs — left guard Cole Strange and extensive receiver Tyquan Thornton — additionally performed vital snaps. And Reagor joined the group after coaching camp.
If the Patriots can play extra constant, and if they’ll restrict turnovers, and if they’ll enhance on third down and if they impart higher, then maybe they’ll put a greater product on the sphere. But with seven losses by way of 9 weeks, the Patriots are already previous the purpose of no return. They at the moment have <1% odds of constructing the playoffs, per The New York Times’ mannequin.
If the Patriots convey again the identical offensive core in 2024, they received’t idiot anybody right into a false sense of optimism.
Source: www.bostonherald.com