The Patriots offense is unequivocally, basically, horribly, plainly and irretrievably damaged.
Ready for this?
The Pats have scored three factors of their final two video games. They haven’t scored a landing in 34 straight drives. They’ve arrange camp contained in the purple zone simply as soon as since Week 2.
More?
According to superior metrics, the Patriots personal the NFL’s worst move offense and its worst rush offense. Mac Jones has been benched in two straight video games and allowed Zach Wilson to lap him as a functioning NFL quarterback. Somehow, between the 2 of them, Jones is now the skittish and erratic ticking turnover bomb.
Jones can’t assist himself. He’s already thrown as many pick-sixes at Gillette Stadium as Tom Brady did. Not that Jones is solely liable for the catastrophe round him.
The Patriots’ offensive line permits probably the most strain within the league. Their wideouts generate the least quantity of separation, per Next Gen Stats, whereas star operating again Rhamondre Stevenson is breaking tackles at a 33% decrease price than he did final season.
And but probably the most damning a part of Sunday’s 34-0 dwelling shutout, the most important in franchise historical past that by itself appeared to interrupt Jones as a participant and any remaining perception in coach Bill Belichick, was the shortage of battle.
The Saints punked the Patriots. Coming off a 35-point defeat in Dallas, an entire shame by each metric and measure, the Pats suffered an excellent higher humiliation in their very own stadium. New Orleans steamrolled them, manhandling Belichick’s defensive entrance and knifing by means of his offensive line.
The Saints didn’t want a miracle to make historical past in Foxboro. They merely waited for Jones to implode, then bullied the remainder of his shell-shocked staff. New Orleans hit repeatedly and once more, earlier than lastly granting the Patriots the one allowable mercy within the NFL: kneeling the clock out.
Of course, the sport was over lengthy earlier than then. Belichick surrendered with 9:55 left within the third quarter when he known as for the punt staff as an alternative of trying to transform fourth-and-3. The Patriots trailed by 24 at New Orleans’ 40-yard line, as wonderful a launching pad as any for a comeback, particularly contemplating the Pats by no means noticed that discipline place once more.
Belichick stop on that drive and the sport; a alternative his gamers may quickly make for him in the event that they proceed to be humiliated for much longer.
Here’s what else movie revealed about Sunday’s loss:
Mac Jones
12-of-22 for 110 yards, 2 INTs, 2 sacks
Accurate throw proportion: 57.1%
Under strain: 4-of-8 for 40 yards, INT, 2 sacks
Against the blitz: 3-of-3 for 16 yards
Behind the road: 2-of-2 for five yards
0-9 yards downfield: 6-of-8 for twenty-four yards
10-19 yards downfield: 3-of-8 for 57 yards
20+ yards downfield: 1-of-3 for twenty-four yards
Notes: Another calamitous efficiency.
Jones killed the Pats’ first sequence with two overthrows in opposition to man protection. His pick-six on the second drive tipped us off this might be one other recreation the place he crumbled below strain. On the Patriots’ third possession, Jones hit his longest move of the day, a 24-yarder to Demario Douglas, then was intimidated into a brief completion on third-and-long due to blitz strain.
The Saints returned to man-to-man protection on the subsequent third-and-long snaps, each unanswered sideline prayers from Jones to DeVante Parker that ended drives. One was a close to decide. In the third quarter, Jones threw one other close to interception that was batted on the line. Around that throw, he rushed into checkdowns whereas different targets sprang open downfield.
Aside from snaps when he was well-protected and confronted zone protection, he fully turtled. Jones didn’t see the sphere effectively, and when he did, bother nonetheless adopted.
On his final dropback, a tipped interception late within the third quarter, Jones stared down supposed receiver Ty Montgomery. He led the Saints secondary on to Montgomery’s deep crossing route and one other turnover. Jones is a flatly damaged passer.
Critical areas
- Turnovers: Patriots 3, Saints 0
- Explosive play price: Patriots 3.9%, Saints 5.7%
- Success price: Patriots 22%, Saints 37%
- Red-zone effectivity: Patriots 0-0, Saints 3-4
- Defensive strain price: Patriots 24.1%, Saints 39.4%
Offense
Author’s observe: The following personnel and play-calling statistics solely seize drives led by Mac Jones, who was benched going through a 31-point deficit with 13:03 remaining.
Game plan
- Personnel breakdown: 79% of snaps in 11 personnel, 18% snaps in 12 personnel, 3% in 21 personnel.***
- Personnel manufacturing: 3.9 yards/play in 11 personnel, 1.7 yards/play in 12 personnel, 0 yards/play in 21 personnel.
- First-down down play-calls: 65% move (6.3 yards per play), 35% run (3.0 yards per play)
- Play-action price: 21.2%
Player stats
- Broken tackles: Rhamondre Stevenson, Ezekiel Elliott
- Pressure allowed: LG Atonio Mafi 4 (sack, QB hit, 2 hurries), RT Vederian Lowe 3 (QB hit, 2 hurries), LT Trent Brown 2 (sack, hurry), C David Andrews 1 (QB hit), RG Riley Reiff 1 (hurry), Team 1 (QB hit)
- Run stuffs allowed: LT Trent Brown, C David Andrews, RT Vederian Lowe, Team
- Penalties: WR Kendrick Bourne (false begin x2), RB Ty Montgomery (unlawful shift), ST Matthew Slater (unlawful block, unlawful contact on a punt)
- Drops: None
Notes
- Were it not for Jones’ benching and the continuing, historic ineptitude, the story Sunday can be how the Patriots misplaced their highest-paid receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster), most explosive participant (Demario Douglas) and prime offensive lineman (proper guard Mike Onwenu) to harm.
- Without them, it turns into more and more doubtless this offense has but to hit all-time low and will sink even additional this weekend at Las Vegas. Last season, Jones performed his worst recreation of the season versus the Raiders, one other man-heavy protection that disguises effectively. But that’s if he begins this weekend.
- It’s attainable Belichick will flip to Bailey Zappe for a change of tempo or to ship a message to the remainder of the roster that Jones’ continued turnover woes are unacceptable. If he does, there isn’t a proof Zappe will provide an enchancment.
- Zappe has thrown an correct move on 41.2% of his makes an attempt this season, per Pro Football Focus, the bottom determine within the NFL. On Sunday, he additionally completed with a decrease success price and anticipated QBR than Jones.
- It’s value remembering Patriots additionally minimize Zappe simply six weeks in the past after a disappointing summer time, and have cycled by means of a number of backups since (Matt Corral, Ian Book and Will Grier) to mild a fireplace below him. In that point, Zappe’s inaccuracy and decision-making don’t seem to have improved.
- Whoever’s below middle, he’ll want Bill O’Brien to assist the receivers unstick themselves from man protection. Against the Saints, the Patriots’ passing offense went 3-of-13 for 15 yards, an interception, one sack and 0 first downs versus man-to-man.
- This continues a troubling pattern for a receiving corps that may’t shake 1-on-1 matchups persistently sufficient, although Jones’ erratic play and poor safety additionally factored in to these numbers.
- One of Jones’ completions in opposition to man-to-man, a 1-yard flat throw to Smith-Schuster that opened the second half, highlighted two basic issues for this offense: Jones’ lack of chemistry with a prime receiver and the very fact the Pats are bungling fundamental ideas.
- O’Brien known as a “Dragon” or “slant-flat,” a two-man idea the place the slot receiver darts into the flat and the perimeter receiver runs a criss-crossing slant route. Jones completed his 3-step drop on time, then unusually hesitated, which allowed Smith-Schuster’s defender to get better and crack him on the finish of a 1-yard acquire.
- On a previous snap, Smith-Schuster took additional steps on a curl route as he pitter-pattered his approach upfield, which disrupted the timing of the play pressured Jones to look elsewhere.
- The incapacity to execute fundamental passing ideas on time is likely one of the many causes O’Brien’s offense has come overly simplified. Another?
- Horrible line play. Up entrance, roughly one-quarter of designed run performs once more went for unfavourable yards or no acquire. The Pats tried to get Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott on the perimeter with just a few pin-and-pull runs that had middle David Andrews and the playside offensive deal with on the transfer to guide block.
- Except these performs, like their extra widespread runs, went nowhere. And now that Elliott and Stevenson rank among the many league’s worst backs at forcing missed tackles, the Patriots’ operating recreation has gone as darkish as their passing recreation.
- Of observe: a few of these designs requested tight finish Pharaoh Brown to deal with a defensive finish 1-on-1. Bad thought.
- Among different objects on their speedy to-do listing, the Patriots want a brand new proper deal with as a result of no appropriate starter seems to be on the roster. Making Calvin Anderson, who began the season opener, a wholesome scratch pregame signifies the employees sees him as their fourth-best choice at deal with, now that Riley Reiff is again on the energetic roster.
- Not that Reiff has even had time to play deal with. He changed Onwenu at proper guard within the first half, then spelled rookie left guard Atonio Mafi for a small stretch.
- Mafi performed his worst recreation as a professional, and along with Cole Strange has made the left guard place as troubling as proper deal with.
Defense
Game plan
- Personnel breakdown: 40% three-safety nickel package deal, 28% base, 16% three-corner nickel, 15% dime, 1% goal-line.****
- Coverage snaps breakdown: 71% zone, 29% man
- Blitz price: 31%
- Blitz efficacy: 9.8 yards allowed per dropback
Player stats
- Interceptions: None
- Pass deflections: CB Shaun Wade
- Pressure: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (sack), DB Myles Bryant (sack)
- Run stuffs: None
- Missed tackles: DL Keion White 2, LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, S Kyle Dugger, S Adrian Phillips, OLB Anfernee Jennings, DL Christian Barmore, DL Sam Roberts
- Penalties: DL Christian Barmore (holding)
Notes
- Before Sunday, the Saints hadn’t scored a landing on 20 straight possessions. They ranked among the many NFL’s worst red-zone groups. The Pats cured them of each these points.
- On its third drive, New Orleans pounded its strategy to the tip zone with three straight run performs that started with a first-and-goal snap from the Patriots’ 8-yard line. The Saints had been merely unafraid.
- They’d slipped on their first two possessions, with a Jimmy Graham drop on third down and a blown task in blitz pickup that might have negated Ja’Whaun Bentley’s sack on the primary drive. Bentley flew proper by a fullback that had been positioned within the precise hole he blitzed.
- After Bentley’s sack, quarterback Derek Carr loved a roomy pocket nearly all afternoon. The Saints allowed simply 4 hurries, and a Myles Bryant protection sack that ought to have been averted with a throwaway after 3.5 seconds within the pocket.
- Otherwise, Carr went 5-of-9 for 88 yards in opposition to the blitz and couldn’t be bothered by a four-man rush. The Pats missed Matt Judon dearly, as new lead move rusher Josh Uche tallied only one hurry. As a protection, they’ve didn’t crack a 25% strain price in back-to-back video games.
- In the secondary, newly-reacquired cornerback J.C. Jackson performed 36 snaps. The Patriots rotated him in after Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant earned the beginning nods.
- Jackson seemed a half-step slower from his final stint in Foxboro, when he ranked among the many leagues’ greatest corners. The Saints comfortably took 1-on-1 photographs in opposition to him and all the Patriots’ corners, together with a protracted throw to Chris Olave the place Olave solely landed one foot inbounds.
- Veteran security Adrian Phillips received uncovered on just a few snaps, taking a stiff arm from Taysom Hill on an prolonged run play and shedding an angle on different catch-and-run performs. He’s but to play greater than 20 snaps in a recreation.
- The Patriots had been pressured to play extra base protection (3-4 personnel) whereas the Saints efficiently ran the clock out over the second half. New Orleans attacked this group by means of the air and powered by means of it earlier than puncturing a goal-line package deal on its landing.
- Rough recreation for Bentley in protection. Worse outing for rookie Keion White and defensive tackles Davon Godchaux and Lawrence Guy, who received pushed round.
- Sixth-round rookie cornerback Ameer Speed, a core particular teamer, noticed his first defensive snaps of the season within the second half.
Studs
N/A
Duds
Offense
A whole and utter calamity.
Defense
The conventional stats fail to seize how New Orleans managed play in opposition to Belichick’s. Short runs, lengthy throws, the Saints performed the precise clock-killing recreation they needed.
Special groups
Penalties, a missed discipline objective and a muffed punt. Hey, at the very least they didn’t get fooled on a faux additional level this time.
Statistics for passing depth, damaged tackles and missed tackles courtesy of Pro Football Focus.
*Explosive performs are outlined as runs of 10-plus yards and passes of 20-plus yards. Explosive play price is likely one of the most strongly correlated metrics with wins and losses.
**Success price is an effectivity metric measuring how typically an offense stayed on schedule. A play is profitable when it features at the very least 40% of yards-to-go on first down, 60% of yards-to-go on second down and 100% of yards-to-go on third or fourth down.
***11 personnel = one operating again, one tight finish; 12 personnel = one operating again, two tight ends; 13 personnel = one operating again, three tight ends; 21 = two halfbacks, one tight finish; 22 = two halfbacks, two tight ends.
****Base protection = 4 defensive backs; nickel protection = 5 defensive backs; dime protection = six defensive backs; goal-line protection = three defensive backs; greenback protection = seven defensive backs.
Source: www.bostonherald.com