I like the New England Patriots much more than most this yr. They don’t have any nice wins, however their protection is stout, Rhamondre Stevenson is a delight to observe, and regardless of working with just one significantly succesful receiver — Jakobi Meyers — they’re nonetheless center of the pack when it comes to yards per play (5.4 — seventeenth within the NFL). There’s quite a bit to love about this staff, however neither quarterback Mac Jones nor offensive coordinator Matt Patricia is doing the staff any favors.
During final evening’s recreation in opposition to the Buffalo Bills, a clip surfaced of Jones screaming at somebody off-screen. Lip readers interpreted Jones saying “Throw the fucking ball! Fucking run game sucks!”
After the sport although, Jones addressed the video and implied that he wasn’t speaking in regards to the run recreation, however fairly the “quick game.” The Patriots have been enjoying from behind and Jones believed the staff wanted extra huge, chunk performs fairly than YAC performs and screens behind the road of scrimmage, even when that’s what was working.
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Regardless of what facet of the Patriots’ offense Jones was really speaking about, it raises some critical considerations. The Patriots scored ten factors final evening. Sure, the Bills are a great protection, however they didn’t have Von Miller. They didn’t have Micah Hyde. Gregory Rousseau was in his first recreation again from a excessive ankle sprain. AJ Epenesa was coping with his personal damage from two weeks in the past and solely performed 37 % of the defensive snaps. The Bills weren’t at full energy and but they dominated each aspect of the sport following that Marcus Jones landing.
That doesn’t bode effectively for Mac Jones’ endurance within the NFL. Regardless of Patricia’s ineffectiveness as an offensive play-caller — and he’s fairly rattling ineffective — 10 factors in opposition to a hobbled protection with out their greatest go rusher and All-Pro security is fairly worrisome. If the Patriots need to compete within the daunting AFC East within the close to future, it’s clear that they want a extra succesful quarterback.
HARK! What’s this? Brady is rumored to return to the Patriots subsequent season? This isn’t simply anybody saying this. This rumor was first speculated by The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, a Patriots insider. While the story Howe wrote is merely a listing of locations Brady may go, Howe appeared adamant that his Patriots idea wasn’t just a few take he whipped up out of skinny air. “Don’t ever write off the Patriots,” wrote Howe. “Brady and Bill Belichick still have an abundance of respect for one another. They also spent 23 minutes together in the visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium following Brady’s return in 2021 — an appointment they set up prior to the game. The Patriots are slated to have more than $100 million in cap space in 2023, so they can again address their flaws, this time on the heels of a couple impressive draft classes.”
With no Gisele left in Brady’s path to stop him from enjoying soccer, a return to the staff that loves him greater than something on the earth, a return to the place the place all he had to consider was successful one other Super Bowl, won’t be as far-fetched because it initially appeared. The solely drawback is that Brady would probably desire a say in who was operating his offense, and given the dearth of explosiveness and ingenuity seen this yr, you’ll be able to guess your ass that if Patricia remains to be the staff’s offensive coordinator come 2023, Brady received’t be the staff’s beginning quarterback.
Howe hypothesizes that Brady would have to be snug with whoever’s answerable for the New England offense, and given Brady’s historical past, figuring out Patricia as primarily a defensive thoughts…he’s clearly not the reply. Much extra probably could be the oft-rumored Bill O’Brien or Brady’s secure area, Josh McDaniels, though the Las Vegas Raiders aren’t actually in a monetary place the place they’ll afford to fireplace their head coach.
Regardless of who would change Patricia, it’s clear the previous Detroit Lions HC isn’t the reply. Everyone is aware of it. The Patriots at present rank 18th in supposed air yards per go try (7.4). They are fifth-best in drop proportion (3.5 %). Mac Jones is fifth in completion proportion (68.1 %). And New England has the third-best unhealthy throw proportion within the NFL (11.5 %), but the offense can’t transfer the ball downfield successfully. That’s a horribly ineffective gameplan, and Brady received’t stand for that.
If the Patriots need Brady again, the primary transfer they need to make is eliminating Matt Patricia. It’s so simple as that.