The protection appeared to virtually quit on the finish of the sport, and the offense struggled to search out its footing when it mattered. As a end result, the New England Patriots received crushed by the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday with a remaining rating of 30-17.
This staff has seemingly began turning right into a bit a of circus the previous few weeks. So, let’s get into our takeaways from the sport.
Coaching considerations
Based on Sunday’s uninspired efficiency, the Patriots appear to be getting worse as a substitute of higher. That is an even bigger reflection of the teaching employees than it’s of the gamers.
The gamers have been making errors, however have they been correctly coached to be in the best spots persistently? This query alone makes you ponder whether or not this employees is the best one to proceed maximizing the Drake Maye window, as he’s solely going to be on his rookie deal for 3 extra seasons. You can’t waste one other certainly one of them with a employees that you just don’t consider is true for the job in all three phases.
When Jerod Mayo seemingly took a shot at Alex Van Pelt for not operating a sneak with Drake Maye on the objective line after the sport, that was a line he shouldn’t cross. It is one which makes you query whether or not or not the job is certainly too huge for him.
Do the Patriots have an id, and is he the man to steer them the place they wish to go? That is a query that we don’t have the reply to proper now, and that is a matter. That isn’t advocating for Mayo to be fired both, however it’s turning into more and more harder to defend him if there isn’t a development from the staff, or from him in entrance of the media.
Not solely did the Patriots come out flat with two weeks to organize, they virtually really feel like the identical staff that began the season, which is unacceptable on this league. It is one factor to lose since you don’t have the expertise, however you want to no less than show some improvement and be aggressive. Those are issues they didn’t do on Sunday, and haven’t accomplished on a constant foundation all 12 months.
If they’ll’t flip it round, they may not have a alternative however to make drastic selections sooner quite than later.
Mental errors on protection
The Patriots can’t get out of their very own means on protection.
They proceed to have unhealthy run suits, with a few of their veteran gamers making selections you shouldn’t see out of them. On James Conner’s 53-yard run within the first quarter, Jabrill Peppers made a horrible learn and let him get exterior of him.
“We had folks there to make the play,” stated head coach Jerod Mayo after the sport. “We had guys there to make the sort out. We simply didn’t provide you with it, and this is the reason I proceed to return to this recreation is about fundamentals with tackling being the most important one there.”
Later within the recreation, linebacker Sione Takitaki received caught dishonest inside and let Conner bounce out for a 17-yard achieve.
There weren’t as many errors within the passing recreation as there have been final recreation in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts. However, the missed tackles and unhealthy angles had been plentiful. Look no additional than Kyler Murray’s 39-yard move to Greg Dortch on a Third-and-11 late within the second quarter to assist arrange a Cardinals subject objective.
This Patriots staff merely appears to have forgotten the way to play protection at occasions; it can’t stand up to the opponent for a full 60 minutes. As famous above, it’s one factor to be outmatched by expertise, however you possibly can’t be much less gifted and fewer disciplined. It falls on the gamers, and it falls on the teaching employees.
Christian Gonzalez continues to be an eraser
The protection had its points on Sunday, however Christian Gonzalez as soon as once more confirmed that he is among the greatest cornerbacks within the NFL. He locked down Marvin Harrison Jr., making a number of move breakups together with a pair of performs ultimately zone.
The preliminary charting has one reception on 5 targets with 2 PBUs, with the one catch being a 23-yarder on a rub route throughout the center. That is a superb effort in opposition to a stable receiver.
Gonzalez ought to clearly be a Pro Bowler this 12 months, and he definitely might be getting near All-Pro standing as effectively. He is the very best the Patriots have to supply this 12 months, alongside…
Drake Maye continues to point out up
The Patriots have a ton of holes on the roster, however they don’t have one at quarterback. Every week, Drake Maye does one thing that’s unbelievable, and exhibits why he’s the long run at quarterback for the staff.
Once once more, he was let down by his offensive line and receivers, however he nonetheless made some spectacular performs. The deep 37-yard completion to Kendrick Bourne within the fourth quarter was dropped right into a bucket, and if Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen had made the following landing move to DeMario Douglas, it could be throughout social media and ESPN.
However, in a 13-point loss these performs didn’t change the result.
The Patriots must do all the things they’ll to get expertise round Maye this offseason, however no less than they’ve the QB. That’s a giant step in the best path for them.
Offensive line is really offensive
One of the locations the place the Patriots want essentially the most assistance is alongside the offensive line.
Vederian Lowe had, by far, his worst recreation of the season on Sunday. He seemed utterly misplaced and overmatched at occasions. Layden Robinson didn’t appear to be the reply at left guard, however Cole Strange stays sidelined, so that they don’t have anybody higher in the meanwhile. Ben Brown couldn’t get the ball again to Drake Maye a number of occasions on Sunday, and struggled together with his run blocking, particularly within the purple zone. The proper facet wasn’t fairly as unhealthy, however it additionally wasn’t notably good both.
The Patriots have to hope that Michael Onwenu can have a greater season subsequent 12 months, David Andrews and Cole Strange get wholesome, and whoever they signal or draft to switch the opposite positions are important upgrades. What they’ve proper now isn’t sufficient to compete on a week-to-week foundation.
Joey Slye vs. Chad Ryland
The Patriots had a coaching camp battle between Joey Slye and Chad Ryland this 12 months, and Slye was fairly clearly the winner. Unfortunately for the Patriots, Slye has been inconsistent as of late, after beginning the 12 months off sturdy, and Ryland has been stable for the Cardinals.
After his newest miss on Sunday, Slye has now has seven missed subject targets on his résumé in comparison with 4 by Ryland; the latter additionally has made a number of game-winning kicks.
Now, Slye hasn’t gotten the possibility to win a recreation on the final second — sorry, I’m not counting the 68 yard try in that — however it’s been powerful to see Ryland enjoying so effectively, particularly when the Patriots spent a premium choose on him final 12 months. Ryland went 3-3 on Sunday, whereas Slye went 1-2.
It was fairly clear in camp that Ryland wanted a change in surroundings, however it appears to have drastically benefited him. Nonetheless, it’s exhausting to take a look at an ever-growing checklist of gamers that they could have improperly evaluated — one which additionally contains Cardinals beginning middle Hjalte Froholdt.
Roughing the passer calls are an issue
The Patriots lastly received a turnover on Sunday when Jonathan Jones picked off Kyler Murray, however it was taken off the board when the referees referred to as Anfernee Jennings for roughing the passer. On the play, Kyler Murray was operating towards the road of scrimmage, and jumped a bit to throw an admittedly ill-advised ball.
You may see that Jennings was leaping to attempt to deflect the move, after which tried to get out of the way in which of Murray as he realized he was about to make contact. The contact wasn’t intentional, however that didn’t matter as a result of they referred to as him for roughing anyway.
The league needs to guard the quarterback, however that decision was powerful to a degree the place even CBS’s Gene Steratore was unable to defend it. Unfortunately, it was simply one other instance of the league defending their offensive gamers, and making it virtually inconceivable to play protection.
No. 3 choose remains to be in sight
The Patriots are nonetheless in place to pick third total in subsequent 12 months’s draft. If they lose out, they may keep in that place, and that might be an excellent factor for them.
It is hard to think about both the New York Giants or Las Vegas Raiders successful a recreation the remainder of the season, however one has to imagine that each of these groups are going to draft a quarterback. That would put the Patriots in good place to draft no matter participant they need at 3 — corresponding to Abdul Carter or Travis Hunter.
Obviously, you wish to see the Patriots win video games. This is a misplaced season, although, and successful won’t be of their greatest curiosity proper now.
The Bad Luck Pats
They say you make your individual luck, and I largely consider that, however the Patriots proceed to be some of the unfortunate groups within the league.
For the second straight recreation, Drake Maye ended up throwing an interception on a move that was dropped by his receiver. The Cardinals additionally scored a landing when Anfernee Jennings knocked the ball out of James Conner’s palms as he was about to cross the airplane, however the ball was recovered by his teammate Jonah Williams ultimately zone. It was an ideal play by Jennings, however led to a landing anyway.
Sometimes, it’s simply that type of day, however it feels prefer it’s been that type of day day by day for the Patriots this 12 months. Again, there’s a purpose why these breaks haven’t gone their means — they’re undisciplined, and never very gifted — however you’d hope to see no less than a number of breaks go their means in some unspecified time in the future.
Well, there’s at all times subsequent week.
Walking right into a buzzsaw?
The Patriots have been struggling offensively, and so they would possibly get a lift subsequent week as a result of the Buffalo Bills have been enjoying horrible protection the previous couple of weeks. The drawback for the Patriots is that the Bills have been completely destroying groups on offense, and will simply dangle 50 on the Patriots subsequent weekend if DeMarcus Covington’s unit doesn’t present enchancment.
The Patriots virtually absolutely aren’t going to win, however I want to see them no less than present that they’re considerably competent. At this level within the season, that’s all that basically issues.
