As for Maye himself, this was a bizarre movie to grade as a result of he did so little within the first 2.5 quarters. The rookie did not register a plus play till there was 1:47 remaining within the third quarter together with his workforce down 16-3, primarily as a result of there weren’t many probabilities earlier than that for him to make performs. I cut up the interception between Maye and Boutte. Boutte wanted to catch that ball, and it wasn’t even that far behind him, however Maye was a beat late on the high-low idea (defined above). Eventually, the Pats QB1 noticed some photographs go in with 5 plus-plays within the fourth quarter, ending with six pluses to 4 minuses on this sport total.
The teaching employees is getting a number of warmth, a few of which is warranted. They most likely have good causes for eager to handle Maye, primarily due to their incapacity to guard him if they’ve him hunt huge performs extra usually and run him by design. It’s actually truthful to contemplate the danger at 3-11. With low stakes from outdoors the playoff image, the very last thing this workforce wants is an damage to their most prized asset. Still, there are two different views to contemplate as nicely.
First, dropping stinks. That has to weigh on a younger participant’s thoughts as Maye tries to construct confidence in himself as a viable beginning quarterback on this league. The different truthful query is whether or not or not this teaching employees has the flexibility to amplify Maye’s bodily items to their fullest potential. With finer components, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt may have the ability to cook dinner a greater meal, however finally, we’ll must see it to consider it.
If they’re holding issues again schematically, two divisional video games in opposition to the Bills is perhaps the time to indicate their hand to construct towards 2025.
Quick-Hit Film Notes From Patriots-Cardinals After Further Review
– The Patriots integrated some choice designs the place Maye had post-snap reads or held the bottom with the specter of his arm/legs. Those performs produced positive aspects of 29, 15, and 10 yards, with Gibson’s explosive run being a gap-read design the place Maye is holding the unblocked bottom edge. It’s unclear if Maye actually has the choice to maintain the ball across the nook, however once more, he is integrated into the play as a speeding menace. The different two have been RPOs with screens hooked up to pin-pull and a protracted entice scheme. Although you’d prefer to see them choose some high-leverage spots to make use of them, it no less than speaks to the truth that they’re within the playbook.
– The one display design we are able to all get behind was the 18-yarder to Marcus Jones, the place the Pats used orbit movement and the again launch to create a four-strong aspect with three lead blockers for Jones, who then did the remaining. If they will throw so many perimeter screens, Jones ought to get a number of alternatives to be the first ball provider.
– RB Antonio Gibson was the very best participant on the Patriots offense forcing a team-high 11 missed tackles with 44 speeding yards after contact and 33 yards after the catch. Gibson’s contact stability, decisiveness, and explosive gear make him a terrific zone-scheme again. As we stated earlier than, he is a greater match for this technique than Rhamondre, and he ought to maintain getting touches.
– RB Rhamondre Stevenson seemed brisker coming off the bye week with 54 yards after contact. Seeing him run by an arm deal with on a 12-yard run was good. He was doing that with much less regularity earlier than the bye. He additionally noticed the cutback lane on a 10-yard run and made a doomed 4th-and-2 play work within the first half. But, even with iffy blocking, you’d prefer to see him plow by the road of scrimmage to get the yard on 4th-and-1.
– Rookie LG Layden Robinson was up-and-down, however he stood out extra within the run sport than he did in his final begin vs. Indy. Robinson had a very nice reach-and-turn on a five-yard achieve and helped combo the 1-tech on a Ben Brown pancake (3 yards). You might see a few of that physicality present up on movie, however he was known as for a legit maintain on third-and-5 and whiffed badly on his block on third-and-1 (turnover on downs drive).
– C Ben Brown did not do himself any favors with Cole Strange nearing a return. Brown had two unhealthy snaps and allowed three hurries, together with a rush allowed on Maye’s interception. Brown had some good moments within the run sport, the place he was aggressive, however the move professional and snap points could have reporters asking about Strange’s availability this week.
– LT Vederian Lowe struggled with a sack and three hurries allowed, together with being on the scene for 4 run stuffs, together with whiffing on his block on the 4th-and-1 stuff. Lowe could not deal with Baron Browning’s pace on his sack allowed and struggled to sq. up base blocks within the run sport. The Patriots want to deal with left deal with with a premium asset within the offseason.
– Quiet day on the precise aspect for each RG Mike Onwenu (clear sheet) and RT Trey Jacobs (one hurry). They weren’t examined a lot by a Cardinals entrance that does not have many dudes. But seeing Onwenu with a clear sheet in 16 one-on-one reps was good.
– WR Kayshon Boutte wanted to provide you with that catch on the interception and did not end his route on a deep submit the place Maye had the precise concept with the deep security’s hips pointed within the different route. Boutte ran an excellent route on his 16-yard slant, however his different targets have been shaky.
– WR Kendrick Bourne ran a terrific go route on his 37-yard catch. They ought to be having Maye take no less than one shot to Bourne per sport. It’s there usually sufficient on movie to maintain going to it.
– Teams are beginning to sit throughout TE Hunter Henry on stick-style routes within the Pats quick-game bundle. They did have Henry run a stick-nod, however the Cardinals had the precise protection for it. It’s begging for a double transfer, like an out-and-up of some kind.
– Pass Protection: Lowe (sack, three hurries), Brown (three hurries), Jacobs (hurry), Robinson (hurry), Onwenu (clear sheet).
– As Coach Mayo stated, the Patriots finest participant on protection is second-year CB Christian Gonzalez. The Pats prime first-round choose within the 2023 draft put the straps on the fourth total choose in final 12 months’s draft, Cardinals rookie WR Marvis Harrison Jr. Gonzo lined up throughout from MHJ on 21 routes with 12 reps in man protection the place he allowed one catch for 23 yards on 5 targets with two move breakups. Gonzalez did enable one other 14-yard catch that was worn out by penalty, however the 23-yarder on the primary play from scrimmage was a well-executed choose play by the Cardinals.
On the 4 incompletions into Gonzalez’s protection on Harrison, the Pats CB1 was completely stellar. Gonzalez performed excellent method on all 4 performs, both suffocating the path to the purpose the place Murray did not have anyplace to place the ball or making a terrific move breakup by taking part in the arms from out of section to stop a landing. When we make the All-Pro pitch for Gonzalez, the reps above will go within the presentation, that is for certain – elite cornerback play.
– Nice sport for LB Christian Elliss, the Pats highest-graded defender by PFF, narrowly edging out Gonzo (84.6 total grade). I’d give the sport ball to Gonzalez, however Elliss was an honorable point out. His third-down rep the place he disrupted the crossing route over the center after which chased down a scrambling Kyler was pretty much as good because it will get for a linebacker in zone protection. Overall, Elliss made three stops in protection. The Pats want extra guys rallying to the soccer like Elliss did on Sunday.
– LB Anfernee Jennings was stable in his function. Jennings tied for the workforce lead with three run stuffs and two pressures. He had an efficient long-arm bull rush to stroll the left deal with again into Kyler, however the Cardinals QB made a incredible throw together with his left deal with in his lap to TE Trey McBride—Kyler’s finest throw of the day.
– It’s onerous to decipher whether or not it is the defensive position, linebacker play, or each resulting in struggles vs. the run. Still, the Patriots entrance seven does not press blocks or condense house with sufficient regularity for this two-gapping system. They actually miss Bentley, who was wonderful at bottling up runners. Even if he did not make the deal with, Bentley’s capability to power the ball provider to play in tight quarters allowed others to rally to the ball. With this group, there’s manner an excessive amount of house for runners to make defenders miss on the level of assault. You actually noticed that come into play with Arizona’s gap-heavy run scheme on Sunday.
– LB Jahlani Tavai was amongst those that had an up-and-down efficiency. Tavai had an excellent rep early on in opposition to a power-shovel move for a stuff however was on the scene for a 7-yard run, 5-yard run, two third down conversions, Conner’s final landing run, and he missed an open-field deal with on a display that went for 13 yards. Sione Takitaki was in the same boat, with poor eyes resulting in a vacated edge on a 17-yard run. The reads from the second degree of the protection are inconsistent.
– S Kyle Dugger continues to be shaky in zone protection in the midst of the sector and missed three tackles, together with two because the final line of protection on Conner’s 53-yard run and Dortch’s 39-yard display explosive. Dugger allowed a team-high six catches for 59 yards, struggling to kind by high-low ideas in brief zones. Dugger tends to let his eyes wander in zone, getting caught peeking into the backfield somewhat than finding the receiver in his space. The Pats will want higher from their defensive captain transferring ahead.
– S Jabrill Peppers took duty for taking a foul angle and being caught flat-footed on Conner’s 53-yard run. Peppers was unblocked within the gap with an opportunity to make the cease, however Conner turned on the jets to get by him. Peppers additionally over-ran a run the place Conner bounced outdoors and gained six yards, which ought to’ve been a stuff. He had a virtually two-month layoff resulting from his off-field scenario, so some rust was anticipated, however Peppers does not seem like the identical participant he was earlier than he landed on the commissioner’s exempt record.
– DE Keion White logged two hurries plus drew a holding name together with his signature arm-over transfer speeding over the middle. However, he additionally let Murray out of the pocket with two blown edges and could not get off his block in a two-gapping method on a six-yard run. White is hard to dam within the inside move rush, however his sport nonetheless has some boom-or-bust.
– It’s a disgrace that DT Christian Barmore is not capable of play to his common degree as he works his manner again from blood clots. Nobody was anticipating Barmore to play this season. But he did not register a stress regardless of getting 11 one-on-one reps. You would not have seen that final 12 months and different groups aren’t fearing him because of this. His well being situation is completely the rationale why Barmore has not been as efficient. Nobody is knocking him right here. It’s simply what’s on the movie.
– Down sport for NT Davon Godchaux. He received caught without warning on a wham scheme the place a decent finish pancaked him, which you do not see fairly often for No. 92, and was late taking part in the cutback lane because the shaded nostril deal with a couple of instances. Nobody was significantly efficient in opposition to the run, however Godchaux did not play as much as his common normal on this one. In my opinion, the three run stuffs he logged have been a bit deceiving.
– QB Pressures: White (two hurries), Jennings (two hurries), Dugger (hurry), Ekuale (hurry), Wise (hurry). Run stops: Jennings (3), Godchaux (3), Dugger (2), Tavai, Johnson, Peppers (1).
– Coverage: Dugger (7/6/59 yards), M. Jones (3/3/46 yards), Pettus (1/1/29 yards), Gonzalez (6/2/28 yards/2 PBUs), Tavai (4/4/23 yards), Peppers (2/2/20 yards), J. Jones (4/4/15 yards), Austin (1/1/9 yards), Takitaki (1/1/3 yards), Elliss (1/1/0 yards).
