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For all the issues with the New England Patriots of their season-opening, 20-13 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, none is extra vital than the struggles of the offense.
Certain, the protection and particular groups had some points, too. However the Pats offense barely looked better than the bottom-five items they’ve trotted out on that facet of the ball lately. In order we glance again on some big-picture takeaways from the opener, let’s begin there.
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Coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots deliberate on having a balanced offense. The pondering was that they had been going to run the ball greater than most groups in a league that has more and more been outlined by the way you move the ball.
So how, then, did they find yourself sending Drake Maye again to move 53 occasions, probably the most dropbacks of any quarterback in Week 1?
You may argue that the operating sport wasn’t ok to depend on. The rating additionally performed a task.
Vrabel admitted that the staff’s lack of success on the bottom was a consider calling that many passes. However the Patriots aren’t constructed to drop again 50-plus occasions on a wet afternoon and count on success.
It is a staff that should maintain lengthy drives with a troublesome operating sport, then complement it with play-action passes. In the event you’re in search of a constructive from Sunday, Maye was 7-of-10 for 71 yards on play-action. That space works.
However Sunday confirmed that Maye isn’t able to be the point of interest of an offense, commanding a unit that’s primarily based on the passing sport. He wants assist. Which leads us to …
The Patriots had one run of greater than 7 yards, and it got here on a play when TreVeyon Henderson bounced what appeared like a tush push out extensive for 14 yards. Exterior of that, there was little room for a bunch of operating backs that ought to be among the many staff’s prime playmakers.
It’s straightforward to say that Rhamondre Stevenson was the issue since Henderson affords extra juice to a hapless offense, however Stevenson did all he may Sunday behind unhealthy blocking. He completed with seven carries for 15 yards, 17 of which got here after contact.
In brief, the run blocking was an enormous concern. Will Campbell was the Patriots’ lone offensive lineman who completed with an above-average run-blocking grade from Professional Soccer Focus. For an O-line whose power is meant to be in that space, this was a tough debut.
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Coordinator Josh McDaniels’ offense is advanced. It asks the quarterback to run the present. Make checks on the line of scrimmage. Transfer run performs. Name audibles.
Typically final yr, the Patriots stored coaching wheels on Maye and restricted what he may do on the line.
This season, they’re taking the other method. And after Maye struggled within the opener, it’s price questioning if he has an excessive amount of on his plate?
“I believe now we have to judge that,” Vrabel mentioned. “We have now to seek out out, is there one thing there? Or we’ve simply bought to determine what our guys do finest and try this. … We simply ensure that we’re giving him solutions by attempting to not give him an excessive amount of. I believe that’s at all times the stability and the wonderful line.”
The primary sport steered an fascinating depth chart at extensive receiver. The 23-year-old Boutte performed 82 % of the offensive snaps in comparison with 63 % for DeMario Douglas, 56 % for Mack Hollins and a mere 41 % for Stefon Diggs.
And it wasn’t simply the taking part in time that advised the story of Boutte being the Patriots’ No. 1 receiver. He had six receptions on eight targets for 103 yards, all staff highs.
Diggs had six catches for 57 yards, however the huge query is whether or not he’ll proceed to be the No. 4 receiver when it comes to taking part in time.
The Patriots despatched a blitz on 16 of 40 Raiders dropbacks Sunday, a surprisingly excessive 40 %.
Throughout Vrabel’s time with the Titans, Tennessee had the second-lowest blitz price within the league. When Vrabel confronted Geno Smith in 2023, he solely blitzed 15 % of the time.
So this was a shock, and it’s most likely not one thing Vrabel needs to proceed. The guess right here is that it was necessitated by the absence of Christian Gonzalez exterior, hoping that strain on Smith would velocity up his decision-making whereas the Pats patched issues collectively on the again finish.
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Whereas the blitz did yield 4 sacks, Smith additionally averaged 12.2 yards per move in opposition to it in comparison with 9.7 when he wasn’t blitzed.
“You’ll be able to’t dwell in a blitz world,” Vrabel mentioned.
Rookie free security Craig Woodson had a powerful debut, exhibiting why the teaching employees was keen to chop Jabrill Peppers as they search to present the fourth-round decide loads of taking part in time.
Jaylinn Hawkins, however, struggled because the starter reverse Woodson and was overwhelmed badly on the sport’s first landing.
So long as Gonzalez is out, the Pats want extra from Hawkins.
“He blitzed properly, discovered the quarterback and was in nice place on the tip ball (interception),” Vrabel mentioned. “Then some missed tackles confirmed up, and people issues now we have to right.”
The excellent news in move safety from the offensive line? Garrett Bradbury didn’t permit a strain in his first sport because the beginning heart, and rookie Will Campbell surrendered 4 (which may’ve been loads worse in his first sport at left deal with).
On the opposite finish of the spectrum, third-round rookie left guard Jared Wilson gave up six pressures, in accordance with PFF, a reasonably poor efficiency contemplating guards often permit fewer pressures than tackles.
Christian Barmore performed 47 of 63 defensive snaps. Milton Williams performed 49.
There was no easing within the staff’s high-priced defensive tackles, and the early returns had been constructive.
Barmore had a pair of run stuffs and a QB hurry. Williams had 4 pressures, the second most on the staff behind Harold Landry.
(Photograph: Mike Stobe / Getty Photographs)
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Chad Graff is a senior author for The Athletic masking the New England Patriots since 2022 after 5 years on the Minnesota Vikings beat. Graff joined The Athletic in January 2018 after masking a little bit of every little thing for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He gained the Professional Soccer Writers of America’s 2022 Bob Oates Award for beat writing. He is a New Hampshire native and an adjunct professor of journalism at Northeastern College. Observe Chad on Twitter @ChadGraff
