Sunday’s matchup between the Patriots and Dolphins options two groups already seeking to flip round their seasons in Week 2.
The Patriots and Dolphins each acquired off to disappointing begins. Some members of the Patriots’ fanbase are already beginning to panic.
Let’s speak them down a bit on this week’s Patriots mailbag.
@DeansDesk: How nervous ought to we be about Drake Maye?
Week 1 is just too early to be nervous about Maye, however we are able to’t simply assume that this big leap is coming till we see it.
Maye confirmed enchancment throughout the spring over OTAs and minicamp. However there wasn’t an apparent upward trajectory throughout coaching camp and the preseason. After which Maye regarded like, in some methods, a much less harmful model of himself from final 12 months in Week 1.
We have to see critical development from Maye throughout the course of this season. That’s how Josh Allen’s second season performed out with the Payments, after which he was one of many NFL’s prime quarterbacks in Yr 3. Allen was additionally coming into the league far much less developed than Maye. So, the profession arcs are positively completely different, and anticipating Maye to change into Allen, a perennial MVP candidate, is unrealistic.
One ultimate factor: It is smart that the Patriots wish to defend Maye and maintain him away from pointless hits, but when he’s already fighting accuracy and determination making, taking away his explosive-play capability on the bottom will solely additional hamper the offense. Maye can’t run on each play, however he can also’t be scared to take off.
@Scott2345: what have been your ideas on Diggs week 1 efficiency? and do you assume it will get higher because the season goes alongside?
I used to be personally shocked that Stefon Diggs solely performed 40 of 71 snaps. He appeared able to tackle a full workload whereas talking to the media final Wednesday. He completed behind Kayshon Boutte and DeMario Douglas and solely two snaps forward of Mack Hollins in whole offensive snaps towards the Raiders.
That being stated, I assumed he regarded fantastic. It’s truthful to query if he generally is a bona fide No. 1 large receiver, nevertheless.
Catching six passes on seven targets for 57 yards given his diminished snap rely is comparatively spectacular. Extrapolate that over a full season and also you’re speaking about practically 1,000 yards.
I feel he’ll get higher and extra snug because the season goes alongside
@boom80517: This isn’t an over response, everyone knows work was not completed on the WR room, however Sunday was a stark reminder. We nonetheless don’t have anybody on offense with any form of gravity. Which WRs ought to we be watching in case they shake free? Ceedee Lamb is the dream! Anybody else?
Let’s be truthful, something after Week 1 is a slight overreaction.
However, yeah, finally the Patriots might want to go all-in on a respectable prime large receiver, whether or not that’s via the draft or a commerce, as a result of these kinds of gamers by no means hit free company.
Sometimes, gamers are traded after Yr 3. If the Patriots have been to commerce for a large receiver subsequent offseason, they’d be trying on the 2023 NFL Draft class. It wasn’t a very robust one for large receivers.
@Nuggsy_Bogue: Ought to we count on Kayshon Boutte to proceed to see quite a lot of targets every week
Sure, nevertheless it’s in all probability unreasonable to count on him to go off for 100 yards every week.
Boutte led all Patriots large receivers in snaps in Week 1. He was additionally enjoying practically each offensive snap final season, as properly. It’s clear that Mike Vrabel, Josh McDaniels and final 12 months’s teaching workers all belief Boutte as a blocker.
I nonetheless like Boutte’s upside. He regarded like the subsequent nice LSU large receiver early in his faculty profession. Accidents and off-field points slowed him, however he’s feeling good, and the teaching workers praised his maturity and professionalism this complete offseason.
@Patsfan19838268: After watching final night time Vikings offense wrestle severely till the run recreation acquired going vs our 13 factors with no run recreation and caught in mud, do you see the run recreation as an important a part of the upcoming recreation(s) to assist Drake Maye?
Sure, enhancing and sticking with the run recreation ought to assist the complete offense immensely.
Let’s additionally level out that McCarthy made a number of large performs within the fourth quarter of that recreation and put his workforce on his shoulders to win. We all know that Maye can try this, nevertheless it was one thing that he lacked in Sunday’s loss to the Vikings.
@BobRyan1978: Do you assume we will likely be seeing extra Kyle Williams and Efton Chism as an alternative of fellows like Mack Hollins? If not this week, how lengthy will it take for a spark plug like Chism to not be a wholesome scratch? #MailDoug
The one actual path for Chism to see vital enjoying time could be on the expense of DeMario Douglas, since each gamers are primarily slot receivers. Douglas didn’t have an ideal recreation on Sunday, however I might be shocked if the Patriots have been keen to make a swap there this quickly.
And Hollins performed practically the entire Patriots’ speeding snaps. So, clearly the Patriots worth his position as a blocker within the run recreation. Hollins is a a lot larger participant than Williams, so as soon as once more, I’d be shocked if the Patriots have been keen to make a swap there this early.
That being stated, Williams is a speedy, big-play menace at large receiver, and it’s actually value carving out a number of snaps to present him a much bigger position.
@AndrewAM18: Ought to we begin panicking concerning the Move protection?
The Patriots have been enjoying with out their finest cross defender final week with Christian Gonzalez out. So, it’s too early to panic concerning the cross protection.
I assumed Carlton Davis and Alex Austin performed properly, and the Patriots generated considerably extra cross rush than final 12 months’s protection.
@Michael81267864: Will we run the ball greater than 12 occasions towards Miami?
They completely must. The Patriots’ run blocking was severely missing towards the Raiders, however rookie operating again TreVeyon Henderson particularly must see greater than 5 carries this week towards the Dolphins.
He’s a big-play menace each time he touches the ball, and he can maintain shifting ahead via contact.
