Sufficient about Drake Maye for a minute.
Mike Vrabel, too.
The Patriots are 9-2 due to them, sure, but additionally as a result of they’re wholesome, squeezing probably the most out of their expertise and receiving contributions from everywhere in the roster.
So, right here’s a thought on all 53 energetic Patriots gamers who’ve helped kind a real Tremendous Bowl contender.
QB Drake Maye
The Gillette Stadium crowd was proper the opposite evening towards the Jets. Maye is the league’s MVP getting into Week 12.
QB Joshua Dobbs
On Dobbs’ solely completion this season, he evaded a robust Titans cross rush on third down and hit DeMario Douglas for a 12-yard achieve that moved the chains. It additionally ALLOWED Drake Maye time to return from concussion protocol and sustained a scoring drive. Dobbs could not throw one other cross this yr, however he’s been a really perfect backu; a cerebral, skilled veteran who stays prepared at a second’s discover.
QB Tommy DeVito
Prepare to listen to quite a bit about DeVito subsequent week forward of the Pats’ Monday evening kickoff towards the Giants. That recreation will probably be a reunion for him and vp of participant personnel Ryan Cowden, who was in New York final yr and sure vouched for DeVito earlier than the Patriots claimed him off waivers in late August.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Stevenson’s toe harm could show to be a blessing if it helps maintain him recent down the stretch. He’s suffered from burnout and unhealthy harm luck on the finish of every of the final three seasons.
RB TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson’s long-awaited breakout is a credit score to his persistence and the teaching workers taking its time with a younger participant who regarded a bit overwhelmed in September and early October. The 23-year-old nonetheless isn’t probably the most environment friendly or affected person runner, however he’s creating, and his explosive runs are properly well worth the meager positive factors in between. Consider a home-run hitter who has a low batting common however when he connects will get his crew on the board.
RB Terrell Jennings
Jennings is among the greatest tales on the crew, a younger, highly effective runner who endured homelessness as a toddler rising up within the Jacksonville space, then performed school ball at Florida A&M, an FCS faculty, later made the Patriots’ follow squad popping out of coaching camp and earned a promotion to the energetic roster.
FB Jack Westover
The Patriots nonetheless aren’t bowling over defenses such as you would hope once they play with a fullback, however Westover is amongst their most improved offensive gamers. He not too long ago helped key wins over the Browns and Falcons.
WR Stefon Diggs
Diggs is monitoring for the seventh 1,000-yard season of his profession, an unbelievable feat coming off an ACL tear at 31. However put aside the stats.
This quote from Josh McDaniels about Diggs’ affect speaks loudest: “I feel he’s been a extremely good man for our younger gamers to look at work, watch through the course of the day, how he prepares. After which definitely, clearly, his affect on our crew. On the follow area. Throughout the course of the sport. There’s an vitality and an depth about him that by no means stops. I respect that as a coach as a result of it’s a protracted season.”
WR Kayshon Boutte
I’ve stated it earlier than, I’ll say it once more: Boutte has matured greater than any younger participant I’ve coated in New England. Kudos to him for what ought to end as a profession yr due to an angle adjustment.
WR Mack Hollins
Hollins’ 387 receiving yards are already greater than he’s had in every other yr of his profession besides one. That was 2022, when he caught a career-high 57 passes for 690 yards and 4 touchdowns in Las Vegas. His head coach? Josh McDaniels.
WR DeMario Douglas
Perhaps probably the most well-liked participant within the constructing. And let’s get extra designed touches for him, please.
WR Kyle Williams
There’s no denying Williams’ velocity or his lack of manufacturing (two catches on 10 targets because the opener). I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s a wholesome scratch for an enormous upcoming recreation, common season or playoffs.
WR Efton Chism III
A developmental, back-end-of-the-roster participant whose greatest soccer is forward of him. Any actual contribution this yr is gravy.
TE Hunter Henry
One of many steadiest performers and personalities within the locker room. And Henry may feast Sunday towards a Bengals protection that ranks second-worst within the league at defending tight ends.
TE Austin Hooper
With out Hooper, the Patriots couldn’t play via conventional 12 personnel (one operating again, two tight ends), their second-most frequent personnel grouping this yr. That compelled McDaniels to deploy some rarely-used teams that featured six offensive linemen and 4 extensive receivers. Hopefully these short-term wrinkles — which largely labored — aren’t forgotten down the stretch.
TE CJ Dippre
Congrats to Dippre, an undrafted rookie, on being signed off the follow squad this week. He’s a greater run-blocker than receiver.
LT Will Campbell
Campbell’s tape has been removed from spotless, however the truth he’s supplying the Patriots with league-average play as a 21-year-old is a stunner. The historical past of rookie offensive linemen beginning within the NFL — even top-5 picks like Campbell — is ugly.
LG Jared Wilson
Wilson is coming off the most effective recreation of his younger profession, a welcome signal for an offensive line that’s let Maye really feel an excessive amount of stress the previous few weeks. It’s additionally simple to neglect Wilson, a school heart, transitioned to a brand new place simply months in the past.
C Garrett Bradbury
An ignored chief on offense, Bradbury is a great, affable veteran. In a significant upset, he’s additionally allowed the fewest pressures of any beginning offensive lineman.
RG Mike Onwenu
Had been it not for the 4 performs he sat out in rubbish time of the Tennessee win, Onwenu would be part of Bradbury as the one Patriots participant to take 100% of their offensive snaps.
RT Morgan Moses
The poster little one (man?) for the Patriots’ new emphasis on participant relaxation through the week and over the summer time in coaching camp. Moses has but to overlook a recreation, after lacking three in every of the previous two years.
OT Vederian Lowe
Lowe has as many profession catches as 2024 fourth-round decide Javon Baker, and if he ever snags one other landing, he’ll match Ja’Lynn Polk profession touchdowns as a Patriot.
G/C Ben Brown
Enjoyable truth: Brown can play the trombone. He as soon as performed a highschool recreation, then remained on the sphere in uniform at halftime so he may carry out with the marching band.
OT Marcus Bryant
Ideally, Bryant by no means performs this season — that means Campbell and Moses keep wholesome — then vies for the Patriots’ swing deal with job once more subsequent yr.
OL Caedan Wallace
An expert wholesome scratch with zero recreation appearances, Wallace continues to carry his roster spot after sitting squarely on the bubble all summer time.
OLB Harold Landry
Landry is hard, tireless and a high-character participant. However the bye week can’t come quickly sufficient for him, as he offers with an harm and performs 78% of all defensive snaps; fourth-highest on the crew. Landry had zero pressures final week towards the Jets.
OLB Okay’Lavon Chaisson
No free-agent signing has given the Patriots extra bang for his or her buck than Chaisson, who inked a 1-year, $5 million deal final spring. He’s already pocketed a career-high 6.5 sacks and some dozen pressures.
OLB Anfernee Jennings
Jennings advised me he wasn’t anxious about being dealt forward of this month’s commerce deadline, regardless of the actual fact the entrance workplace made it recognized for months that he was obtainable. He has 4 pressures in eight video games.
OLB Elijah Ponder
Two weeks in the past, Ponder notched his first profession sack towards two-time All-Professional left deal with Tristan Wirfs. Who may have seen that coming?
OLB Bradyn Swinson
The proficient fifth-round decide ought to have an opportunity to showcase his skills quickly in a rotational function. Vrabel famous earlier this week he’s already gotten stronger over the course of the season.
OLB Caleb Murphy
Since claiming him off waivers from the Chargers final month, the Pats have handled Murphy like a core particular teamer. He’s taken only one defensive snap.
DL Christian Barmore
Time to shine. Barmore’s one sack doesn’t replicate the overall stress he’s generated this season, however the Patriots want him greater than ever with Milton Williams out. He’s their solely cross rusher who can win recurrently on the inside.
DT Khyiris Tonga
Tonga often is the happiest participant within the Patriots’ locker room, and watching him play fullback provides me the sensation it looks as if he walks with day-after-day.
DT Cory Durden
Count on to see extra of the 6-foot-4, 305-pounder in Williams’ absence. Durden has carried out surprisingly properly for a third-year participant on his third crew, however taking part in a better quantity of snaps is a unique problem than taking part in 10-15 performs per recreation.
DT Joshua Farmer
The fourth-round rookie has flashed and will return this week from an ankle harm that stored him out final week. Can he contribute in a extra common function?
DT Eric Gregory
It’s a revenge recreation this Sunday for the rookie and former Bengal who was well-liked in Cincinnati, however turned a roster casualty shortly after cutdown day.
LB Robert Spillane
Few linebackers are stuffing the stat sheet fairly like Spillane, between his close to 100 tackles to 2 interceptions and a sack. He stays a greater run defender than protection participant, however Spillane has performed instinctive, successful soccer many of the yr.
LB Christian Elliss
It’s been a roller-coaster yr for Elliss, who was lacking tackles proper and left for many of September, then thrived through the upset at Buffalo and extra not too long ago is battling harm.
LB Jahlani Tavai
Tavai will miss Sunday’s recreation on account of private causes. Right here’s wishing all the most effective to him and his household.
LB Jack Gibbens
You recognize a nickname’s caught when Vrabel refers to his veteran linebacker as “Dr. Gibby” in a post-game press confrence greater than three years after bestowing the nickname when Gibbens was a studious rookie in Tennessee.
LB Marte Mapu
A protection specialist in nickel and dime packages, Mapu isn’t locking down operating backs and tight ends, however has usually offered a greater choice than Gibbens and Elliss on passing downs.
CB Christian Gonzalez
Exhausting to consider the Patriots rank lifeless final at defending opposing No. 1 receivers by DVOA with Gonzalez now wholesome for eight straight video games. However, right here we’re. I count on that rating to alter, particularly if the Pats play extra press-man and aren’t victimized as usually by opponents who exploit their switching guidelines towards sure motions and bunch formations that pull Gonzalez off No. 1 receivers.
CB Carlton Davis
In accordance with Professional Soccer Focus, Davis has allowed three touchdowns and 9 catches in man-to-man protection. He’s been victimized by a couple of excellent throws, however evaluate these stats to his one cross breakup and it’s been a barely disappointing yr for the high-priced nook.
CB Marcus Jones
Jones is considered one of 15 NFL gamers with a sack and two interceptions. Of these 15, two are teammates — Spillane and Jaylinn Hawkins — and nobody has extra cross deflections than Jones’ 9.
CB Alex Austin
Austin’s been a ghost since his brutal begin to the season. His play affords one other reminder to not put an excessive amount of inventory into coaching camp efficiency, which this summer time indicated he was headed for an enormous season.
CB Charles Woods
A particular teamer the Patriots added after cutdown day from Los Angeles, Woods has leapt Austin on the cornerback depth chart.
S Jaylinn Hawkins
A sneaky vital free agent subsequent spring. The Patriots would most likely prefer to improve their beginning expertise at security, however Hawkins’ toughness, consistency and professionalism have been paramount as Vrabel rebuilds his tradition. He re-signed on a 1-year deal final spring after Eliot Wolf initially inked him to a free-agent deal in 2024, a uncommon win for Wolf that offseason.
S Craig Woodson
Credit score to Woodson for being an Iron Man in his first NFL season. He’s been a staple of their secondary. His subsequent step for Woodson is extra playmaking. He has simply three cross breakups all yr.
S Dell Pettus
You recognize who the Patriots’ highest-graded defender is at Professional Soccer Focus? Yep, it’s Pettus, the Pats’ third security who additionally ranks amongst their hardest hitters.
ST Brenden Schooler
Particular groups coordinator Jeremy Springer shared this week that Schooler usually hits a high velocity of 21 MPH throughout video games, roughly the identical most velocity of a black mamba snake and just a bit slower than a sprinting African elephant.
Okay Andy Borregales
The affect his game-winner at Buffalo has had on the trajectory of this season can’t be understated. Even higher, Borregales’ missed area objective final week towards the Jets was his first because the season opener.
P Bryce Baringer
Baringer has boomed a punt longer than 70 yards in every of his first three NFL seasons. The person can kick.
LS Julian Ashby
Lengthy snappers are like referees. The much less you hear from them the higher, and recently it’s been quiet for Ashby, who had two false begin penalties in October.
