All week, Mike Vrabel’s message to the Patriots was get back to basics.
Effectively, how about again to butt-kicking?
The Patriots whooped the Panthers on Sunday, out-coaching and out-playing them in a manner they hadn’t overwhelmed anybody in almost four years. Marcus Jones powered them with a 87-yard punt return landing, then teed up one other rating with a 61-yard return minutes earlier than halftime. With out Jones, the Pats don’t dominate like they did.
However that, in fact, wasn’t all.
The Patriots’ offense virtually matched its explosive play total from Weeks 1-3 and went an ideal 4-of-4 on journeys contained in the purple zone. Drake Maye’s offensive line yielded the bottom stress price it has all season, which instantly led to the cleanest efficiency of Maye’s profession. Defensively, after sleep-walking via their opening collection, the Pats harassed Bryce Younger, blocked his solely paths to an upset and so Carolina waved a white flag early within the fourth quarter.
Nevertheless, a repeat efficiency for the Patriots — even in opposition to their Charmin soft schedule — is not any assure. Defensive cracks surfaced all through the sport, and the mixture of Maye’s precision passes and Josh McDaniels’ intelligent play-calling papered over an inefficient run game.
The Pats should be even higher in the event that they need to bowl over the Payments in Buffalo, the place they may kick off Sunday as heavy underdogs. Or, for that matter, in the event that they need to become the team they believe they can be.
Right here’s what else the movie revealed concerning the Pats’ newest win, with all personnel, play-calling and crew stats excluding rubbish time:
Drake Maye
14-of-17 for 203 yards, 2 TDs, 11 speeding yards
Correct throw proportion: 87.5%
Underneath stress: 2-of-3 for 53 yards, TD, sack
Towards the blitz: 3-of-4 for 39 yards, TD
Behind the road: 4-of-4 for 41 yards
0-9 yards downfield: 6-of-6 for 59 yards, 2 TDs
10-19 yards downfield: 3-of-5 for 73 yards
20+ yards downfield: 1-of-1 for 30 yards
Notes: The NFL’s chief in completion proportion owes his offensive line a steak dinner. Possibly two.
Maye might have picnicked within a number of pockets Sunday, when he confronted zero pressures within the first half and carved up Carolina’s zone-heavy scheme from begin to end. Maye was exceptionally correct. After an unsightly misfire to Kayshon Boutte ended his opening drive, his solely inaccurate go on a non-throwaway got here with a pass-rusher at his ft within the third quarter.
Maye owned the center of the sector, the place the Patriots attacked by way of play-action and easy zone-beaters that led to a few early catches for Stefon Diggs. Their chemistry constructed to a crescendo on Maye’s 30-yard, back-shoulder completion to transform on fourth-and-3 within the second half. That play was his solely deep completion of the sport, one in every of two indicators of development for the uber-talented 23-year-old blessed with a bazooka for a proper arm who often can’t resist the temptation to indicate it off.
The opposite signal: Maye’s response to stress. He went 2-of-3 for 53 yards and a landing underneath duress and folded for a 0-yard sack the one time he was really threatened contained in the pocket. Whereas in opposition to Pittsburgh, he misplaced a fumble making an attempt to revive a lifeless play. Maye’s legs bailed him out a pair occasions Sunday, specifically on bootleg play-action ideas that had been well-covered and Hunter Henry’s 31-yard landing; an off-schedule play the place his creativity opened a late throwing lane that sparked a sensational rating.
All collectively, you can’t separate Maye’s brilliance from the stainless go safety he acquired (the Patriots’ offensive line yielded simply two pressures all recreation). However when a quarterback throws with accuracy and decisiveness and finishes with as many touchdowns as incompletions, that virtually says all of it.
Essential areas
Turnovers: Patriots 0, Panthers 0
Explosive play price: Patriots 14.6%, Panthers 6.2%
Success price: Patriots 46.5%, Panthers 49%
Purple-zone effectivity: Patriots 4-4, Panthers 2-2
Defensive stress price: Patriots 36.8%, Panthers 18.2%
Offense
Recreation plan
Personnel breakdown: 41% of snaps in 11 personnel, 41% snaps in 12 personnel, 7% snaps in 21F personnel, 7% snaps in 21F personnel, 2% snaps in 13 personnel, 2% snaps in jumbo personnel.***
Personnel manufacturing: 59% success price in 11 personnel, 24% success price in 12 personnel, 67% success price in 21F personnel, 100% success price in 21H personnel, 0% success price in 13 personnel, 100% success price in jumbo personnel.
First-down down play-calls: 53% run (20% success price), 47% go (66% success price)
Play-action price: 38.1%
Regardless of the pedestrian box-score stats, this was near a McDaniels masterpiece.
The Patriots exploited a dopey Carolina linebacking corps with easy misdirections, beginning with a season-high 38.1% play-action price and early, 24-yard tight finish display to Austin Hooper. McDaniels then triggered back-to-back explosive runs within the first quarter with jet movement; first a hand-off to Antonio Gibson on a 21-yard jet sweep, then a pretend jet sweep earlier than Rhamondre Stevenson rumbled 22 yards on a hand-off going the opposite manner. Maye completed that drive with a unadorned bootleg, the place overly aggressive edge-rusher D.J. Johnson may as nicely have been bare and afraid watching Maye scoot by him for a 5-yard landing.
.@DrakeMaye2 across the outdoors 👏
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/rtBrd2AjtD
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 28, 2025
Maye completed 9-of-10 for 105 yards and two touchdowns on passes with pre-snap movement. He properly averted Professional Bowl nook Jaycee Horn on the surface. Along with avoiding Horn, the Pats made a behavior of snapping the ball instantly on the finish of their motions to provide the Panthers minimal time to react, together with on TreVeyon Henderson’s 5-yard landing run. That play additionally mirrored a deepened dedication to hole schemes over zone-blocked runs, that are averaging over a yard much less via 4 weeks.
Regardless of the shift to extra man-blocked runs (energy, counter, duo), the Pats posted only a 38% success price when speeding and 20% speeding success price on first down. At halftime, McDaniels pivoted to extra 11 personnel (three receivers, one working again and one tight finish) to jump-start his run recreation as a result of it had been their best to that time. No luck.
By the top, McDaniels schemed all three of the Pats’ longest runs: the aforementioned explosive features (each from little-used Pony personnel, that includes two receivers, two halfbacks and one tight finish), and an 11-yard pickup for Henderson on an end-around.
Participant stats
Damaged tackles: RB Rhamondre Stevenson 3, RB TreVeyon Henderson, RB Antonio Gibson, TE Hunter Henry
Strain allowed: C Garrett Bradbury (hurry), LG Ben Brown (hurry), Staff 2 (sack, hurry)
Run stuffs allowed: WR Mack Hollins, Brown, Staff
Drops: N/A
Notes
- Once more, it begins up entrance. Heart Garrett Bradbury and backup left guard Ben Brown had been the one offensive linemen to permit stress. Elite go safety was the inspiration for this 35-point offensive breakout.
- Rookie left sort out Will Campbell posted a clear sheet for the second time in his first 4 NFL video games, demonstrating improved method, very good athleticism and restoration abilities to maintain Maye clear.
- Campbell and Brown additionally led the best way on a lot of the Pats’ greatest runs, together with Antonio Gibson’s 1-yard landing and excluding TreVeyon Henderson’s 5-yard rating, the place proper guard Mike Onwenu beat Professional Bowl defensive sort out Derrick Brown on the line.
- Downfield, the Patriots dealt with enterprise, too, with tight finish Austin Hooper delivering key blocks on each explosive runs. Large receivers Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins erased defenders on the Pats’ first and second run of 20-plus yards, respectively.
- With out these downfield blocks — and DeMario Douglas’ late effort to spring Hunter Henry on his 31-yard landing — the Pats would roughly have been caught within the mud due to their middling effectivity. That effectivity can leap as quickly because the Patriots begin shifting our bodies within the run recreation once more like they did in opposition to Miami.
- Now, what about Stefon Diggs? He accounted for 3 explosive performs on his personal, one every from the X, Z and slot receiver positions. Diggs noticed a slight uptick in snaps at Douglas’ expense, a wanted change for a passing offense in search of continuity.
- The best improve Diggs supplied was his really feel in opposition to zone protection, settling down for 3 quick catches on his first 4 targets. Later, he demonstrated good timing on Maye’s back-shoulder throw, wanting again on the final second and pushing off simply sufficient to provide nook Mike Jackson no likelihood to interrupt up the go.
- As for the working backs, Rhamondre Stevenson stays entrenched because the Pats’ lead again. He break up snaps virtually evenly within the first half with Henderson, then pulled away within the second half when Henderson picked up one more penalty in blitz pickup.
- Whether or not or not that flag was truthful, Stevenson is clearly the most effective pass-protector amongst working backs, in order that ability and Vrabel’s confidence will maintain him atop the depth chart till additional discover.
- A last hat-tip t0 Henderson: he displayed a lot better endurance on his landing run, a welcome change after he left yards on the sector in opposition to Pittsburgh by working into tacklers as a substitute of ready for blocks to develop.
Protection
Recreation plan
Personnel breakdown: 68% three-corner nickel package deal, 19% three-safety nickel, 13% base protection.****
Protection breakdown: 65% zone, 35% man
Blitz price: 15.6%
Blitz efficacy: 80% offensive success price and seven.8 yards per play allowed
A easy recreation plan for an easy recreation.
Recognizing the Panthers had been enjoying with half their playing cards on the desk — which means third-stringers at extensive receiver and backups alongside their offensive line — the Pats majored in single-high coverages to load the field and crowd the center of the sector. After a sloppy begin that includes extra penalties and poor tackling, the plan labored as a result of it compelled Carolina to nickel-and-dime its manner downfield with gamers ill-suited to maintain lengthy drives. To assist quarterback Bryce Younger, Carolina rolled him out ceaselessly on play-action (34.4% of his makes an attempt) and dialed up occasional deep photographs on first down.
Nevertheless, the Panthers by no means hit a single deep throw and accomplished simply two passes longer than 10 yards downfield as a result of Pats defensive play-caller Zak Kuhr had a bead on once they needed to roll the cube. Kuhr deployed two-high coverages on nearly each first down when Younger regarded lengthy, which both coaxed a checkdown or incompletion from Carolina. As soon as the Panthers discovered themselves in long-yardage, Kuhr known as for unique fronts that often put edge-rushers, like Harold Landry, at inside linebacker that not solely stored Younger from scrambling however put him underneath fixed duress.
Stopping Younger from extending performs as a runner was a transparent recreation plan focus. When Younger lastly sat within the fourth quarter, he had averaged 5 yards per go try, run for 3 yards and felt stress on greater than a 3rd of his dropbacks.
Participant stats
Strain: DL Christian Barmore 4 (2 QB hits, 2 hurries), OLB Ok’Lavon Chaisson 3 (sack, 2 hurries), OLB Harold Landry 2 (QB hit, hurry), DL Milton Williams 2 (2 hurries), DL Keion White 2 (2 hurries), DT Khyris Tonga (hurry)
Run stuffs: Staff 3, LB Jack Gibbens, LB Christian Elliss, DL Cory Durden,
Go deflections: S Craig Woodson, DL Khyris Tonga
Missed tackles: Chaisson 2, Woodson 2, Elliss, Tonga, OLB Anfernee Jennings
Notes
- How did Christian Gonzalez look? Not fairly himself, however shut.
- Gonzalez allowed two catches for 31 yards, each to Panthers first-round rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan. Gonzalez didn’t shadow McMillan — Carolina’s solely above-average pass-catcher — however as a substitute caught to the appropriate facet of the protection, whereas fellow nook Carlton Davis manned the left.
- Gonzalez performed 49 defensive snaps, third-most on the crew and a gentle shock for somebody making his season debut not lengthy after an 8-week layoff as a result of harm. It’s cheap to count on he’ll be a full-go once more this Sunday.
- However how a lot man-coverage will they play? The Pats got here near matching their season-high price of man protection the Panthers, a proportion that risked placing their safeties in opposition to McMillan on a pair snaps.
- That bears watching as a result of if the Patriots decide to play extra man-to-man protection shifting ahead, intelligent offensive coordinators — like Buffalo’s Joe Brady — will create those self same matchup with movement to keep away from Gonzalez and exploit their safeties.
- Defensive sort out Christian Barmore led a close to dominant efficiency up entrance, regardless of a forgettable displaying within the field rating. He led the Pats with 4 pressures and arguably ought to have drawn as many holding penalties from an inconsistent officiating crew.
- Subsequent to Barmore, Milton Williams gifted a sack to edge rusher Ok’Lavon Chaisson by successful so shortly together with his go rush that it despatched Bryce Younger tumbling backward within the second quarter when Chaisson touched him down for an 11-yard loss.
- On to the aforementioned cracks: Carolina efficiently focused Chaisson and Keion White on outdoors runs to the left, the place they averaged 4.7 yards per carry. White didn’t set three edges coming off the bench. That kind of poor run protection would have negated his two pressures in a aggressive recreation setting.
- One other crack: it’s time for Jack Gibbens to exchange Christian Elliss full-time at inside linebacker. Ellis missed one other sort out, misdiagnosed the primary play of the sport and tipped a blitz, which allowed Younger to verify to a greater play.
- Gibbens, although, then grew to become a goal in protection. He’s a greater tackler than Elliss and extra instinctive participant, however much less athletic.
- One plus: Robert Spillane has rebounded from a dreadful two-game begin to the season when he missed extra tackles than he made. He had a team-high 10 stops and several other alert performs in zone protection.
- One plus and a minus: rookie security Craig Woodson whiffed twice, however virtually had an interception following Younger’s eyes throughout wonderful rep because the low zone participant in Cowl 1. His communication with fellow security Jaylinn Hawkins, significantly in opposition to pre-snap movement when the Pats disguised protection, was one other spotlight.
*Explosive performs are outlined as runs of 12-plus yards and passes of 20-plus yards.
**Success price is an effectivity metric measuring how typically an offense stays on schedule. A play is profitable when it produces optimistic EPA (Anticipated Factors Added).
***11 personnel = one working again, one tight finish; 12 personnel = one working again, two tight ends; 13 personnel = one again, three tight ends; 21 personnel = two backs, one tight finish; 21H = two halfbacks, one tight finish; jumbo personnel = two backs, two tight ends, six offensive linemen.
****Base protection = 4 defensive backs; nickel = 5.
