The Patriots obtained their all-important first win out of the way in which to start out the season 1-1.
They face their subsequent check Sunday when Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers come to Foxboro in Week 3.
Patriots followers have questions on DeMario Douglas’ utilization, repair the protection and way more. Let’s reply them in our weekly mailbag.
@robby_dudley: Pop Douglas has simply 8 targets within the final 2 video games — is he being phased out of the Pats’ offense? In that case, who advantages, and is Maye struggling to hit him due to his dimension?
Much more telling than the truth that he has simply eight targets in two video games is that Drake Maye solely threw two him as soon as in Week 2, and he noticed his snaps drop from 45 towards the Raiders to only 15 towards the Dolphins.
It may be too quickly to say the Patriots are phasing him out of the offense, however it’s actually trending that method. Going deeper into the numbers, solely 13.3% of his snaps have come on working performs. The Patriots, as a group, are working 33.6% of the time. So, that tells me that the brand new Patriots regime doesn’t belief Douglas as a run blocker, and his dimension may very well be an element there.
Final season, 29.2% of Douglas’ snaps got here on working performs. As a rookie, 30% of his snaps got here on working performs.
Douglas’ dimension additionally might play into a few of Maye’s misses.
As for who advantages, it was Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in Week 2. All of them performed greater than 50% of snaps within the win over the Dolphins. Rookie Kyle Williams additionally performed 10% of snaps, which was the identical quantity as Week 1. I feel one other shoe should drop earlier than Efton Chism is lively and begins stealing snaps.
@KleaverSports: Exterior of Gonzalez returning, how would you wish to see this protection step up? It feels just like the linebacker group has been very subpar for what was promised.
Christian Gonzalez’s eventual return from his hamstring harm will certainly assist. He’s the Patriots’ finest defender, and there might be a trickle-down impact too. Gamers being coated by Alex Austin might be coated by Carlton Davis III as a substitute, and the Patriots could have the choice of utilizing Austin within the slot towards greater receivers as a substitute of Marcus Jones.
Exterior of that, I might see the Patriots making some adjustments at linebacker. Robert Spillane isn’t going anyplace, regardless of his NFL-leading eight missed tackles. However Christian Elliss can also be struggling. He’s missed six tackles to date, and he’s allowed 9 catches on 9 targest for 103 yards.
The Patriots have two different inside linebackers on their roster in Marte Mapu and Jack Gibbens. I might see Mapu, a transformed security, taking part in extra defensive snaps if he can show to be higher in protection and a extra certain tackler. Jahlani Tavai can also be eligible to return off of injured reserve after Week 4. Tavai was at all times at his finest when he was in a position to play as let’s name it the No. 2 linebacker subsequent to Ja’Whaun Bentley. Maybe he might have comparable success subsequent to Spillane.
@jazzmankyle: Does Mike Vrabel suppose Drake Maye is nice? Some circumstantial proof that he’s lower than enamored with him.
I don’t suppose Vrabel could be the Patriots’ present head coach if he didn’t suppose Drake Maye is nice.
Vrabel didn’t precisely discuss up Maye’s efficiency after Sunday’s recreation, however I are likely to suppose that’s extra of a motivational tactic.
Right here’s what Vrabel stated after the sport: “I feel there’s plenty of good issues and plenty of issues we’ll have to repair. The command and the operation, and when he feels that lull, that’s once we’ve obtained to tighten the screws on these guys and get them set sooner and get them out of huddle sooner and actually push them. He’s a jockey, and he’s obtained to know what the circulation of the group appears like offensively. We had a few penalties and false begins. Once more, issues we actually aren’t going to have the ability to overcome finally.”
I feel Vrabel is simply going to demand increasingly more out of Maye when he’s taking part in effectively. He may be extra apt to defend and reward him if Maye struggles.
@Joeybatz35: Are you able to see if Kyle Williams might be built-in into the offense extra towards Pittsburgh?
I personally could be shocked. The Patriots will hold working him in, however Boutte, Diggs, Hollins and Douglas all had been higher than Williams this summer season.
He’ll get his likelihood, however it’s nonetheless very early within the season.
@AWDarago: Noticed the locker room video post-Dolphins….is “How can we feeeeelll?” gone now?
It seems so, sure. I’m not shocked. It’s a brand new regime.
@DuxxyThree: If Gonzalez is gone for longer than anticipated, ought to the Patriots make a transfer for a veteran nook?
He’s already been gone longer than anticipated however, no, Gonzalez might be again. It is sensible to climate the storm till then. The Patriots nonetheless have a strong cornerback room with Gonzalez, Davis, Jones and Austin.
Austin struggled towards Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, however that’s a tricky matchup for any cornerback.
@dyhrdpatsfan: Talked about it yesterday, blessing in disguise not signing Chris Godwin.
Patriots followers undoubtedly would have been dissatisfied if the group had signed Godwin and if he actually doesn’t return to the sector till October.
I’m nonetheless curious to see whose numbers look higher by the tip of the season, Godwin or Diggs.
Diggs obtained a head begin, however his stats aren’t precisely dwelling as much as his contract. Godwin is lacking extra time to start the season, however he nonetheless would possibly have the ability to catch up.
@lowfive_: I’m excited, however it was the dolphins, whose protection appears actually horrible this 12 months. Ought to I take the Pats’ offensive success with a grain of salt?
If you wish to, however I nonetheless suppose it was an essential victory for Maye and the Patriots.
I might additionally say, on paper, {that a} protection that includes Minkah Fitzpatrick, Jordyn Brooks, Zach Sieler, Bradley Chubb, Jaelan Phillips, Chop Robinson, Matthew Judon, Rasul Douglas, Ashtyn Davis and Jack Jones shouldn’t actually be that dangerous. All of these guys have been starters within the NFL and have performed effectively previously.
