Through the first three weeks of the season, the New England Patriots sit at 1-2 following a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The slow start is largely due to the offensive side of the football, as the Patriots rank last in the league in points per drive as Drake Maye has turned the ball over seven times (six interceptions).
While Maye’s decision-making has been the biggest issue, the problems extend beyond the quarterback.
In the latest SB Nation Reacts survey, 29% of participants labeled
the offensive line as the next biggest problem on offense.
Some in the comment section agreed, while other brought other issues into the mix:
ArlingtonGuy
Based on poll results so far – I think most were looking for the ‘all of the above’ option. 🙂
Cape Fear Hammers
O line and run game go together. The O line is not doing a good job at creating holes. Henderson still doesnt read blocking really well and gets tackled on first contact way too much. Outside that 40 yard TD run he’s averaging 2.8 YPC. And that long run had to do with scheme. Moses pulled all the way to the left and it left a 3 yard gap that Khyris Tonga could’ve run through.
Alan MacNeill
Without a good line, no-offense succeeds. With a great line, even a mediocre skillset offense can excel.
Boxcar99
Vrabel
RickD
The OLine play affects both the passing game and the running game. But even with mediocre Oline play, Maye has to play better. The run game has to be better. Pretty much everybody is underperforming these days, with few exceptions.
BFI
I opted for “Other” because it goes beyond J McD. This doesn’t appear to be a well coached team all the way around. I know MV is revered as a great choice for HC by many, but I just don’t see it.
All in all, this week’s survey results look as follows:
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Through three games, Maye is facing pressure at the third highest rate in the league due to the offensive line. Much of those problems have come on the right side, as the Patriots are down to their third string right guard due to injuries while Morgan Moses is also battling a foot injury.
The injuries haven’t stopped there, as 22% of voters named the A.J. Brown injury/wide receiver play as the biggest offensive problem. That matched the 22% who selected the run game, as the Patriots are last in the league in rushing success rate.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels then drew 19% of the vote, which has all contributed to fan confidence plummeting since the start of the season.
The Patriots slow start has seen their Super Bowl odds take a dip to start the season, as they have just the 16th best odds to hoist the Lombardi trophy on FanDuel Sportsbook — eighth best in the AFC.
