A big win in Buffalo has the New England Patriots sitting at 3-2 and looking for their first three-game win streak since .
Here on Pats Pulpit, our focus this week both wrapped up the win over the Bills and prep for the Saints. For anything else not covered previously, let’s clean out the notebook. Welcome to this week’s edition of our Sunday Patriots Notes.
Ground game questions
Through the first five weeks of the season, the New England Patriots offense has been off to a strong start averaging 25.0 points per game.
Much
of that has to do with the improvements from second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who largely ranks as a top-10 — or even top-5 — passer by most statistics. But the most impressive part: Maye has moved the football without a run game.
Entering Week 6, New England’s rushing attack ranks 31st in success rate and 32nd EPA/rush. Their 3.75 yards per carry ranks them 28th in the NFL. It’s an area they know they must improve in.
“Just keep working at it,” Mike Vrabel said. “We understand that. It’s got to be better. It has to be better at the line of scrimmage, at the second level, and then continue to try to finish to break some of these. And we’ve had some good runs, just not enough of them. Not enough double-digit runs that help your average. So again, I think that we’ve got to stop talking about being one guy away or one block away. I think that was a big theme from last week, and that’ll have to fix.”
Against a struggling run defense in the Buffalo Bills last week, New England managed just 71 total rushing yards. That included 12 from Maye himself, as the three backs averaged just 3.1 yards per carry.
To Vrabel’s point, the problem appears to stem from multiple factors. Along the second level, New England is 31st in rush yards per attempt and 27th in the open field — failing to break off minimal gains into explosives.
“I think some big runs are just kind of what we’ve been missing a little bit, just being real explosive,” Maye shared. “It’s a big emphasis every week to try to run the football, and those guys are doing a great job. I think just finishing blocks a little longer.”
However, New England’s backs have not always helped the cause when it comes to adding yards and, of course, turnovers. On the season, the Patriots runners rank last in both yards after contract and avoided tackle rate and will now have to replace Antonio Gibson’s production after losing him to a torn ACL.
“Gibby’s certainly been involved in a lot of different things for us — caught the ball out of the backfield, made a lot of good plays in the running game, certainly the big return down in Miami,” Josh McDaniels said. “We’re trying to prepare every guy to have an opportunity to play when it’s his turn. So, we’ll see how all that plays out here.”
As Terrell Jennings was activated off the practice squad this week, he will have that opportunity alongside Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson on the depth chart. A matchup against the Saints could provide another good opportunity to get the ground game going, as New Orleans has allowed over 120 yards per game and play with lighter boxes under defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.
“I think patience is important in that regard and not abandoning things and looking for one answer here or there,” McDaniels explained. “I think we’ve got to stick with our details, our techniques, our fundamentals, and continue to get better at them. And then finish. I think we’ve seen some really good examples of us finishing blocks. If you get a few more of those on a certain play here or there, it changes the outcome of the perception of what you’re doing in the running game.
“So, just stay patient with it, keep grinding away, keep working at it, keep coaching the details, techniques, and fundamentals, and let the guys continue to come on in that area of our offense.”
Stopping the run
On the other side of the ball, New England’s run defense has been an elite unit to start this season. The Patriots are the only team that has not surrendered 50 rushing yards to a running back this season — the first time in franchise history that has occurred.
In total, the Patriots rank fifth in the NFL allowing 85.6 rushing yards per game — a mark that currently beats the franchise record of 88.6 yards per game set back in 2016.
Trusting Truman
With Keion White (elbow) and Anfernee Jennings (ankle) ruled out for Sunday, the Patriots edge depth will be tested behind Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson, who also spent part of the week limited after missing the game vs. Buffalo
UDFA Elijah Ponder will likely see elevated snaps from the active roster and New England used on of their two practice squad elevations on second-year edge Truman Jones, who Vrabel called one of his favorites.
“I’m not supposed to have favorites, but I would say that Truman’s close to the list if I had one,” he shared Friday. “He’s an extremely hard worker. I would say that every time we have a show player of the week on the [defense] or special teams, I would say that he’s probably been one of those two, if not both, throughout the year. He’s done a nice job. He prepares as a starter each and every week. I just think he’s continuing to develop, and we would be comfortable if we had to play him.”
Chism’s chance?
A ripple down affect from those injuries could be an extra spot open on the Patriots game day roster. That may go to rookie wide receiver Efton Chism III for his rookie debut.
If active, Chism is a top candidate to fill in for Antonio Gibson as a kick returner next to TreVeyon Henderson. While the UDFA only saw action as a punt returner in the preseason, he returned 31 kicks during his time at Eastern Washington and has repped at the position in practice of late.
Turning down the turnovers
Entering his sophomore season, cutting down on turnovers was a key area of focus for Drake Maye after throwing 10 interceptions and losing several fumbles in his rookie season. Through five games, Maye has thrown just two interceptions and lost one fumble on the year.
Among 33 qualified quarterbacks, Maye’s 2.0 percent turnover worthy play rate (down from 3.5 percent his rookie season) ranks ninth.
“First off, the guys up front are playing their butts off. They’re protecting me great,” Maye explained the improvement. “Also, it comes with the scheme. We’re chipping on the edge, and we’re getting the ball out fast. The guys have really taken home inside-out protection, and they keep on playing every week and playing hard.
“They want to continue to run the football, and I think that will only help limit turnovers more down the road is being able to run the football and stay ahead of the chains.”
Young Drake
Former Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux always saw the potential in quarterback Drake Maye. As teammates last season, Godchaux often compared his rookie QB to Josh Allen based off of Maye’s intangibles and play style.
As Godchaux now gets ready to square off against Maye this weekend as a member of the New Orleans Saints, the defensive lineman sees an even better version of the quarterback he saw up close last season.
“Young Drake — he doesn’t look like young Drake no more. He actually looks pretty good,” said Godchaux. “So, I’m excited for him. He has a lot of confidence, so it’s going to be a great game.”
Brady effect
In Godchaux’s praise of Maye last season, the veteran ultimately believed the quarterback’s talent would attract players to come to Foxboro. With Maye’s strong start to year two, former center David Andrews, who wanted to return this season in large part to play with Maye, sees the situation similarly.
“I think what I’m trying to say is, hopefully now these pass-catchers are seeing what Drake’s doing, and you’re going to see the Tom Brady type of effect where people are like, ‘OK, I could go to so-and-so [team] for this and come to the Patriots for this. I’m not just going to take that offer,” Andrews said on his Quick Snap podcast
“Now it’s like, ‘I’m coming to New England because this guy is the deal and he’s going to get me the ball, which is going to make me better, which is going to get me paid, and hopefully we have success.’ All those factors.”
All we got
After a big in Buffalo, Stefon Diggs broke down the team huddle in the locker room with a simple message: We all we got, we all we need.
It’s a mantra Diggs has used often this season, and while he has not yet filed a trademark, it’s a message the veteran has believed in throughout his career.
“I feel like it’s something that I’ve always carried, especially going into a hostile environment and letting guys know that we are prepared. You know what I’m saying? We got enough talent, we got enough preparation — we did enough during the week,” Diggs explained. “And you know, the words speak for themselves. It’s not so much mine; I obviously thought about it and paid close attention to it ‘cause the type of guys we got and their approach to the game — it’s just a friendly reminder, I guess.”
Diggs & Gonzo
Stefon Diggs has made a large impact on and off the field during his first few months in New England. That has included establishing a relationship with cornerback Christian Gonzalez; where the two offer each other advice during the week and then on the sidelines about what they’re seeing from their respective positions on the other team.
“I know as a DB you’ve got a different point of view or scope on things,” said Diggs, “so for me, if I can give him anything that will help or even vice versa, I’ll go to him and be like, ‘If I’m attacking a guy’s leverage or doing XYZ, what can I have a plan for?”
Route 1
“You’re the traffic cop on a two-way street. It’s a little different than Route 1 at the end of the game where everybody’s got to go one way. But that’s the thing is those guys, they’ve got to be able to defend a lot more space,” said cornerbacks coach Justin Hamilton about playing the slot; after highlighting Marcus Jones’ pass breakup against the larger Keon Coleman last Sunday night.
10,000 snaps
Veteran offensive tackle Morgan Moses enters the week with 9,961 career snaps under his belt after entering the league in 2014 as a third-round pick. Moses needs just 39 snaps this week at New Orleans to reach 10,000 which would make him the fifth offensive lineman during that timespan to reach that mark.
Week ahead
The road trip will continue for the Patriots as they’ll prepare for their third straight travel week with a trip down to Tennessee. Ahead of Mike Vrabel’s return to square off against his old team, they will likely maintain their typical in-season schedule in Week 6:
- Monday, Oct.. 13: Mike Vrabel media availability, player media availability
- Tuesday, Oct. 14: Day off
- Wednesday, Oct. 15: Practice, Mike Vrabel media availability, player media availability, injury report
- Thursday, Oct. 16: Practice, player media availability, injury report
- Friday, Oct. 17: Practice, player media availability, injury report
- Saturday, Oct. 18: Pre-game walkthrough, practice squad elevations, travel to Tennessee
- Sunday, Oct. 19: Game day vs. Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium (1 p.m. ET)
