The New England Patriots unofficially are 1 / 4 means by means of their season.
Listed here are the 5 greatest considerations with the Patriots 1-3 after 4 weeks:
Offensive line
There isn’t any larger challenge plaguing the Patriots than their offensive line, particularly cross safety. The struggles are well-documented. New England gave up 17 sacks in 4 video games and extra pressures than any crew within the NFL. It is a coin flip whether or not or not beginning quarterback Jacoby Brissett might be pressured. What makes this even worse, although, is there isn’t any finish in sight with 14 weeks left within the season. The Patriots began 4 left tackles in 4 video games and suffered what’s more likely to be a season-ending harm to captain and beginning heart David Andrews, arguably their finest and most essential offensive lineman. It might worsen.
Cross rush
Second-year cross rusher Keion White largely impressed by means of 4 weeks however was part of the issue in a Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers when New England did not set the sting and performed “egocentric” soccer. White is a top-10 edge defender and fifth-highest graded cross rusher, per Professional Soccer Focus. However New England would not have a top-50 defensive sort out in pass-rush metrics. Joshua Uche (twentieth edge rusher) and linebacker Jahlani Tavai (forty third) are the one gamers with top-50 pass-rush grades at their respective positions. New England is among the many backside 10 groups in stress rater.
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Struggles of star playmaker
Rhamondre Stevenson entered the season as New England’s prime skill-position participant. And the working again proved deserving of that outlook through the first two video games. However Stevenson now could be on the brink of being benched after he coughed up 4 fumbles in 4 video games.
Teaching
The most important downside the Patriots face is their lack of expertise. That they had only a few impactful starters and the myriad of accidents pressured New England to go diving into its depth. It hasn’t been good. However the teaching hasn’t been both. The Patriots have been out-coached in three consecutive video games. A few of Jerod Mayo’s in-game selections have been questionable. It looks like offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is not scheming sufficient to assist the Brissett-led offense. Maybe the Patriots ought to play extra two tight ends given these units are a few of their only? Defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington has performed extra zone schemes on the again finish, too, and each the Seattle Seahawks and 49ers carved them up. Why not play extra man-to-man with second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez, particularly on third down? The Patriots have a first-year head coach, first-year defensive coordinator and an offensive play-caller persistently calling performs for the primary time. The rising pains are fairly clear.
Roster building
First-year govt vice chairman of participant personnel Eliot Wolf may change into a very good govt for the Patriots, however there isn’t any denying he did not assemble an NFL roster in his first go. Some will level to Invoice Belichick’s drafting as a purpose for that, and it is honest to suppose Wolf might have been offered a greater roster. But it surely was Wolf who anticipated veteran proper sort out Chukwuma Okorafor would have the ability to transition to left sort out. And it was Wolf who doubled down on that thought course of when he drafted Caedan Wallace with the expectation the Penn State proper sort out would have the ability to flip sides. The Patriots additionally did not signal any insurance coverage for Andrews, and now are tasking Nick Leverett to shift from guard to heart with Andrews struggling a season-ending harm. There are different holes on the roster, after all, a lot of which have been hinted beforehand. However Wolf undoubtedly performed a giant half within the disappointing begin.
