BSJ Exclusive: 'Frustration' mounting as forgotten man Chris Hogan, passing offense scuffles

NASHVILLE — It was all building to this.

The Patriots had barely thrown Malcolm Butler's way most of the game. But early in the fourth quarter, this was a perfect opportunity. The route had been set up.

New England was trailing 27-10 and desperately needing a play to stay in the game as it faced fourth-and-6 at the Tennessee 42-yard line with 10:53 to play.

Chris Hogan sprinted off the line wide right of Brady, faked an out, and then continued up the field. It's exactly the type of double move Butler had bitten on going back to last season and -- wouldn't you know it? -- Butler bit again as Hogan sprinted wide open 10 feet in front of him.

Touchdown Patriots?

No, an incompletion to Julian Edelman, who had already been to the locker room with an injury, over the middle. Game over.

As the play concluded, Hogan looked to the heavens and screamed in frustration. It's been a common sight this season after Patriots' plays when Brady hasn't seen an open Hogan, who didn't deny his outward display of emotion.

"The frustration was more that we just weren’t able to connect on a big fourth down like that," the receiver told BostonSportsJournal.com. "I think it just kind of ... at the end of the day, we just didn’t play well enough. We need to be able to come on the road and start faster and execute better."

Hogan's role in the offense had steadily risen his first two years after the Patriots signed him away from the Bills on a restricted tender. In 2016, Hogan had 58 targets and 38 catches in 15 games. Last season, in just nine games, he had 59 targets and 34 receptions.

This season? In one more game played (10), Hogan has just 35 targets and 23 receptions. This was the first time in his Patriots career that he's gone back-to-back games without a catch.

Does he know why he's not getting the ball?

"No," he said. "I … can’t focus on any of that stuff, I just have to keep running routes to win, keep trying to create separation and keep showing up on film. And when opportunities come my way, they come my way."

Against the Titans, despite drawing Butler — who just came off getting burned for two touchdowns on Monday Night Football — most of the game, Hogan got one target. He had two in the win over the Packers.

With the number of times he's been open this season only to seemingly have Brady ignore him, sometimes you wonder why Hogan is even on the field.

"At the end of the day, I’m just going to keep doing my job and keep showing up," said Hogan after the game while wearing the look of a guy who is clearly frustrated.

When this Patriots' passing attack is going well, Brady is hitting multiple targets multiple times as frustrated defenses can't figure out where to devote coverage.

But against the Titans, Edelman and Josh Gordon each had 12 targets, and James White had eight. Four others had a combined six.

Is that what the Patriots want?

"We've talked about this ad nauseam," Bill Belichick said. "Nothing has changed. We don't design passes to go to one guy, unless it's a screen pass."

Did Belichick, whose team was 3-for-15 on third down, think Brady was finding the open man?

"You'll have to ask Tom," Belichick said.