Bedard's Breakdown: Not to excuse his performance, but Tom Brady might have his own agenda in target selection vs. Bills

No, a viewing of the game film didn't change my overall viewpoint that — notwithstanding what the defense did against the modern-day equivalent of Tim Tebow — the Patriots' offense had one of their worst performances that I've ever witnessed. In fact, it might have been worse on film.

All around, it was poor. And it started with Tom Brady.

From very early in the game, in fact on three of his first throws, Brady showed some questionable decision-making that was somewhat reminiscent of last season when he just wasn't seeing the field well. And we'll get into those, with videos and diagrams and again touch on the biggest issues with the Patriots' offense (hint: it has nothing to do with pass protection), but the way Brady conducted himself in this game left me with another possibility for his shoddy play against an excellent and fast Bills defense.

Brady might have taken it upon himself to preserve what weapons he does have left. (Guess we're a long ways from the receivers being a position of strength midway through the preseason, huh?. Demaryius Thomas, by the way, has played seven snaps for the Jets).

It started on Brady's first pass of the game, the 2nd-and-10 throw to Phillip Dorsett that Brady airmailed (a running theme).

The Bills had three defenders for two Patriots receivers on that side of the field. On the other side of the field, the Patriots had three really nice layers — receivers short, middle and deep — against just two defenders. All three were viable options. Edelman was going to come wide open across the middle, and he was left visibly frustrated that he doesn't get the ball (another running theme in this game).

On the next pass, Brady again locked on Dorsett, who is double covered, when Josh Gordon and James White had one-on-one matchups on the other side of the field.

And on the first play of the next drive, the Bills got sucked into playaction — there goes all that ineffective run game talk — and Edelman looked to come open but Brady forced it left again to Gordon, who doesn't see the play the same (again) and it fell incomplete. Edelman is again perplexed why he didn't get the ball as he looks back at Brady.

You can see all of this in the following video:



This leads me to wonder if Brady, perhaps out of some frustration with (in his mind) lack of weapons around him, took it upon himself to preserve some of his receivers, namely Edelman but also Gordon and Rex Burkhead, who are battling through injuries.

In essence, he's saying, "No Gronk, no AB, no replacements coming anytime soon. I'm not going to get Jules killed in a Week 4 game in Buffalo when we're 3-0 and lose him for the season."

Then again, it could have just been a bad decision-making day for Brady because there were plenty of examples of those, too.

On the below play, Brady forces a ball to Gordon when Dorsett was wide open on the same vision plane.



Below, Brady ends up heaving it left and downfield to Dorsett who's doubled, instead of throwing it Edelman or Gordon at the top when they are putting the lone defender in a bind and the free safety and bailing toward Dorsett. Ryan Izzo and Burkhead are options underneath.



On third and 10 below, Brady again throws deep against a well-covered Dorsett when he has Izzo or White underneath and Edelman streaking up the seam in a zone void.





Then there was the end zone interception where Micah Hyde made a terrific play, but Gordon on the left side was the much better matchup with one-on-one coverage. He ends up winning and is visbily frustrated after the play in the corner of the end zone.



I'm not one to make excuses for Brady at all costs like some others in this market, even though I held fast that he was figuring some things out last season until I had to relent and point out that he just wasn't playing well.

This could have just been a bad day for him on the road against a defense that just gives him fits and makes him work really hard (they're the new Rex Jets in that sense). All the changes, from Gronk and Chris Hogan to David Andrews and Trent Brown and James Develin, might just mean Brady and the offense are off rhythm.

Maybe Brady wants to make sure Edelman is with him for the entire season, Gordon needs a break with his hand and back, and Burkhead doesn't need to stress his foot.

All of that may be true, but it's no excuse for an abysmal performance that almost cost the Patriots a victory that the other two phases owned.

Here are the positional ratings against the Bills:

OFFENSE

[table id=364 /]

Quarterback (1 out of 5)

This is how bad it was: the Patriots had to run a very close pick play for their longest play of the game, Brady underthrew Dorsett on a pass interference penalty that was their second-biggest gainer, and James White had to make a great leaping catch to convert a 3rd and 9 where he was wide open. Brady was off the entire game with his throws (outside the dime to White for 26) and his reads. And the interception was inexcusable.

Running backs (3 out of 5)

This group is largely not the problem with the run game, but we will point out this 1-yard run that should have been a lot better. Sony Michel hesitated when the blocking was developing to the outside.



Looks like Michel messed up the play at 1:55 of the second quarter. Everyone was executing a running play (Ted Karras even cut the MLB) except Gordon, who was running a back-side slant as an option. Maybe Brady was going to throw the slant but didn’t like it at the last second. … Jakob Johnson was very solid in his first outing — he sprung two 9-yard runs with his lead blocks. He did whiff on one wham.

Receivers (2 out of 5)

By the way, can we just point out that Bills CB Levi Wallace is really, really good? He was all over the Patriots all day and his breakup of a stop route to White was exceptional. ... Great cut block by Edelman on the Brandon Bolden TD run. Basically took out two players. … Another rough one for Ryan Izzo, and Ben Watson can’t get here soon enough. Just in the first quarter, he whiffed on a pass block, went offsides and got abused by Jerry Hughes on the end for a stuffed run. He had six negative plays, including parts of four stuff runs. He's been the biggest liability in the run game. He's getting killed on the edge, especially on stretch outside zone. ... You can target Dorsett all you want, but name me one play he should have made on Sunday and he didn't. I couldn't find one. ... Three drops (two for Gordon) are just not helping either. ... Gordon is having some engagement issues.

Offensive line (3.5 out of 5)

Take out Izzo on the run blocking, and this group was good enough both run blocking and pass blocking. Brady was under pressure just 25 percent and was hit four times. That's a good day in pass protection. ... Now, it wasn't all perfect. On 1st and 10 midway through the third quarter, Joe Thuney didn’t see the middle linebacker on a pull and that cost them a huge run. ... The right side of the line with Shaq Mason and Marcus Cannon is a much bigger issue, especially on the ground, than the left side. ... Good screen block by Karras on White’s 11 yard gain on 3^rd and 10 in the second quarter. ... Order of effectiveness: Newhouse, Karras, Thuney, Cannon, Mason.

DEFENSE

[table id=365 /]

Defensive line (5 out of 5)

This unit is just so good — all of them — that my only minuses were penalties to Kyle Van Noy and Deatrich Wise and one gap by Michael Bennett. ... Van Noy is the MVP of this defense to this point and it's not even close. If you say Jamie Collins (who has certainly been good), you're wishing that to happen. Van Noy had 11 plus plays in this game. ... Lawrence Guy, Adam Butler and John Simon also had very strong games. ... I don't know what's going on with Bennett but all I know he's impactful when he's in there. You always have to wonder with a player at his age, and his intelligence level, if Bill Belichick might be taking it easy on him to keep him from retiring. You never know. I really think it's just to preserve a guy who might not be in the best of shape. Or he's trying to get him into shape. ... Butler had the biggest play of the game on this third-down stop on the goal line. The Bills wound up turning it over on downs.



Simon had one of his own.



Linebackers (3.5 out of 5)

Collins was very good in this game, but Ja'Whaun Bentley had a tough time. He was mostly responsible for the big runs that popped. On one he got out of his gap, on the other he just flat missed the tackle.

Secondary (4 out of 5)

Stephon Gilmore (especially) and Patrick Chung had some issues in this game, but overall the coverage was just outstanding. Want to know why Josh Allen looked like a deer in headlights so often? You tell me where to throw the ball. The coverage was just outstanding.



 

THREE UP

JC Jackson: Not perfect — he made a terrible shoulder tackle attempt on Frank Gore's 41-yard run that will get Jackson chewed out — but he had two interceptions and blocked a punt.

Kyle Van Noy: He's just outstanding at everything. Don't tell anyone, but he's way better than Rob Ninkovich ever was.

Lawrence Guy: Had more impactful plays (seven) than Collins, Butler and Simon, so he gets the nod. Jake Bailey wasn't bad either. Guy is so good in the middle.

THREE DOWN

Ryan Izzo: Brady won't even sniff him in the pass game, and he's killing the run game. Puts in a great effort, but it's time for Watson and Matt LaCosse.

Tom Brady: Had one good play all game. That's it. Plus, he cost the team points.

Josh Gordon: Ran a zone stop against man coverage, dropped two passes and got blown up on a run block for a stuffed run.