Taking a closer look via video at four key Patriots sequences from Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, which include:
- JC Jackson and Mac Jones basically being asleep to start the game;
- Matthew Judon — or somebody else — just giving the Dolphins a 10-yard run on third down;
- The pointless 4th-down sequence;
- Judon again doing his own thing to blow the final defensive drive.
3-1-NE 7 (7:39) (Shotgun) T.Tagovailoa pass short left to J.Waddle for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
3-1-NE 34(6:16) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short right intended for J.Meyers INTERCEPTED by X.Howard at NE 37. X.Howard for 37 yards,
TOUCHDOWN.
Just a wonderful start to the game for the Patriots on both sides of the ball.
JC Jackson, after appearing to make some business decisions as far as tackling earlier in this drive, completely blows a very simple coverage here. I know there are different considerations because Tua Tagovailoa is running read-option and can take off and run with the ball. But it's not this complicated.
Would have liked to have seen Kyle Van Noy make any contact with DeVante Parker to help out Jackson and Devin McCourty, but the Patriots are once again a finesse team at the line of scrimmage and Parker is allowed to go wherever he wants, whenever he wants. That makes Jackson think about helping on Parker, but the real problem is Jackson is caught with his eyes in the backfield and he completely doesn't see Jaylen Waddle. Just a flat-out blown coverage by Jackson.
Mac Jones was just as bad or worse on his opening pass. Xavien Howard is lineup up in bail technique before the snap! How hard is that? Jones is supposed to read Howard and either throw to Nelson Agholor if Howard stays in the flat, or Meyers if Howard goes with Agholor. In any event, the decision to go to Meyers isn't bad — but the location of the throw is. A throw on Meyers or to the inside is completed. Jones has a mental error and throws it to the outside. This is simple stuff. And then there's the tackle attempt/pout by Jones. Neither is a good look.
3-5-NE 37 (14:20) (Shotgun) D.Johnson left tackle to NE 27 for 10 yards (A.Phillips). NE-S.Davis was injured during the play. His return is Questionable.
Another big third down play, and another where someone — and it could have been Judon again — does not do their job and leads to an easy gain for the Dolphins.
Albert Wilson goes in motion and that causes Judon to go with him and into the flat. One problem ... no one replaces Judon in his gap so it leads to this formidable defensive look.
4-1-50 (1:08) (Run formation) PENALTY on NE-M.Jones, False Start, 4 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.
There's only one good explanation for this entire sequence, and according to sources, the Patriots had good intentions.
The Patriots were intending to take a timeout and then go for the 4th down if Jones didn't false start. That could just be CYA explanation, but that's what I was told.
It's the only thing that makes sense because the rest of this is FUBAR.
First of all, the Patriots — after a lengthy measurement — should have just gone for it. What are you scared of, Tua burning you for a TD? Who cares if you don't get it? The Patriots are a good short-yardage team. Go for it here, you at least get a field goal to 17-10, score to start the second half, it's tied and you another one of your crappy starts is forgotten. New ballgame.
In any event, Hunter Henry basically false started with his little motion. And then Jones bobbed his head, which you can't do.
Should have never been put in this position. Just go for it straight away, especially after the officials timeout. Save the timeout.
1-10-MIA 25 (2:53) (Shotgun) T.Tagovailoa pass short left to D.Smythe to MIA 40 for 15 yards (J.Mills).
3-8-MIA 42 (1:56) (Shotgun) T.Tagovailoa scrambles right end to NE 47 for 11 yards (J.Williams, C.Barmore).
More just terrible defense. There was no offensive pass interference because Jalen Mills engaged with Waddle first. Second of all, Mills isn't even coverage on Smythe.
Nice of Judon to just let Smythe run by him. Either Judon had Smythe in coverage (at least for a while while the DBs adjusted), or Van Noy did. I think it was Judon because Van Noy is very smart in this scheme. And I don't think it's just a mental mistake. I think Judon has been making selfish business decisions of late, this is the latest example.