Breaking down the biggest plays in the Patriots' 37-26 loss to the Ravens — and some that set up those plays — using analysis of the coaches' film. The plays/discussion points:
- Matt Patricia does little to set up the playaction on the first Mac Jones interception;
- DeVante Parker's issues don't help on end zone interception;
- Patriots defense outflanked on big Ravens touchdown drive.
1-10-NE 21 (8:34) R.Stevenson right guard to NE 25 for 4 yards (O.Oweh).
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2-7-NE 28 (4:09) M.Jones pass short middle intended for D.Parker INTERCEPTED by J.Bynes at NE 43. J.Bynes to NE 43 for no gain (D.Parker).
When it comes to designing play-action passes — and implementing them in a game — as the offensive coordinator/playcaller, it's all about how you dress it up. If you want to hit a key play-action pass later in the game, you needed to set it up earlier with a run. Ideally, you want them to look exactly the same, from personnel to formation to the actual run action (how you block and how you hand the ball off). It would also be nice to call the play in a situation where the defense is looking for the run, and being aggressive to thwart it.
Basically, you want the linebackers to look at a play and say to themselves, "They're lined up like this again. Last time, I was slow fitting the run. This time I'm going to be there." Then you pull the ball back and throw it over their heads.
Think of the Patriots with Tom Brady and how they would pull the left guard for several runs. About the third or fourth time, they would fake the handoff and throw for a big gain down the middle. That's how you set up playaction to be effective when you need it.
Matt Patricia failed on all those counts on this big play in the third quarter. Now, that doesn't excuse the interception — Mac Jones, again, likely didn't even see the linebacker over the linemen — but it certainly didn't help nor did it set the offense up for success.
The interception came off of stretch, wide-zone playaction and it was a play the Patriots have yet to run this season, after trying to work on it (without success) all training camp. Now, the Patriots did run an outside zone run to start the prior series, but the personnel, formation and run action were completely different. Also, Patricia called it on 2nd and 7 — not 2nd and 2 or 3. The Ravens are looking for a pass there.
As a result, the linebackers completely ignored the playfake and went straight into their drop and were looking for Parker coming across the middle since it was really a two-man route (Damien Harris leaked out late).
To me, this was the Patriots being outcoached, and Jones failed to bail out his coordinator. The Ravens had a better call on the play.
1-10-BLT 10 (10:40) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short left to D.Harris to BLT 14 for -4 yards (M.Williams).
2-14-BLT 14 (9:53) (Shotgun) D.Harris up the middle to BLT 10 for 4 yards (O.Oweh).
3-10-BLT 10 (9:12) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass deep left intended for D.Parker INTERCEPTED by M.Humphrey at BLT -8. Touchback.
Jones had a great scramble to get the Patriots into a goal-to-go situation. Did they line up under center? Nope, not on any of the plays. Did they run between the tackles, where they had had much success? No. They got into shotgun, and threw to the back in the flat. Again. Good lord, someone please stop Patricia from doing this any longer.
Now, on the first play, the Patriots again try to run a rub route — they're like 0 for 24 getting these to pop this season — when, for some reason, Ravens LB Patrick Queen stays in the right flat. The Patriots got man coverage, and wanted LJ Humphrey to run a rub on the safety that was covering Smith, but Queen completely thwarts it. Not sure if they saw this on film, or had some inside information to know this call was coming, but Queen should not be there. He is, and it was likely too late for Jones to check into a run. With Queen out there, the Ravens have the Patriots outnumbered on the right and left side. Jones has no choice but to check it down. The Ravens' call beat the Patriots' call on this play and now the Pats are at 2nd and 14. Wonderful.
On second down, the Patriots run a draw and it had a chance for more if Mike Onwenu and, to a lesser extent, Cole Strange had better leverage. Still, it only went for 4 yards and the Pats are now back at the original line of scrimmage (two runs or real playaction would have been much better).
On the fateful third down, Jones believes the Ravens are in Cover 4 (he is correct). He should have a chance at a play here if the left corner goes to the flat with Harris (he does). Now it's up to Parker to get on top of Marlon Humphrey, gain inside leverage and go more toward the pylon. Instead, Parker isn't very physical with Humphrey, who muscles Parker to the inside. At this point, the play is dead and the Ravens had won. Parker has to get outside leverage and fight for the ball. He lost on the play.
Jones could be seen on TV after the play yelling, "It's (bleeping) Cover 4! (Bleep)!" He was ticked off at Parker for not being more physical. Parker kind of left Jones out to dry.
1-10-NE 44 (6:18) (Shotgun) L.Jackson up the middle pushed ob at NE 6 for 38 yards (D.McCourty).
1-6-NE 6 (5:34) (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass incomplete short right [M.Judon]. Thrown away from outside the pocket.
2-6-NE 6 (5:28) (Shotgun) D.Duvernay left end pushed ob at NE 4 for 2 yards (J.Mills).
3-4-NE 4 (4:47) (Shotgun) L.Jackson pass short right to D.Duvernay for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Belichick said Jackson loved the C gap runs, and they hit them here on first down when neither Deatrich Wise nor Jabrill Peppers filled it. Peppers has man coverage against the FB. When he goes down to block, Peppers likely should have filled that gap against the run while Wise held the edge. It didn't help that Mack Wilson was late getting over the top of the play and was easily washed out by the Ravens' line. Can't happen vs. a player like Jackson.
After two good plays by Matthew Judon and Jahlani Tavai, Myles Bryant is in the no-man's land that slot is against a much faster receiver in Devin Duvernay. Bryant fails to reroute the speedster at all, and he's easily beaten to the corner. Still, the Ravens needed a perfect throw and catch, and they got it.