Bedard's Breakdown: Mac Jones should have been better vs. Colts but route timing completely off

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As opposed to last week against the Jets, I will not be running to the defense of Mac Jones for his pedestrian performance against another talented defense in the Colts.

The pressure allowed by the Patriots (38 percent) was still too high, but it wasn't close to the relentless rush Jones had to face against the Jets (48 percent). 

There were plays to be made against the Colts to keep drives alive, and Jones didn't get it done. I had him for 3 plus plays and 7 minus plays — four coming in the second half. I had a fourth plus play — the touchdown to Rhamondre Stevenson with backside pressure coming (could have been a strip sack) — but I decided to take it off. 

My rating for Jones (-11.76%) was the third-worst for a Patriots QB who finished a game — Jones vs. Dolphins (-20%) and Bailey Zappe vs. Bears (-11.1). Jones also had a -6.7 Completion Percentage Above Expectation, his lowest number in his starts this season.

That's all legit and fair. No matter what I'm going to say, Jones should have been better in this game.

But there is a lot of subpar stuff going on with this passing offense — without getting into the porous run blocking, penalties and pass protection — that has obviously had an influence on Jones' play in this game and this season.

ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky touched on some of this here, and with the following video:

I actually disagree with Dan on this particular play. I think Jones should have found Kendrick Bourne on the backside of this play for the first down, and I downgraded him for it.

But Dan's overall point is correct: the Patriots' passing offense, between the routes and dropbacks, are not synced at all (among other issues). He just should have used a better play to illustrate his point — and there are plenty in this game to do that (which we break down on the video below).

You wonder why Jones looks so indecisive at times? How he can find anyone open? Often it's because he's ready to throw, but the receivers are still running their routes. This is a big problem in this offense right now. Sophisticated passing games in the NFL are precisely timed — every step by the QB and the receivers have to be on point (Want to know why Jones hit Tyquan Thornton in his shins on one pass? Because the rookie didn't run the route properly and, likely, at the proper depth). If you want to hit a deep route, you need to time the route and dropback steps. For example, most deep shots come from under center in playaction with a 7-step drop because that builds in the time for the route to be run. Matt Patricia is, at times, calling a quick passing game but the routes are for a completely different offense. 

Time and time again in this game, you see Jones in the shotgun. He gets the snap, takes a 2-step drop and is ready to release the ball — but no one is close to finishing their routes. There is no sync between the routes and the pass action. This is something an experienced coordinator would be cognizant of. Patricia probably didn't realize how much goes into this, especially in his dual role as offensive line coach. In the past, Josh McDaniels would hand Dante Scarnecchia the pass concepts he wanted to run that week, and Scarnecchia would spend his week drawing up the blocking and action to fit the routes.

Is that going on now? It doesn't look like it — or at least it's not being done close to an acceptable NFL level — and that is a huge problem.

"It's the difference between paper law and trial law."

What we're seeing on the field for the Patriots is the difference between offense on paper in the offseason, and how it actually works and is applicable in game situations.

Yes, I'm sure Patricia and Bill Belichick, with their years on the defensive side of the ball, know what gives defenses problems. That was one of the reasons spouted as to why this grand experiment would work. But do they actually know how to implement it so the offensive players can execute it under pressure — let alone how to help struggling players, like their QB, get back on track? It doesn't look like it to this point.

Whether or not they can rectify that during the bye week and in the final eight games of the season could very well determine the course of the season.

All of the Patriots' passing plays with coaches film analysis, gamecharts, player ratings and 5 up/5 down:

Here are the positional ratings against the Colts:

OFFENSE

Quarterback (1.5 out of 5)

He's struggling, but the bottom line is any quarterback would struggle in this environment with all that's wrong right now.

Running backs (5 out of 5)

Where would this offense be without Rhamondre Stevenson? According to PFF, Stevenson got 43 of his 60 yards after contact on 15 carries. ... JJ Taylor had 21 yards after contact and only got 9 yards (would have had -12 yards if he didn't break tackles). .... The Patriots desperately need a James White-type back (for two years running) to help Jones and the passing game find some cheap and easy third-down conversions. That's not Stevenson's game and until Ty Montgomery returns, Taylor should be given every opportunity to be the third-down back.

Receivers (2.5 out of 5)

Take Kendrick Bourne out of this group, with his two stuffs, drop, fumble and questionable effort at 14:55 of the fourth quarter, and the group did well overall. But still too many route-running issues, especially by the rookie Thornton. 

Offensive line (0 out of 5)

Think this is two weeks in a row this group has put up a zero. Good luck running an offense with this blocking. Pressure of 38 percent is bad enough, but 45 percent stuff rate? That's just horrible. ... Speaking of horrible, I do not like the benching of Cole Strange. He has not been that bad and you're going to ruin his confidence, similar to the Jones Bears game fiasco. ... Yodny Cajuste was pretty good in the run game but too slow in pass pro.

DEFENSE

Defensive line (5 out of 5)

For the defense, there were a total of 54 plus plays and just 6 minus plays. That's absurd and also shows how low the degree of difficulty was in this game. ... The only players on the line with any minus plays were Daniel Ekuale with his two penalties and Lawrence Guy with one gap. 28 plus/3 minus.

Linebackers (5 out of 5)

Really nice job out of this unit, which is what they do against poor lines and slow offenses. Right in their wheelhouse. ... Jahlani Tavai played really well and defeated some blocks. 

Secondary (5 out of 5)

This was no contest. Patriots just flat-out dominated an out-classed opponent.

FIVE UP

Matthew Judon: On an absurd heater. Hopes he gets a lot of rest during the bye. Last year he disappeared after it and it cost this team.

Josh Uche: His speed stood out against a slow offensive line. Needs to stay visible against the faster offenses coming up.

Rhamondre Stevenson: He's about the only thing that works consistently at the skill positions. 

Jonathan Jones: You know it's sad when you need one of your corners to basically produce two touchdowns himself. But that's what he did. Huge.

Jahlani Tavai: Played a really nice game on the second level. No, it doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

FIVE DOWN

Cole Strange: Rough start and finish. Shouldn't have benched him, however. A lot of guards struggle against the Jets and Colts.

Mac Jones: Tough circumstances but he needs to find a way to play better.

Kendrick Bourne: I really hope he just forgot the play being run early in the fourth quarter, or else he could be on the way out.

Isaiah Wynn: Wasn't really all that much better than Strange with 7 minus plays.

Daniel Ekuale: Two penalties? C'mon man!