This won't be popular, but the Patriots took a step forward on offense against the Jets. That's an extremely difficult defense to go against if you're not really talented. Patriots aren't really talented.
But they started to move the line of scrimmage in the second half in the run game. They got under center a few times, made some plays in playaction (both throws to Pharoah Brown). Against lesser defensive fronts, they'll be able to impose their will more and more. They're making progress. Pad level was better. The duo blocks on the inside had much better timing. Sorry to some sports talk radio callers who take offense to this kind of talk, but this stuff is important. You can't have a good offense without the proper foundation and that base was lacking the first two weeks.
The problem with the passing offense is too much pressure allowed (36 percent) combined with the Patriots not having the right targets and not knowing how to use them yet. That stuff has be solved in a hurry.
Three second-half third downs were indicative of where they are right now, which is a 60-yard team. They're OK until about the opposing 40- or 35-yard line. Then they don't have enough to cash in:
Incomplete to Demario Douglas
Incomplete twice to Juju Smith-Schuster with a chance to ice the game
A break down:
Mac Jones throwing outside the numbers to Juju Smith-Schuster in big spots is not a good combination. That's not his game. He's inside/underneath receiver at this point.
Who should be that guy in that spot? I don't even know, maybe DeVante Parker? He was useless in this game. Hunter Henry and Pop Douglas, who they never use, are their only real weapons. Would Tyquan Thornton help at all? Hopefully we'll find out.
Here's the thing: Smith-Schuster wasn't supposed to be the Meyers replacement or upgrade, Gesicki was. So the approach was to have Henry, Gesicki and Smith-Schuster all in the middle of the field? They're asking Smith-Schusters to do stuff he's not good at. And it's obvious they don't trust Kendrick Bourne, and they shouldn't. Their personnel is not only untalented, it's mismatched. Zero third-down back - Ty Montgomery is here to rush FGs off the edge and that's it? Two tight ends who can't block so they need to put a third one on the field. There's no plan.
Here are the positional ratings against the Jets:
OFFENSE
Quarterback (3 out of 5)
Mac was really good in the first half (5 plus, 2 minus), blah in the second half (1 plus, 2 minus). I liked where he placed the balls to Smith-Schuster. Those guys look like they've never practiced together before. I was told they "practice every once in a while" together, I assume due to Smith-Schuster's knee, and it shows.
Mac is going down a bad road with this Grayson Allen stuff. Compare that to Patrick Mahomes on the Quarterback Netflix series saying he is nice to those guys because they might let up - and there's a lot of footage of him telling guys, 'Good rush, dawg.' I also didn't like how none of Jones' teammates stuck up for him after he was taken down TWICE on that. It was somewhat of a tough situation after short yardage - the only linemen who saw it was Mafi and he's a rookie - but Parker should have knocked someone's block off. He ran up and did nothing. Find the line and get to it.
Running backs (2.5 out of 5)
Zeke Elliott was way better than Rhamondre Stevenson in this game. Don't think Stevenson was helped by Belichick giving him days this summer, and he's not helped now by getting every other series behind a subpar offensive line. He's a volume runner. If you want him to be effective, I think he needs the first two series of the game to get warmed up. I do know keeping him fresh later in games was a big priority this offseason. ... Why isn't Montgomery getting third-down back reps?
Receivers (1 out of 5)
Nothing good out of this group. They need to figure out what players are good at, and put them in those roles. Trust needs to be built in a hurry.
Offensive line (1.5 out of 5)
I don't know how much is health-related (knee), but I think Cole Strange, your first-round guard, needs to be benched for Atonio Mafi, your fifth-round rookie. It's not about Mafi, it's about Strange. He's not any better against the bigger and stronger DTs. I don't know what to do with Strange. Good interior linemen have a low center of gravity, start with a good base. Strange's center of gravity seems to be around his belly button and he gets outleveraged in his phone booth fights. At least Mafi is built like a dorm refrigerator. He's slow but hard to move. Maybe you give Strange a look at OT, but that probably can't happen until the offseason. I always saw him as a center from his college tape. Those guys can be lighter and he can move.
DEFENSE
Defensive line (4.5 out of 5)
This group totally controlled a reeling Jets offensive line. ... I can't draw much from the defense in this one. They were much more physical in this game thanks to their beer muscles and thanks to Zach Wilson. You can play really aggressive - even Steven Belichick blitzed a ton (34 percent) in this (he would never vs. Tua or Josh Allen) - when you know the opponent isn't going to make any plays. It was like me playing hoops against fourth graders. I play like Shaq against them. ... Daniel Ekuale (elbow) is done for the season. Maybe now Keion White can get on the field more. ... Davon Godchaux looked like a bad high ankle sprain, but I'm told it's not that bad and he might be able to go this week. I warned about the depth there - Lawrence Guy's the only run stuffer left. I would sign Carl Davis from Seattle's practice squad but apparently he was horrible this summer. ... I would move Deatrich Wise to Ekuale's role as sub front rusher, and give White Wise's bigger role.
Linebackers (4 out of 5)
Ja'Whaun Bentley was great in this game. Read the Jet's run game like a book.
Secondary (3.5 out of 5)
Christian Gonzalez looks really, really good. He wasn't perfect in this one - he has some issues in Cover 2 and Wilson was open a few times that Rodgers would have exploited - but like I said last week, his coverage ability is for real. It's easily the best I've seen on this team since Gilmore and Revis. He makes Jackson and Butler look like hacks. ... Why didn't the Jets pick on Shaun Wade all the time? The QB and OC are complete idiots. Do they scout the other team?
FIVE UP
DT Christian Barmore: Finally got more playing time and showed up big time.
LB Ja'Whaun Bentley: Run fits were great. Now, do that against a QB you have some fear of.
C David Andrews: Clean sheet. He's been so good this year.
DE Matthew Judon: His normal impactful self, although some of it was coverage/Wilson related.
CB Christian Gonzalez: His ability to cover anyone is real.
FIVE DOWN
LS Joe Cardona: Cost the team six points with his snaps.
LG Cole Strange: It's getting about to be that time.
WR Juju Smith-Schuster: Leave him inside.
RT Vederian Lowe: Not great, but something you can work with.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson: Ivan Fears would know what to do.
