NOTE: Again, apologies for the delay on this but it was out of my hands due to the source of my game film.
Let's cut to the chase.
Mac Jones, again, was not good enough. He left key plays on the field that could have put the Patriots in position to win this game. And he didn't get it done. If this continues on very much longer, it could be all they wrote for Jones as the starting quarterback.
The Patriots are also a complete and total mess with their passing offense overall, especially as they were 1 of 9 on third down against the Dolphins. The lone conversion was the 24-yard TD pass to Kendrick Bourne when the Dolphins busted the coverage with stud safety Jevon Holland out of the lineup.
On every play, it's something different. Sometimes the protection isn't good enough. Sometimes Jones is unsettled and/or watching the rush and doesn't see good options available. Sometimes he doesn't drive the ball into the hole. A good percentage of the time, someone(s) is running a questionable route, which is becoming more and more of an issue as new players to the system like Demario Douglas and Jalen Reagor receive more playing time. With Kendrick Bourne out for the season and DeVante Parker sidelined with a concussion, even more questionable route runners (Tyquan Thornton, Kayson Boutte, Ty Montgomery and Malik Cunningham) could see more time.
Wonderful.
Anyways, on with the horror show through coaches' film analysis before we break down the plays, getting into player/unit ratings and 3 up/3 down:
The lowlights:
3-12-NE 23 (13:43) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short left to H.Henry to NE 27 for 4 yards (E.Apple, J.Ramsey).
Little bit of a hurry allowed by Sidy Sow doesn't help but the big issue is the Patriots need a dynamic back here to win a matchup against LB Jerome Baker, but Stevenson again takes forever to make himself an option and he's just no James White. They need a James White. The entire right side of the field was wide open for a back to make a play, but Jones dumps it to Henry for nothing.
They weren't open, but the grouping of Bourne, Douglas and Parker all end up in the same area. This can't be right.
3-3-NE 38 (7:26) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short left to R.Stevenson to NE 40 for 2 yards (B.Jones; J.Baker).
Cole Strange lets Baker run through — and steps on Trent Brown's ankle in the process — to end this play quickly. Stevenson makes a guy miss, but he's again no James White so it comes up a yard short and of course Belichick doesn't go for it.
If there was even a play to make down field, Reagor and Douglas end up in the same area.
3-4-MIA 24 (3:39) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short middle to K.Bourne for 24 yards, TOUCHDOWN
The one third down they convert was a busted coverage by both Dolphins safeties. No, this wasn't Douglas getting double-teamed. Just because two defenders are on a player doesn't mean it's a double team. The Dolphins were in Cover 1 Robber and the robber was trying to rob in the slot instead of the middle of the field, which left Bourne wide open in the middle. Bad defense. Not good offense.
Also take note of Parker running another, "Oh, I'm just going to stop running my route in a cool-looking fake-out attempt." He didn't learn from Vegas?! Is Troy Brown coaching these guys?
3-16-NE 19 (13:49) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete short left to R.Stevenson [B.Chubb]
Jones gets hit on this play since Strange and Brown get their butts whipped on a twist, so it didn't really matter, but if Jones had any time ... Douglas ran the wrong route to the point that even Parker told him he was wrong after the play.
And, for the 100th time, Stevenson is blanketed by a linebacker and not a real option ... BECAUSE HE'S NOT A THIRD DOWN BACK!
1-10-MIA 23 (2:00) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass short left intended for K.Bourne INTERCEPTED by J.Ramsey [A.Van Ginkel] at MIA 11. J.Ramsey ran ob at NE40 for 49 yards (D.Douglas).
Let us count the ways of how this was a terrible play, despite a really nice design by Bill O'Brien to give options at all three levels:
- Mr. RPO gives a horseshit run fake.
- A worse horseshit screen fake to Douglas
- Bourne could be available a little earlier
- Parker runs right into the safety instead of staying vertical (even better: a corner route) which takes Jalen Ramsey out of conflict and freed up to to read Jones;
- Jones makes a horseshit throw of his back foot that is way too high and soft from the right hash to the left sideline in the NFL. This ain't Bolles playing Bishop Kenny. That's Jalen Freaking Ramsey out there.
- The read itself was sound: Jones reads Ramsey. If he turns with the vertical, which he does, Jones needs to drill a pass to Bourne at the 15 - away from Ramsey. Jones forgot the drill the ball part and served up a creampuff all the way at the 10.
3-5-MIA 14 (13:32) (Shotgun) M.Jones sacked at MIA 20 for -6 yards (C.Wilkins).
Jones is so spooked by the zone blitz (only four rushers) that he doesn't read this play out properly, never gets his feet or eyes right.
He has Douglas wide open on a three-step drop. If he doesn't throw that, Parker is there on a low crosser. If all else fails, he should have the back as an option (of course he doesn't because it's not a real third-down back).
Jones never looks at Douglas, doesn't wait for Parker and turtles. This should not be a sack:
3-10-NE 47 (6:21) (Shotgun) M.Jones pass incomplete short middle to J.Reagor
This was actually a good ball but Reagor hesitates coming out of his break and does not go straight down the line.
____________________
What did Giardi say?
Stink, stank, stunk?
That's the Patriots passing offense right now. It all smells.
Here are the positional ratings against the Dolphins:
OFFENSE
Quarterback (1 out of 5)
This is basically now five straight games that Jones has played losing football according to my ratings. Only his sterling fourth quarter against the Bills kept that game (barely) above water. ... This was also the sixth time in seven games (Bills) where he had a negative differential between his big-time throw and turnover-worthy play percentages. He had gone six straight games dating back to Week 14 last year of being on the plus side. ... To add insult to injury, it appeared that Jones was the only player to know a pass was on when Atonio Mafi was called illegally downfield. Both Ezekiel Elliott and the line expected a running play and blocked accordingly. Elliott looked back at Jones as the play was going on like, HUH?!
Running backs (2 out of 5)
Kind of is what it is at this point. A few nice runs, some spotty play. ... Elliott was really lucky his fumble went out of bounds. He also allowed a pressure again.
Receivers (2 out of 5)
I think we've detailed all the route-running issues. It's only going to get worse the more Douglas, Reagor and Boutte play.
Offensive line (2.5 out of 5)
I mean, I guess this was continued some improvement but don't mistake it, it's still not good. There always breakdowns at some point, and most of them seem to happen on third down. ... Sidy Sow, who's smaller, had some issues with big Christian Wilkins early and they took a look at Atonio Mafi, who was worse. ... Trent Brown is really gutting out some injury issues. Credit to him. He's still playing well and he probably shouldn't be on the field. ... Cole Strange is normally OK in the run game but he always has issues with big, physical DTs. They get him off balance fairly easily.
ONE UP
Rhamondre Stevenson: They barely had 200 yards of offense so I'm not giving out many flowers. Stevenson looked like his old self with two broken tackles and the only big play on the ground (11 yards).
THREE DOWN
Mac Jones: He is running out of time. Now that the schedule softens up, he better go on a Zappe-like run. Like I said after the Saints games, there is enough on film to warrant benching him.
Cole Strange: A tough physical dude ... just wish he played that way more consistently.
Demario Douglas: All sorts of route issues that must get cleaned up.