Bedard: Patriots ratings, superlatives and thoughts at the (sort of) midway point

The Patriots have completed eight games, which is as good a midseason measuring stick as you're going to get with a 17-game schedule.

Overall, it's difficult to say the Patriots are trending upward. They did just beat the Jets, but that was preceded by five terrible performances, one seemingly worse than the next. Unless you gave up on even a largely competitive season before it even started because the Patriots "don't have any talent" and you're ignoring the actual games, you'd say the first half has, on the whole, been disappointing.

The win over the Bengals was a great moment, when coaching and preparation meet execution - you know, football.

The Patriots looked primed to start the Mayo era 2-0 holding a 20-17 lead over the Seahawks and the ball at the Seattle 25 with 6:06 remaining, and then the team collapsed in all three phases (not to mention Mayo gave Seattle three points before halftime).

The Patriots were never really in losses to the Jets and 49ers. Ja'Lynn Polk couldn't get his second foot down and the Patriots fell to the laughable Dolphins and Tyler Huntley. And then New England jumped out to a 10-0 lead on the teetering Jaguars, and then were outscored 35-6 before Sunday's rebound against the Jets.

If you actually watch and care about the games that transpire on a weekly basis and everyone gets paid for, the Patriots should be 4-3 at this point — at the very least 3-4 if you want to chalk up the Seattle loss to a learning experience — so sitting at 2-6 should be viewed as a disappointment.

But there are nine more opportunities, starting today with another winnable game against the 1-6 Titans. But if the Patriots lose or aren't competitive again like in the Jaguars game, I'm sure we'll hear from the usual suspects that we should ignore the results because the roster is too depleted. But how did they beat the Jets? Man, I want that job: if you win, you get all the credit; if you lose, something else was to blame.

I digress.

So where do things stand after eight games? Let's look at the cumulative ratings, and then get into midseason superlatives in the following categories:

Offensive player (best and worst)
Defensive player (best and worst)
Most surprising offensive player
Most disappointing offensive player
Most surprising defensive player
Most disappointing defensive player
Most promising young player (offense and defense)
Best assistant coach
Worst assistant coach
Best offseason move
Worst offseason move
Best coaching decision
Worst coaching decision

DEFENSIVE RATINGS

OFFENSIVE RATINGS

SUPERLATIVES

Best offensive player

RB Rhamondre Stevenson: Also considered Drake Maye, Hunter Henry and David Andrews. Has the most Plus Plays on the offensive side and he's produced 11 of the Patriots' 22 rushes over 10 yards. Might be recency bias, but Stevenson's catch and spin move down the sideline was one of the biggest in the win over the Jets, and he was a beast in the other win over the Bengals. Need to make Monde a focal point.

Worst offensive player

OG Sidy Sow: I'm sure this is a little unfair because he was better before missing time with injury, but he's been bad since his return, was easily lapped by unheralded Michael Jordan and if Cole Strange ever gets back, Sow could be inactive. That's a swift fall for a player that looked promising at the end of last season.

Best defensive player

DE Keion White: He's had more than his share of mistakes, but the dude has 44 impactful plays and 20 total quarterback pressure (25% of the team total). He's a problem, and opponents are paying him careful mind. Nobody else on this defense does that.

Worst defensive player

LB Raekwon McMillan: Just got run over in the run game and was supplanted by special teamer Christian Eliss.

Most surprising offensive player

LT Vederian Lowe: Got off to a slow start and has dealt with injuries, but he's actually been surprisingly solid. But some respect on his name, Mazz!

Most disappointing offensive player

RG Mike Onwenu: He's graded out fine overall, but he's allowed a lot of pressure (14.5) and stuffed runs (7.5). I don't care what position he's playing, he needs to be better than that for $19 million a season. Showing up in shape would have been a start.

Most surprising defensive player

DT Jacquelin Roy: He's only played 98 snaps and he's had nearly as many pressures as Daniel Ekuale (345), and he's been solid against the run. They would be screwed if Roy wasn't holding his own.

Most disappointing defensive player

S Kyle Dugger: Considered Christian Gonzalez here because he's given up a lot of plays, but then I remembered he's still basically a rookie since he missed so much time last year. It also could be Marte Mapu. But it's Dugger for me because he's still largely the same player he's always been, even after that extension.

Most promising young offensive player

QB Drake Maye: You'll never going to convince me otherwise on this, but if the Patriots weren't going to shelve Maye for most of the season and really rebuild his footwork and throwing motion - if his development to this point was "the plan" - then they just should have ramped him up quicker and started him Week 1. Physically, he's the same guy he's been since about the middle of camp. I'm sure he's processing a little better, but that could have happened with more camp reps. They've decided to go the Josh Allen route with Maye - let the young buck work it out as he plays - and that's fine. But this wasn't any type of plan, it was desperation. Just better hope he's more Allen than, say, Zach Wilson in terms of what he can handle early, and the early returns are Maye seems to be on that track. But hope is not a plan.

Most promising young defensive player

CB Christian Gonzalez: Man, the Patriots really don't have that many nominees for this, huh? It's White, Marcus Jones was a thought, and their top corner. Gonzalez has all the skills and he's played some really good football for long stretches. Just needs more reps and more consistency.

Best assistant coach

OL coaches Scott Peters and Robert Kugler: It was a brutal start to the season, no doubt - but I put a lot of that on Alex Van Pelt not making protection more of a priority (and Mayo for not directing him to). This is one of the few areas of the team that is getting better. Did you know that in the last three weeks, the Patriots are 15th in pressure rate allowed?

Worst assistant coach

WR coaches Tyler Hughes and Tiquan Underwood: I don't really think this needs any explanation, but ILBers coach Dont'a Hightower isn't exactly rookie of the year either.

Best offseason move

Nominees ... Anfernee Jennings' extension, drafting Maye (kind of a layup) ... that's all I've got (their in-season pickups have been pretty good actually)

DE Anfernee Jennings: I'm not giving them extra credit for Maye, although trading down would have been tempting to get more players ... but which QB are you getting in 2025? Matthew Judon and Joshua Uche are gone, so that makes Jennings' three-year deal $12 million base and a max value of $24 million look pretty brilliant.

Worst offseason move

The nominees are really endless here ... Onwenu's extension, KJ Osborn, Sione Takitaki, Chuks Okorafor, Armon Watts, Nick Leverett, drafting Ja'Lynn Polk and Caeden Wallace.

I'm going with a combo platter ... signing Okorafor to be the top LT option and then not trading up for a young OT better than Wallace. That's having the concept of a plan. And people are being way too harsh on Polk. He's going to be a good player. Just chill out.

Best coaching decision

Simplifying the approach on both sides against the Jets: Better late than never, right? It sure appeared that, finally, sitting at 1-6, Mayo finally started to roll up his sleeves and get to what was ailing his team schematically. They were trying to do way too much with players who weren't ready for it. Keep it simple stupid.

Worst coaching decision(s)

Plenty of nominees here from how they handled Maye, to Mayo being inept at the end of halves and his constant mixed messaging at the podium since he got hired ... but I'm going with not making Van Pelt prioritize pass protection when everyone knew the Patriots were going to struggle to start the season. I mean, pressure rates over 45% game after game after game? I mean, that's a joke and a dereliction of coaching duties on multiple levels by Van Pelt and Mayo.

NICKEL PACKAGE

1. Drake Maye cleared concussion protocol and was removed from the injury report, so he'll start against the Titans.

Never was really in doubt. No, I wouldn't consider holding him out, especially since it didn't appear to be a major concussion.

By the way, Jets LB Jamien Sherwood was fined $6,354 for his helmet-to-head hit on Maye (unnecessary roughness).

2. There's some consternation about the Patriots not doing the deal the Vikings did for LT Cam Robinson, who was recently benched by the Jaguars. The terms: Jacksonville will receive a conditional fifth-round 2026 NFL draft pick that can become a fourth-round pick based on playing time from Minnesota in exchange for Robinson.

The deal is for a conditional fourth-round pick. If you pick at the top of the fourth round, that's a top-100 pick. The Patriots will not be sending out top-100 picks for iffy guys. Not happening.

3. Teams have called on the following Patriots players: DT Davon Godchaux, S Kyle Dugger, WRs Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne.

Reports: 

RapSheet: "Could the Patriots… buy? They could. Similar to what the Bears did last year, New England could use the trade deadline to beef up its young talent base and start free agency early. They've already called on several players on the market and despite most assuming they'll sell (which is possible), they could also buy in the right situation with a player who would be part of the Patriots' future."

Diana Russini: "We told you last week: The 49ers have called around looking to add to their defense; New England defensive tackle Davon Godchaux is available, and the Niners know it."

ESPN: "The Patriots have been looking for offensive line help. They looked into Cam Robinson before the Jaguars traded him to the Vikings, and they've also been in touch with free agent offensive tackle D.J. Humphries

4. I don't know how the Patriots would defend the run without Godchaux. On him, Dugger and Jonathan Jones, I would need a top 100 pick in return in 2025. Everyone else is available.

5. BEDARD'S PICK

Season: 3-4-1 spread, 5-3 straight up.

Line: Titans -3, 38.5 o/u.

The Titans are kind of an injury mess as Mason Rudolph will start at QB for the still-injured Will Levis. RB Tony Pollard will play but hasn't practiced. Backup Tyjae Spears is out. Top CB L'Jarius Sneed is out, which is kind of bummer because this Titans defense is good and would be a really good test for Drake Maye.

Now, I'm back to having no clue what's going to happen. If the Patriots just keep it simple stupid again, I see them making it two straight wins.

Patriots 17, Titans 13.