The Patriots' big nickel continues to have trouble stopping the run, which was problematic on Sunday because defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington wanted more speed on the field to combat Anthony Richardson's wheels.
Jabril Peppers returned and went wire-to-wire less than a week after being removed from the NFL's commissioner's list. Kyle Dugger was right there with him, logging the full 62 defensive snaps. Jaylinn Hawkins (26) got most of the snaps as the third safety, although UDFA Dell Pettus (10) remained involved.
But Hawkins was incredibly ineffective, especially when he got caught playing closer to the line of scrimmage. He was blown out of the hole on the first play of the game, a 9-yard run by Jonathan Taylor. That set the tone for how his day would go. Hawkins got dropped on his hindquarters at least three times (that I noted), and despite being listed at 208 pounds, he doesn't have the same play strength as the two starters. The Pats like that Dugger and Peppers are interchangeable(ish), which gives them an element of disguise, but Hawkins doesn't belong in the box, except for the rare occasion (to deal with tight ends in the passing game).
That said (or written, in this case), that Peppers was the best of the bunch - and he wasn't great - says a lot about where Dugger's game is. He had a few moments as a run defender but also got taken out by wide receiver Michael Pittman on a quarterback sweep during the game-winning drive (Pittman got Hawkins later on that lengthy march). He was also victimized in the passing game, a common theme not just this year but last. Dugger initially got lucky on that final series when Kylen Granson beat him down the seam but dropped an explosive (the Pats would have been better off if he caught it. It would have given Drake Maye more time to mount a comeback). Dugger was then in coverage on the Alec Pierce score. It wasn't all that competitive, although Peppers should have done a better job slowing the speedy receiver as he crossed the veteran safety's face. I asked Jerod Mayo about that on Monday.
"I mean, look, that's always part of our mentality, to chip these receivers," he said before defaulting into coach speak. "When it's all said and done, he scored a touchdown, and we just all have to be better. I talk about the marriage of rush and coverage as well, so it's not just one individual, it's us as an entire unit."
That can't be argued, but let's stay on point. A week ago, Covington insisted he was not concerned with Dugger's play. Does he feel the same this week? (We won't hear from the coordinators during the bye week, which stinks.)
PUSH 'EM BACK, PUSH 'EM BACK, WAYYYYY BACK
Not too many people who cover the Pats want to watch, rewind, and re-watch how the big guys are playing up front, but yours truly and the artist formerly known as The Big Boy are here for you.
Upon further review, the Colts' offensive line had its way with the Pats' front, getting plenty of movement. The Pats rarely muddy the point of attack enough to force Taylor to bounce outside the intended hole/area (Davon Godchaux and Daniel Ekuale, I'm looking at you). And while the defense tackled well, the 144 yards rushing was eerily reminiscent of that hideous five-game stretch earlier in the season (at NYJ, at SF, Mia, Hou, and Jax) when opposing run games found more space than in the Andromeda Galaxy.
Second-level support was erratic. Jahlani Tavai is good for a handful of bat-out-of-hell initial reactions that are wrong, and he doesn't have the recovery speed to make up for the mistake. He was the Pats' best hope on the second of those three fourth-down conversions on the final drive, but he flew into the guard/tackle gap before realizing Richardson was attacking the edge. Whoops. Christian Elliss gets caught in the interior wash a little too often for my liking, and while he runs better than Tavai, he isn't fast enough to cut off premier athletes like Taylor and Richardson. Peppers was inconsistent with his run fits. But other than that...
SPLIT THE CARRIES
The Pats have made it clear that Rhamondre Stevenson is their bell-cow back both through their actions - they gave him $17 million guaranteed this summer - and in his usage - he's on pace for the most carries of his four-year career. However, Stevenson has not had his best season from a production standpoint, averaging a career-low 3.7 YPG (he was 5.0 YPG in his only 1,000-yard campaign). There's no doubt he's lacked some of the explosion in his body since his exceptional first game of the season (25 carries, 120 yards), and he missed week 6 against Houston with a foot injury. But Stevenson has had 18 or more carries in four of the team's last six games, and while he told me he's looking forward to the bye week, he insists there's nothing wrong with him other than general wear and tear.
What is wrong, or at least continues to be evident, is Stevenson's fit in this zone-running scheme. He doesn't see/feel the wide zone stuff consistently, whereas his backup, Antonio Gibson, is better suited to run such plays. Don't get me wrong, I don't view Gibson as the same level runner, although he certainly was razor-sharp against the Colts. That 13-yard run when he started hard to the left, cut across the field, and ended outside the right hash by the time he was done showed terrific feel and decisiveness. He followed that up with an 11-yard jaunt behind H-back Jaheim Bell (both plays preceded the Maye-to-Hooper TD). Plus, Gibson's touchdown run later in the game was a hell of an effort (Hunter Henry had the only good block on the play). He legit made three defenders miss, and left a fourth futily diving at his heels.
If Stevenson - who has fumbled in two of the last three weeks - has some lingering physical issues that can't be cured by the week off, it would make sense to divvy up the carries more 60/40 than 75/25 and get your final answer on whether Gibson remains the primary backup next year or if there's a better option. The team has an out after this season (it was a three-year deal) that would leave them with $3.175 million in dead cap, hardly untenable considering how much money GM Eliot Wolf has at his disposal (theoretically).
UP AND DOWN
Thumbs way up for Drake Maye. He's playing quarterback more than he did earlier in his brief tenure (as I wrote post-game Sunday). He's seeing the field well, has a plan, and executes it. His anticipatory throws (Hooper TD, Henry on the third down) display his mental growth in this system, and his accuracy is rarely an issue. It makes you long for better pieces around him to see just how high his ceiling is and how quickly he can get there.
Thumbs down for Joey Slye. 25-yard field goal, dude. And his reaction to holder Bryce Baringer was piss poor.
Thumbs up for Christian Gonzalez, who continues to trend toward All-Pro status. He pitched a shutout in man-to-man situations and snagged a rare interception in the 4th quarter. He also made an excellent tackle near the goal line on Taylor, attacking the outside shoulder and then dipping low to take the running back out at the knees.
Thumbs up for...wait for it...left tackle Vederian Lowe. He was excellent in pass protection. I had him down for just one QB hurry.
Thumbs down for Keion White. He has one sack since week two, but that wasn't telling the whole story, as he'd been disruptive as an interior pass rusher. That is, until this game. Speaking of player ceilings, I have pondered White's a bunch as the season continues. Is he a more athletic Deatrich Wise? Or is there a double-digit sackmeister that's yet to be unlocked?
Thumbs down for defensive communication on Indy's first touchdown. The Colts attacked with tempo, and the Pats weren't set and were clueless, allowing Taylor to slide into the right flat alone. And when I say alone, I'm talking 20 yards between him and the nearest defender. That's hard to do, especially in the red area. Jonathan Jones appeared responsible for the bust, although he and Dugger drifted in the same direction against the tightly bunched 4-receiver set. As an aside, this was our two-point play in college, not that we needed to call on it often (we were a wagon).