The Patriots have a bye week to lick their latest set of wounds from another embarrassing loss, this one coming courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts in Germany.
Before the game, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has largely kept away from the media, was interviewed by the NFL Network’s Rich Eisen. In that setting, he answered one question about the state of the team, and expressed his disappointment.
“This is our 30th year that I’ve had the privilege of owning this team, and I’ve never been 2-7. It’s really disappointing,’’’ he said. “I had hoped things would be a lot better as I know our fan base (does). I hope today is a chance to reset and make it a much better year … this isn’t what we expected to happen this year.”
Not what was expected?
Perhaps Kraft thought Bill O’Brien would wave a magic wand, and all the ills of the offense would disappear. Maybe he thought Adrian Klemm would somehow fix the offensive line.
The Patriots owner, however, forgot about one critical item: the lack of talent on the roster.
Coach/GM Bill Belichick hasn’t exactly done the best job picking the groceries during the past five years and beyond, especially when it comes to stocking elite offensive players.
Part of the reason Mac Jones was sacked five times in the first half of Sunday’s 10-6 loss was because his current cast of receivers can’t get open. He holds the ball too long, waiting for someone to spring free. But that doesn’t completely exonerate the offensive line. It hasn’t protected Jones well all year.
As for Jones, he’s another reason the woeful start shouldn’t come as a surprise to Kraft.
The Patriots quarterback plays like it’s Groundhog Day.
He makes the same mistakes, and has the same problems week after week. Game after game. Series after series.
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As for the reset, that’s one big fat never mind.
Losing with the offense not scoring a touchdown certainly wasn’t what Kraft had in mind.
Matters only got worse. And if Kraft hasn’t noticed, the Patriots seem to sink to a new level of rock bottom every week.
And judging by the look on his face, what played out in Frankfurt on Sunday didn’t please the Patriots owner one bit. The futures of Belichick and Jones are very much on the table.
Here’s the grades from the Patriots Week 10 loss to Colts:
Quarterback : F
On the surface, Mac Jones’ numbers don’t look all that terrible, completing 15 of 20 passes for 170 yards, with one pick. Pedestrian, but not awful. Being sacked five times by a porous offensive line also didn’t help.
The repeat nature of his mistakes, however, are the reason for this flunking grade.
He can’t stop committing the same sins every single game.
Whether it’s having poor footwork, making bad decisions, having zero pocket presence, missing open receivers, or not being able to slow things down in his head, it’s been the same narrative. Panic football rules with Jones.
The fourth quarter pick he threw on a 2nd-and-12 from the Colts 15-yard line was unforgivable. Mike Gesicki was wide open in the end zone, only Jones panicked in the pocket at the first hint of pressure, threw off his back foot with the ball coming up well short. It was easily picked off.
Before that, he was nearly picked on another throw in the end zone, overshooting Hunter Henry. He also came close to third turnover when he heaved a ball up the air, attempting an ill-advised two-handed underhand toss to Rhamondre Stevenson. Jones could have avoided that lunacy altogether, but missed a wide open Demario Douglas over the middle.
Jones is clearly not in a good head space under center. There’s plenty of blame to go around for that whether it’s having three coordinators in three years, a not-so quarterback friendly offensive line, and a lack of weapons.
That said, his failure to improve, not to mention failing in areas he was supposed to excel – processing, decision-making, accuracy – have hurt the cause.
Bailey Zappe came in after Jones was benched for the final drive, and threw a pick in the hurry-up. Needless to say, this grade wasn’t tough to assess.
Running backs: A-minus
Hard to ask more from Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott when it came to pounding the rock, and establishing the run.
Both ran hard from start to finish, largely attacking the Colts defense between the tackles.
Stevenson, who finished with 20 carries for 88 yards, extended plenty of those carries by gaining yards after contact.
He was missing that element earlier in the season, but was a force all game.
Elliott, meanwhile, continues to look like he has fresh legs, providing a jolt every time he’s in the game. He finished with 54 yards on 13 carries.
While neither back has had a 100-yard game, they eclipsed 100 yards together for the third time this season. Both Stephenson and Elliott also made a few plays catching the football.
Diminishing the grade a bit was Stevenson failing to block Tyquan Lewis on a third down play in the second quarter that led to an easy sack.
Wide receivers: D-minus
Demario Douglas had six catches for 84 yards. He was the lone bright spot and only reason the grade wasn’t worse.
Beyond Douglas, the group was pretty much invisible. In Tyquan Thornton’s case, literally. He was active, but did not play.
As for JuJu Smith-Schuster, he had one catch, and it was a good grab on the sidelines to move the chains.
Outside of that, he was flagged twice for pre-snap penalties. One of them wiped out a 19-yard run by Elliott in the fourth quarter.
Kayshon Boutte came off the milk carton. He didn’t see many snaps, but made one catch for 11 yards.
With the absences of Kendrick Bourne (ACL) and DeVante Parker (concussion), this group can’t get open, and can’t get out of its own way.
Tight ends: C-minus
This group was so-so throughout. Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry did get free on occasion.
Gesicki was open for a possible go-ahead score late in the fourth quarter, but that turned into a disaster with Jones throwing a pick.
Henry led the way with three catches for 21 yards, while Gesicki pitched in with two catches for 22. Henry did fumble once, but Johnny on the spot David Andrews recovered.
It was odd to see Pharaoh Brown go without being targeted for the second straight week. He started the game, but wasn’t heard from.
He’s been their one consistent big playmaker. But he’s been kept off the board two weeks in a row. Brown, however, did contribute as a blocker opening up holes with BIll O’Brien utilizing three tight end sets.
Offensive line: D-minus
For the second straight week, Trent Brown (ankle, personal) was missing. Conor McDermott filled in.
In short, the line did pretty well pushing bodies forward in the run game. Not so good going backward holding off oncoming pass rushers.
Jones was pressured on 12 of his 27 dropbacks (44.4%). Most of those came against four-man rushes, as there was no need to blitz and send in extra rushers. The Colts cleverly used stunts that the Patriots linemen were late to pick up.
David Andrews, Sidy Sow, Cole Strange were responsible for three of the five Colts sacks on Jones. All of those came in the first half. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson whiffed on the block of another one, while Jones seemed to step up into the pocket into another.
The Pats had the most trouble blocking Dayo Odeyingbo, who registered three of the sacks.
Vederian Lowe came on for an injured McDermott late in the game, and allowed a pressure on the play Jones threw a pick.
Add in nine quarterback hits, and the offensive line flopped in Germany. The unit was without offensive line coach Adrian Klemm (illness) during the week, so it’s possible that factored in.
Defensive line: A-minus
The boys up front did a good job keeping Jonathan Taylor in check (23 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD).
Davon Godchaux was active up front (eight tackles) and Christian Barmore (1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit) continues to be a force.
Deatrich Wise and Lawrence Guy both batted down balls at the line.
In terms of the pass rush, they were able to get Gardner Minshew off his spot on occasion. They just weren’t able to bring him down.
Linebacker: B-plus
The Patriots were without defensive leader and signal caller Ja’Whaun Bentley (hamstring). But by and large, made do.
Jahlani Tavai picked up the slack. He’s having his best season as a Patriot, and continues to make impactful plays roaming the second level.
Along with his seven tackles, he tipped a Gardner Minshew pass in the third quarter that led to a Myles Bryant interception. The play helped keep the team alive in the game.
Mack Wilson, who was injured early but returned, saw action next to Tavai, as did Calvin Munson, who was called up from the practice squad.
Safety Adrian Phillips also saw a bit of action as a hybrid linebacker.
With the Colts getting just 70 rushing yards, and Minshew throwing for less than 200 yards, a diminished linebacking corps got the job done.
The biggest issue here was the lack of consistent pressure on Minshew, and the Patriots registering no sacks. The absence of Matthew Judon continues to limit the effectiveness of the pass rush. Josh Uche hasn’t done much without Judon drawing double teams.
Secondary: B
Jonathan Jones and Shaun Wade started out on the boundary. Jack Jones, who missed curfew prior to last week’s game, didn’t see action until the second quarter.
Considering Gardner Minshew completed just 18 of 28 passes and threw for less than 200 yards, not a bad day for this group.
Michael Pittman did the most damage, with 8 catches for 84 yards. Jack Jones was in coverage for several of those completions to Pittman. Isaiah McKenzie also made a few plays (4 catches, 31 yards). Myles Bryant lost him for a 30-yard gain.
Given the Patriots had surrendered 11 plays of 20 or more yards the past two weeks, they kept the big plays to a minimum against the Colts. Only three plays from the receivers were of 20 yards or longer.
Bryant also had an interception on a tipped pass that helped the cause. This group also did a better job tackling this week. Wade made some good plays in that regard, as did Jabrill Peppers (tackle for loss). Wade also get flagged for holding.
Specialists: D
Chad Ryland missed a chip shot 35-yard field goal attempt that proved costly. Making that kick might have changed the complexion of the game, not to mention the Pats needing a touchdown, as opposed to a field goal, on the final drive.
Punter Bryce Baringer, meanwhile, continues to shine in spots. He delivered a 79-yard punt in the first half, and averaged 62.5 yards on his four punts. A couple of those went for touchbacks, however.
As for the return teams, allowing a 42-yard kick return – right up the middle – to Isaiah McKenzie in the second half right after drawing closer with a field goal at 7-6 also didn’t help the cause. That return helped the Raiders kick a field goal to put them up by four.
As for not having a punt returner back for a second quarter punt that allowed for a 69-yard kick, that’s not necessarily on the players. Although, having nine players on the line going against eight blockers did not result in a block.
Coaching: D
Tough to give a complete failing grade when the team holds the opponent to 10 points. But given what played out, it’s not hard to keep the grade low.
Let’s start with the punt return that wasn’t.
Bill Belichick will tell you the game revolves around field position. So why fail to put out a punt returner?
Is he trying to get canned? Or is this a subtle form of tanking?
The Patriots defense had just come up with a huge three-and-out against the Colts in the second quarter, forcing a punt out of their end zone. But Belichick elected not to send out a punt returner, opting instead to go all-out on blocking the punt.
The problem was the Patriots failed to block the punt. Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez kicked the ball 69 yards and it was downed at the the Patriots 18. Given the struggles of the offense, why would Belichick risk having that happen.
Basically, Belichick surrendered what could have been good field position to go for a block. It’s also possible he was hoping the special teams unit would produce points with the blocked kick, because he had no faith in his offense.
Whatever the case, that wasn’t the only odd decision.
Right before the half, down by four, the Patriots had the ball on Indy’s 47-yard line with time for one final play.
Perhaps he had an accomplish in Bill O’Brien, but whatever the case, the Patriots didn’t have Mac Jones throw a Hail Mary.
Instead, it was a dump pass to Demario Douglas. He scampered for 30 yards, but that effectively did nothing to change the score.
They Patriots had nothing to lose. They’re going nowhere. Why play it safe? Why not take a shot at the end zone?
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