The New England Patriots will look to put that disastrous loss to the Las Vegas Raiders behind them and earn an upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday.
Before the Week 16 matchup, let's jump into some mailbag questions...
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
I think the most important storyline over the next three weeks, Guy, is whether or not this offense has any kind of pulse. Does anyone on the offensive side of the ball -- outside of Rhamondre Stevenson -- make the following statement with their play: I am a building block for this team moving forward.
I think it applies at the receiver position, where both Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor are slated to become free agents. Tyquan Thornton and Kendrick Bourne, meanwhile, have been relatively quiet for weeks. Do either show that they should be considered a potential No. 2 option in 2023? Bourne, you could argue, hasn't gotten enough playing time to make his case as he saw only 11 snaps on Sunday in Vegas. The receiver position should be addressed again in the offseason, but how drastically it's addressed could be determined over the better part of the next month.
Patriots Talk:Â Trust issues have infected the Patriots | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
New England Patriots
The building-block question applies to the offensive line, too. David Andrews is the center to stick with. Mike Onwenu has had an excellent season at right guard. Cole Strange is probably the guy moving forward at left guard for the foreseeable future. But what about at tackle? There's a chance there are openings for the top-three tackle spots next year. Does Conor McDermott earn a longer look as the swing guy down the stretch? (He held up well enough against the Raiders.) Is Trent Brown the answer at left tackle for 2023 and beyond? Plenty of questions here.
Then you have my pal from 98.5 The Sports Hub Scott Zolak, the color analyst for the team's radio broadcasts, suggesting these next three weeks are big ones for Mac Jones and the future of the quarterback spot in New England. Making a move there prior to seeing what Jones can do with a different coaching staff would be... ill-advised... in my opinion. But where are Bill Belichick's loyalties? I believe he'll move forward with Mac Jones as his No. 1. But does he insist on keeping the coaching staff as currently constituted in place? And do they, as a group, believe Jones is the best option for them moving forward?
Even if it's unlikely the Patriots are able to sneak their way into the postseason over the next three weeks, there's still plenty to watch.
I think it's been bad enough, Mark, that change is coming no matter what. That's my guess. The only thing, it could be argued, that would prevent the offense from undergoing another serious overhaul would be a surge over the next three weeks of high-20s or 30-point performances. Hard to envision that at this point.
Based on the evidence we have over 14 games, based on the arguments laid out by Bill Belichick's friend and long-time personnel assistant Mike Lombardi, change has to be in the offing, one would presume. Even if they figure out a way to win a couple of low-scoring games in the next few weeks.
You've essentially laid out the Patriots game plan here, Tim. I think.
Step No 1: Have the kind of dominating defensive performance you had for 93 percent of the second half in Vegas. With myriad offensive weapons, the Raiders still couldn't muster any more than a pick-six and five-straight punts for 28 minutes. It's conceivable that the Patriots hold up against Joe Burrow and the Bengals to keep things close. (Though if their top-three corners are limited or out, that would throw a wrench into things.)
Step No. 2: Run the ball like your life depends on it. The Patriots were encouraged by what they were able to do in the running game against the Raiders, racking up 226 yards on the ground. Even if they can't quite hit that high-end mark, they'll have to find some success on the ground against a Bengals team that is stout against the run (eighth in the NFL, allowing 109.6 yards per game and 4.2 yards per game). They really have no other choice. Their passing game has been so abysmal, it's left them with one dependable option.
On the special-teams front, if they don't get the errors corrected, this game -- and the next three, really -- could be over quickly. We detailed what went wrong on the blocked punt against the Raiders, and why that's unlikely to happen again. Still, they have to make sure of it. And be on their Ps and Qs elsewhere.
Good question, Murph. I think that's a benefit of running the style of offense you're talking about. I've actually had it described to me by coaches who are in those systems as being financially savvy for clubs on a variety of different fronts. Not only is it extremely quarterback-friendly -- and perhaps it would make it feasible to trot out a new quarterback every few years if it worked. But the system also helps protect your tackles because of the number of play-action calls and moving-pocket plays that are staples of that scheme. And with the misdirection elements that are standard in that offense, it also helps create separation for receivers who might otherwise have a difficult time doing so.
An efficient offense that can make life easier for three of the most expensive positions in the sport? For an economics major like Belichick? No-brainer.
This is why I said early in the offseason that it was smart for Belichick to shift to this kind of scheme. There's a reason it's worked in as many places as it has. But the Patriots have had trouble installing it for a variety of reasons, headlined -- in my opinion -- by having coaches who aren't experienced in coaching up the system.
I don't think so, Chris. Ownership seems to be waiting to do its assessment at the end of the season, as our Tom E. Curran has said. Could this season lead to some hard conversations? Sure. But my expectation is that, after having worked together as long as they have, they'll both have an understanding of what'll need to happen before next season to try to improve the on-the-field product. Not sure it'll even have to come down to some type of ultimatum coming from the owner's office.
I don't think there's any doubt that with the right coaches around him he could get back to where he was as a rookie and improve from there.
Moving on from Hunter Henry wouldn't make much sense, in my opinion, since he's proven he can be pretty productive in a functioning offense. He'd also count $5 million in dead cap dollars even if he's not around, which is a fair amount, so my guess is he's here.
Jonnu Smith hasn't been as productive, but his cap situation is even more prohibitive. He'll count over $6 million in dead cap money if traded after June 1. If he's cut, he'll count over $12 million against the cap. He's here, in all likelihood.
Makes it difficult, Jason.
I'm still going with Mac Jones. I've spoken to a number of coaches and front-office decision-makers over the last week. None have said Jones can't play. They may not be enamored with his physical talent, but they acknowledge he's better than what he's been able to show this year because of the situation around him. If the Patriots view him the way the rest of the league seems to, he'll get a chance to show what he can do with a different cast of characters around him in 2023.
I wouldn't say left tackle, Mike. But maybe right tackle. They're thin there so if they found someone who can play late in the last draft -- after he missed almost the entire season injured; he just began practicing again Wednesday -- they'll take it. Just probably can't depend on him being a roster player a year from now.
1) No. 2) Tackle. You'll find a few names in this chat with the great Dane Brugler of the Athletic.
We had a good Mayo-related discussion on Early Edition last week. There is a chance he's elsewhere next season. He's in the last year of his contract. Might be a good idea for him to try a new spot, maybe get a defensive coordinator title and play-calling responsibilities, and also broaden his network of front-office friends. Given that NFL owners like hiring head coach and general manager tandems these days, finding a good front-office match could help him eventually land the head-coaching gig he's hoping for.