Paul Perillo on the New England Patriots offense against the Buffalo Bills
Paul Perillo of Patriots.com joins Felger and Mazz on Wednesday’s during the New England Patriots season. This week, Paul discussed the Patriots 29-25 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday and how the changes on offense helped spur the victory.
Thoughts on the Patriots offense…
Felger: Clearly some personnel stuff, I mean, Onwenu to right tackle stops the bleeding. Focusing on Bourne and Douglas as your top two wideouts versus Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster. I mean I think you’re finding something there and a real role for Pharoah Brown and three tight ends…
Paul Perillo: Chalk one up for the media for a change. I mean seriously like how many times have you guys been talking about the need to get more speed in the lineup? How many times have people said, “Onwenu looked pretty good at tackle a couple of years ago when he played there, why wouldn’t you just try to plug a hole doing that?”, And I think some of those things that they did, it worked. Now, to your your larger point, which I think we’re all trying to figure out. Is it sustainable? Is it going to be able to carry over? I don’t know. Because if you look at the way the game unfolded, it was exactly perfect to script. Like, you get the ball first, you go down and score, you get a turnover, you go down and score. Now you have a two score lead and you’re able to play exactly the way you want to play. So what happens if it doesn’t work that way? What happens if you don’t get the ball at the beginning and the other team goes down and scores? Or if you go three and out on the first drive and then the other team doesn’t turn it over? Because let’s face it, the Patriots didn’t really stop Buffalo often on Sunday. Buffalo punted once and they had one turnover. One real turnover, I’m not counting the one at the end. So for the most part, Buffalo moved the ball and scored. What happens if they do that first and the Patriots after Chase? So I think everything went according to plan with the speed being out there. I love the idea of Douglas with with Reagor and Thornton. I know Thornton didn’t play very many snaps, but you throw those guys out there, it puts a thought in the other teams mind, like “oh, this isn’t the same. They might be able to run past us. They don’t usually do that”. Parker played half the snaps that he normally does and JuJu was inactive, so I think some of those personnel moves I think worked.
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) and quarterback Mac Jones (10) celebrate after defeating the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Mazz: Why did it take so long?
Paul Perillo: Yeah, I mean part of it with with Douglas, you know, I mean he missed the game. He didn’t play a lot in Dallas, well I’m getting mixed up, agaisnt New Orleans when he got the concussion, he missed most of that game and then all of the Raiders game with the concussion. So part of that is frustrating to me because I think it stems back to that fumble against Miami where, and I think there’s been some indications that he may be is not always where he supposed to be in terms of route running and stuff like that, and my argument to that is, well, maybe if you don’t bench him after he fumbles in the first quarter of the second game of the season maybe some of those mistakes have already been worked out of him and he’s a more consistent player. I liked what I saw. Did you know he drew three penalties the other day? He caught the ball on those plays, though, like, so it’s not just like he’s a little guy and you can knock them off his route and disrupt him. He showed some toughness, some physicality for a small guy. I don’t know if he’ll hold up physically when he gets starts getting hit a lot, but I mean, he was really impressive in that game. That’s one thing that frustrates me, Tony, to your point, and I think that’s what you’re getting at why did it take so long?
Mazz: Rigidity on Bill’s part.
Paul Perillo: Yeah. You know, he made a mistake early in the season and he got banished for a little bit. But hopefully now that’s behind him.
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Greg Bedard: 3 Up and 3 Down for the Patriots in Week 7
3 UP
Demario Douglas
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (81) runs with the ball during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Bedard: He was outstanding in this game. Playmaker. Now it wasn’t perfect. He didn’t run the right route on third down that caused Mac Jones to throw the ball into the back of the offensive linemen because he didn’t sit there in the zone. But outside of that, I mean, you know, big broken tackles, drew a penalty, big time catches in traffic. He was tremendous. He’s exactly what this offense needs and needs more of.
Mac Jones
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 22: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots celebrates after a touchdown score in the first quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium on October 22, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
Greg Bedard: Mac Jones in the fourth quarter only. He was outstanding. I mean, when they needed him, the two touchdown drives, clutch throws, you know, I loved the play to Bourne where he basically like, you know, this is why they drafted him because of his mind where he basically changed the receivers twice and changed the routes, changed the protection and then, you know, put a perfect ball on the outside to Kendrick Bourne so he could turn the corner for the touchdown. It was it was outstanding.
Defensive Line
Oct 22, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley (8) and defensive tackle Christian Barmore (90) tackle Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Bedard: I couldn’t really separate these guys, so the entire defensive line starting with Christian Barmore, Dietrich Wise, Davon Godchaux, Lawrence Guy, and Anfernee Jennings. They combined 11 quarterback pressures and four run stuffs. They were the key to the defensive plan against Josh Allen and did a great job with their rush integrity sort of set things up.
3 DOWN
Sidy Sow
Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots guard Sidy Sow (62) on the line of scrimmage during the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Bedard: Pro Football Focus apparently rated him like the greatest offensive lineman ever. I don’t know what they’re smoking but you know he gave up three quarterback pressures, three and a half run stuffs. He was the weak link on the offensive line. Now, he wasn’t horrible. He wasn’t like some of their other guys that they’ve thrown out there. But he was he was by far the weakest link on the offensive line and got, you know, pushed back more times than not.
Kyle Dugger
Jul 30, 2022; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (23) walks to the practice field at the Patriots training camp at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Bedard: I thought he was terrible in this game. Missed tackles and he gave up the two point conversion on the route that he always gives up. His eyes are always in the wrong place in the back of the end zone against tight ends. You know Josh Allen normally kills Kyle Dugger in these games. And let’s also not forget the deep pass to Stefon Diggs down the middle. It should have been if it wasn’t windy, it would have been an 80 yard touchdown with Kyle Dugger getting roasted over the top.
Tyquan Thornton
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (11) during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Greg Bedard: He played three snaps, ran a wrong route on one of them, sat for the rest of the game,. You could also put Devante Parker in there. He’s completely useless. I don’t want to ever want to see Parker and JuJu Smith-Schuster on the field again. I’d be fine with that.
