Patriots Mailbag: Getting ready for Week 1
Answering Patriots fans’ questions ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s finally, really, football season in New England once again. The Patriots are officially in game week mode, as they get ready to visit the Cincinnati Bengals to kick off the 2024 season this Sunday.
Many of the questions in this week’s 98.5 The Sports Hub Patriots Mailbag are along the lines of things we talked about during the offseason. However, some take on new urgency or context with actual games set to be played. Let’s get started…
First off, the Browns’ offensive line talent was better last year than what the Patriots have this year. They started at a higher point at tackle between Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin, and had better depth as well. The interior is similar, but the Browns had more experience.
That being said, they did do some things to lessen the impact of the losses when they did start piling up. One is making heavy use of rollouts and bootlegs to shift the game to half of the field. They also used their running backs as pass blockers when needed.
When it comes to that translating to the Patriots, expect more of the former. Play action and moving pockets should help. Still, at this point it really comes down to player development and what the coaching staff can get out of the players they have. Offensive line coach Scott Peters was in Cleveland last year when they had to deal with constant moving pieces, so he does have some experience in that regard.
As much as we (I) have bemoaned the Patriots’ offensive line this summer, that was mostly about pass protection. The line actually made good progress in the ground game, and was able to open holes in wide zone concepts.
The Patriots will need that if they’re going to win games. However, that’s easier said than done. They’ll need to stay on or ahead of schedule on down and distance to keep the run viable, and can’t fall too far behind early to eliminate the running game. When they do run the ball though, they should be effective.
Just to refresh everybody’s memory, the Patriots added tackle Demontrey Jacobs and guard Zach Thomas via waivers last week. Those are their ‘new’ linemen heading into Week 1.
As the Patriots work to find a starting offensive line group, it’s hard to see how either of the new players cracks that combination having been with the team for less than a Week. Jacobs may dress due to the lack of depth at tackle (especially if Vederian Lowe can’t play due to his injury), but I’d guess pending injuries we don’t see either Jacobs or Thomas for a few weeks.
Ideally, these are one in the same. As the young players continue to play and get more experience, they’ll be able to help the team more when it comes to winning games. The goal is the younger players and the team as a whole grow together.
Will it always work that way? No, not in the short term – and that’s where the coaching staff will have to make a choice. Getting the younger players experience is important, but losing should never become habitual. Player development is paramount for the Patriots right now, but they still shouldn’t be putting players on the field who don’t look like they belong out there. However, if there are two equal or close to equal players at the same spot (ex. K.J. Osborn and Ja’Lynn Polk at receiver) the focus should be on playing the kid.
If I’m understanding the question correctly – no I wouldn’t think Jacoby Brissett’s captain status will hurt Drake Maye. Brissett wearing or not wearing a ‘C’ on his jersey should have zero impact on Maye’s current development process. Brissett is a veteran and the starting quarterback, so it makes sense for him to be named a captain. The reality is players on the team were always going to look to Brissett as a leader, no matter what. Maye not being a captain doesn’t prevent him from being a leader either.
The way the Patriots have talked about Drake Maye’s development plan, it doesn’t seem like they have one week in particular circled for him to take over. Rather, it’s about the progress he’s making behind the scenes and what they’re seeing from the team on the field (which is how QB development should be handled).
If anything, I think Jacoby Brissett playing well would delay Maye more than Brissett playing poorly. The simple fact the Patriots are ready to speed up their timeline and turn to Maye if Brissett gets hurt signals to me they’re O.K. putting the kid in sooner rather than later.
It’s going to be interesting seeing how the Patriots use Jaheim Bell this year. His ability to line up at multiple spots across the formation and create with the ball in his hands should allow the offensive coaching staff to get creative with his role.
That being said, he’s not likely a full-time running back. He can contribute in a passing down role here and there but he also should be lining up outside of the box. When it comes to keeping three running backs, my guess would be that is more about the ability to elevate players from the practice squad than anything else.
Let’s see what happens on Wednesday, but it hardly feels like a guarantee Ja’Marr Chase will play this week. It’s not just about being locked in on the gameplan, but where is he at physically after missing practices for the last few weeks? Even if he does play, his role would likely be minimal.
As annoying as this probably sounds, a successful season at this point for the Patriots is really just progress. Does Drake Maye look like a quarterback they can build around? Is the rookie class as a whole starting to create a foundation? Is the defense still a force without Bill Belichick calling the plays?
Buy-in is important, especially after a 4-13 season. There needs to be progress that keeps the locker room engaged, and gives players around the league a reason to want to come to New England. If they can establish that, they’ll be in an encouraging place entering the 2025 offseason.
And to people who say that bar is low, and ‘we used to be all about winning Super Bowls,’ yes that should be the standard. But it’s simply not a realistic goal for this team right now. It’s all about the path to getting back to being that kind of team – a ‘progress’ season won’t be enough in a year or two, this is just where they’re at right now.
I grew up locally so I was always interested in the Patriots. In college I worked a lot with the campus TV and radio stations and interned at an ESPN radio affiliate, and even worked on the Felger & Mazz TV broadcast one summer. After graduating I worked in college athletics and Minor League Baseball for a few years (as well as some other side gigs, including making Red Sox and Celtics content) before I got my first opportunity to cover the Patriots as a credentialed reporter in 2018.
