Matt Dolloff
How can the Patriots come up with more ‘chunk plays’ on offense?
I know what you're thinking. "Uhhh how about get some real receivers?! Have you tried getting a good quarterback?! They should hire a real coaching staff!" Yes, of course, the simplest way for the 2023 New England Patriots offense to generate more "chunk plays" down the field is to have better personnel. And maybe Bill Belichick still has a surprise trade up his sleeve. But for now, the offense is what it is. The players are solid, decent, at best. So how does an offense with a decent quarterback, an OK offensive line, and meh weapons make more big plays? Well, it's going to take everyone working together. American football, last I checked, is still a team sport, and it takes a whole unit executing at a high level to have a great offense. See Dolphins, Miami. The Patriots' talent level on offense certainly is nowhere near that of the Dolphins. But Mac Jones is a capable quarterback and not far off from Tua Tagovailoa from a physical standpoint. Bill O'Brien is an established, respected offensive coordinator who has gotten buy-in from his players. Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry, DeVante Parker, Mike Gesicki, and Demario Douglas are not bad players. They just might be, dare I say, good. [caption id="attachment_273385" align="aligncenter" width="1556"] FOXBOROUGH, MA: Mac Jones of the New England Patriots tosses the ball to Rhamondre Stevenson during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)[/caption] But if this group is going to make more explosive plays, they need to do it together. No one can do it by themselves. So, everyone needs to step up their game, across the board. That goes for players and coaches. Welp ... how do they go about doing that? Here's a quick rundown of all the things that need to happen in order for the Patriots to make more "chunk plays," as they're called.