Offense – the good
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots throws a pass against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of the game at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
The offense we saw in the second half of this game is what many – like myself – were picturing while holding out optimism in the early stages of training camp. In the passing game, the Patriots route combinations went sideline-to-sideline and attacked the intermediate level of the field. That stretched the defense thin, opening up opportunities to run the ball. They then added some schemed deep shots, which helped accelerate drives.
This all suggests that when it comes to roster talent, the Patriots may not be as far away as things have looked at times this year. It’s a small sample size, but one that showed there are plays to be made under the right circumstances.
Kendrick Bourne’s breakout
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots catches a touchdown over Cam Taylor-Britt #29 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
It took until the second half of Week 16, but the Patriots finally gave Kendrick Bourne a chance on Saturday. Bourne made the most of it, catching six passes for a career-high 100 yards and a score, as well as a 29-yard rush. He also had a great high-point, toe-tap catch on the sideline in the fourth quarter.
Coming into the season, Bourne was expected to be a key playmaker for the Patriots’ offense. However he hasn’t seen the field nearly as much as expected, playing the fifth-most snaps of any wide receiver on the team. Calls for his playing time to increase have been common when looking for ways to turn around the offense, and Saturday seemed to justify that. Not only did he play well individually, but the entire offense seemed to operate better when he was on the field.
That all made one post-game comment by Bill Belichick all the more confusing. Asked after the game why Bourne’s opportunities this season have been “few and far between,” Belichick simply responded, “no particular reason.”
We may never know the full story of why Bourne’s role was severely reduced this season. A fight during joint practices in training camp seemed to be the genesis of his falling out of favor with the coaching staff, but that hardly seemed worth a multi-week punishment, forget multiple months. So instead, we’ll never know what this offense could have looked like had he played a regular role in 2022 – and Saturday offered a glance at that answer.
Offense – the bad
Dec 24, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) on the field with his teammates against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
For everything the offense showed in the second half, the team was left chasing because of a lackluster performance in the first half. At halftime, the Patriots had just 70 yards of total offense, and three first downs. Cincinnati had more first downs (22) in the first half than the Patriots’ offense had run total plays (17).
On top of that, the Patriots only possessed the ball for 8:34 of the first 30 minutes of the game. That’s asking a lot of the defense, to play that much and then be up to the task of shutting down one of the NFL’s top offenses providing a chance for a comeback.
Spacing
Dec 24, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) checks with head coach Bill Belichick, left, and senior football advisor Matt Patricia, second from left, during the second half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Something that has been a problem for the Patriots all year but really stood out in this game was the spacing in their passing game. Spacing refers to how all the individual routes on a play call relate to one another, and to the situation (down and distance) as a whole.
The biggest example of this came on the Patriots’ first third down of the game. It was a 3rd & 4, but the call sent all five eligible receivers on long-developing routes way past the sticks. Instead of simply picking up the first down and extending their opening drive, the Patriots seemed to be hunting for more.
Mac Jones’ best option on the play was likely Jonnu Smith, but his route intersected with Hunter Henry’s just as Jones hit the apex of his drop back. That resulted in the Bengals essentially having two pass catchers covered with one player, as Jones waited for Smith to clear the linebacker covering Henry. That delay was enough for the Bengals pass rush to get to Jones and flush him out of the pocket, blowing the play up. That entire sequence can be seen on this dot chart here.
That wasn’t the only time Smith and Henry crossed paths (literally) by design. A few drives later on a similar concept they actually collided with each other. Henry injured his knee on the play, and didn’t return to the game.
Going back and watching the game, there are a number of examples where wide receivers are either too close together in their routes, or their routes don’t match up with the yards to gain. This makes it tough to operate consistently as an offense, as the unit is limiting itself and allowing the defense to play more aggressive.
Mac Jones temperament
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Vonn Bell #24 of the Cincinnati Bengals pressures Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots as he attempts a pass during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
This was another big game for the “watch Mac Jones body language” crowd. While Jones actual quarterbacking was some of his best of the season – he completed 21 of 33 passes for 240 yards and two touchdowns with no picks – but there were some incidents between plays that show he still has some room to improve when it comes to not letting his emotions negatively impact his play on the field.
It was really one play, with two different notable moments. With six minutes to go in the game, trailing by two scores on a 2nd & 11, Jones was pressured almost from the snap. He tried extending the play with his legs, but the defender still got him in his grasp. Instead of taking a sack, Jones made a risky underhanded throw to try to get an incomplete pass. The play looked like a borderline fumble, but was reviewed as an incompletion. However, it very easily could have gone the other way, being the play that cost the Patriots the game. Jones would be better advised to live to see another down in that situation.
As the play was happening and initially looked like a fumble, the Bengals took off on a return with linebacker Germaine Pratt scooping up the ball. Jones, trailing the play, cut block Bengals cornerback Eli Apple who was trailing well behind the play. It was a dangerous and dirty hit, and one that didn’t need to be made. That will draw attention from around the league.
Playing with emotion is good, and something most of the best quarterbacks in the league do. The thing is though, they harness those emotions to help them play better. Once emotions start impacting the level of play in a negative way, that becomes a problem.
Offensive line backtracks
Dec 24, 2022; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; The New England Patriots take on the Cincinnati Bengals in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
After last week, it looked like the Patriots’ offensive line was starting to build some momentum. They’d played two solid games in a row, and finally had some continuity as they put out the same starting five for the third consecutive game on Saturday.
However, that didn’t hold up. Jones was pressured early and often, and the Patriots struggled to run the ball as well. It was a rough day across the board, as the Bengals won the line of scrimmage more often than not.
Rhamondre Stevenson
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Rhamondre Stevenson #38 of the New England Patriots runs the ball during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
With the offensive line struggling, this was not a productive game for Rhamondre Stevenson. He carried the ball 13 times for just 30 yards, and caught two of his five targets for a total of three yards.
Running behind an offensive line that is struggling to produce holes is nothing new to Stevenson. However, part of what’s made him so great this year is he’s created chances on his own even when nothing is given to him up front. That ability seems to have waned in recent weeks though.
Why? His workload may be catching up with him. Stevenson, in just his second year in the league after playing just 12 games as a rookie, was ninth in the NFL in touches (carries plus catches) heading into this game, and already has 100 more touches than he had last year.
For the most part, Stevenson has downplayed the increased workload taking a physical toll. But, he suggested that was the case after the game on Saturday telling reporters, “I’m a little banged up, but that’s NFL football. I’ve got to be ready for moments like this. I’m good though.”
Stevenson was also involved in one of the pivotal plays of the game, fumbling inside the 10 yard line as the Patriots were going in for what would have been a go-ahead score in the final minute. He took full responsibility for the play, saying after the game, “[I] got the ball, was trying to make something happen. Probably doing more than I was supposed to do. Probably should have just went down. Ultimately they took the ball from me and I fumbled.”
This is the second week in a row Stevenson has been involved in a costly late-game turnover, as he made the first lateral in last week’s debacle. So far he’s owned it all, but it’s been a polarizing two weeks for a player who has been the team’s best offensive playmaker for the bulk of the season.
End of half
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots watches his team play during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
One of the strangest sequences in this game came at the very end of the first half. The Patriots got the ball back with eight seconds to go at their own 25 yard line. They ran a quick slant for 11 yards, called a timeout, then kneeled out the clock. Why call the timeout if they just wanted the half to end anyway?
“See what happened, see how much we gained on that play,” Belichick explained after the game. “In the end, didn’t feel like it was much we could do there.”
Marcus ‘Do It All’ Jones
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Marcus Jones #25 of the New England Patriots carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals during the second half of the game at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
One real bright spot in this game for the Patriots was rookie cornerback Marcus Jones. In addition to the third-quarter pick six that sparked the near-comeback, Jones had a team-high 14 tackles including one for a loss, recovered a late game fumble that led to the near-go-ahead-drive, and also caught a pass for 15 yards on the Patriots’ near-scoring drive. Jones is electric with the ball in his hands any way he gets it, and has made some plays in coverage as he’s been pushed to the boundary the last two weeks with Jalen Mills and Jack Jones out. On top of that, he’s proven to be a very capable tackler, regularly wrapping up significantly bigger players at the point of contact.
Jones really is a unique player, to a fascinating degree. With his pick six, he’s completed the trifecta of scoring an offensive, defensive, and special teams touchdown all in the same season. In fact, Jones is the first player in professional football to have a receiving touchdown, interception return touchdown, and punt return touchdown since Tom Colella, Bill Dudley, and Tom Harmon all did so in the 1947 season.
Watching Jones’ development play out will be fascinating. Will the team keep him on defense as his coverage skills continue to improve? Will they see how electric he is with the ball in his hands and move him to offense full time? Or is there a way to continue to balance the two and maximize his two-way skill set. These are all big picture questions, but they’ve never really been discussed in the context of the modern NFL before. There’s a lot of debate – all good – about Jones ahead.
Size at cornerback
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Tee Higgins #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals catches a pass over Marcus Jones #25 of the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Nick Grace/Getty Images)
One thing starting Marcus Jones on the boundary did expose about the Patriots was their lack of size at cornerback. For the second week in a row, the Patriots’ three primary cornerbacks were all 5-foot-9 and under. That allowed the Bengals to throw jump balls to their big receivers jump start their offense, something other teams will likely look to do down the stretch against the Patriots.
Jalen Mills and Jack Jones will both be back if not this year, than next year. But size on the boundary is still something the Patriots can improve. They don’t necessarily need to add a player at the top of the free agency market or draft, but bringing in another 6-foot-plus cornerback to help them defend some of the league’s bigger pass catching groups – including teams they’ll need to go through like the Raiders and Bengals – would be a good addition this offseason.
Watch the seam
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Mitchell Wilcox #84 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates with Trenton Irwin #16 of the Cincinnati Bengals after Irwin’s receiving touchdown during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
One other area the Bengals beat the Patriots’ defense in this game? Throwing up the seam in the high red zone. Their second touchdown came via a 23-yard pass to wide receiver Trenton Irwin, splitting the deep safeties. Irwin nearly had a very similar touchdown from a similar distance in the second half, but dropped the ball.
Both plays looked similar to the touchdown Darren Waller scored against the Patriots last week. Opponents may see something on tape that shows the Patriots are vulnerable in that area. Expect to see them attacked like that again over the next two weeks, and keep an eye out for any adjustments that make against that look.
Judon finishing strong
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Matthew Judon #9 of the New England Patriots sacks Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
After last year, there were a lot of questions about Matthew Judon’s ability to finish a season. So far, he’s answered those questions emphatically and had another big game on Saturday. Judon got in the back field multiple times, including picking up sack number 15.5 on the year – which is tied for the most in the NFL. He also forced a key fumble late in the game in coverage.
Following the game, Judon spoke about how he’s approached the end of this season, as opposed to last year. “I think when you’re in the position I am and teammates look for you to make plays and coaches look for to you make plays and you’ve been making plays all year, you’ve got to continue to be that person,” he said. “And I try to come in here and be as consistent as a person, as a player, as a teammate, as a friend as possible day in and day out. And I think just with that I can make plays. But I think going throughout the season and stuff, I get different blocks and I get different looks and I get to slide and all that. Just going out there getting sacks and hitting the quarterback, it’s what I need to do. But a play like making [Ja’Marr] Chase fumble is something that changed the game. And it ended how it ended, but those are game-changing plays in the fourth quarter when you’re down four.”
Scorigami!
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 24: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots celebrates with Kendrick Bourne #84 of the New England Patriots after Bourne’s receiving touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
This game was the first time in NFL history there’s been a final score of 22-18. Unique scores like that are known as Scorigami, and don’t come up as often as they did 10 or 20 years ago. This was the 1075th unique score in the history of the league.
What led to the Scorigami? Well, the teams missed a combined five point after tries. That will result in a fluky score, as it did on Saturday.
