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.
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)
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.
Better Decisions
Sept. 17, 2023; Foxborough, MA: New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones signals to a receiver during the second half against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. (Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
Everyone loves to argue about arms and legs and balls and whatnot, but the quarterback position really comes down to decision-making. It’s No. 1 on Bill Belichick’s list. It was the main reason Tom Brady was so consistently great.
Mac Jones has been pretty good to start the 2023 season, considering the state of the players around him. But one clear area where he can be better is the deep ball, and when he decides to go for it.
Jones had two notable decisions in the second half of last Sunday’s win over the Jets that should’ve raised an eyebrow. They were both third-and-manageable, and on both plays, Jones went deep. He appeared to be off the mark toward Demario Douglas, then wasn’t on the same page with JuJu Smith-Schuster.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: Mac Jones of the New England Patriots calls out orders during the first half of a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 24, 2023. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Jones wasn’t required to target these guys on these plays. His deep balls will improve, and lead to more chunk plays, when he starts gelling with his receivers and picking better spots.
“I love chunk plays,” Jones said Wednesday. (Well that’s good.) “My whole career, I’ve kind of thrived off those, play-action and normal chunk plays. Just trying to keep doing them. Got to keep the hook in the water, I guess they say. (laughs) So, you got to have the bait out there and continue to fish. I think we’ll hit them. We’re working on it.”
He’s certainly right about continuing to try. Just have to hope they are better-executed tries.
Play-Calling
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Bailey Zappe of the New England Patriots watches offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien of the New England Patriots talks to Mac Jones of the New England Patriots during the second quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 10, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
If it was Bill O’Brien’s call to throw deep to Smith-Schuster on a key third-and-6 play in the fourth quarter of a three-point game, well, it was not a good decision. So O’Brien could be better in his own right. When the coordination of the offense feels a little off, at some point that leads back to the offensive coordinator.
“We work hard on those throws during practice,” O’Brien said Tuesday. “Sometimes, early in the season, it’s really hard to simulate that in practice, and it comes from a lot of repetition. It’s not any excuse at all. We need to do a better job of practicing those, making sure that we hit those in practice, and then getting it done in the game.
“We were close, but close isn’t good enough. We need to start connecting on those kinds of plays.”
If there’s one specific coaching/coordination thing that O’Brien could possibly do better, it’s to utilize different personnel on those deep balls. Smith-Schuster’s strength on chunk plays would be after the catch. Could start there. Or wait until he’s actually ready to execute the play properly.
Execution
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: JuJu Smith-Schuster of the New England Patriots runs for a first down as C.J. Mosley of the New York Jets tackles him in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 24, 2023. (Elsa/Getty Images)
This is where the receivers come in. It’s much more likely that Mac Jones executed that deep pass properly, than Smith-Schuster. The two simply aren’t in sync at this stage, and that can easily trace back to Smith-Schuster’s lack of off-season work with the team on the field.
You can also point to Parker as a player who could be better on deep balls, especially when that’s supposed to be his thing. Parker appeared to slow up a bit on an early third down play, and the ball sailed over him incomplete. Additionally, he could’ve fought more for the ball on Jones’ bad interception in Week 2 against the Dolphins.
Jones has certainly made some good decisions and throws that the receivers couldn’t complete, for whatever reason. They may have execution problems all season, because it’s not an overly talented group, but they’re better than they’ve shown so far.
Pass Protection
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: Mac Jones of the New England Patriots throws a pass in the first quarter of a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 24, 2023. (Elsa/Getty Images)
This almost goes without saying. But if Jones can get more clean pockets, he should make more clean throws. But in the case of chunk plays, Jones would need even more time than usual to throw.
But if the Patriots try to create more explosive plays with yards after the catch, the line is still going to need to block upfield well. Again, obvious, I know. But it’s a clear area of improvement.
