The New England Patriots are 0-2 on the 2023 season after a Week 2 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium. Here are seven final thoughts on the game and what they mean for the team going forward, as we turn the page on the loss…
A Tale of 2 Quarterbacks
As one would expect, one of the biggest stories coming out of the game was the quarterback comparison between the Patriots’ Mac Jones and the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa.
Jones and Tagovailoa were quite similar in one regard, but for different reasons: quick decisions. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Tagovailoa averaged the lowest time to throw (2.08 seconds) in the NFL in Week 2. Jones was third at 2.38 seconds.
In the case of Jones and the Patriots, quick throws have often been made out of necessity, due to substandard pass protection in front of him. But it’s an objectively good thing that Jones is getting rid of the ball quickly, regardless of how much time his line is giving him.
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Mac Jones of the New England Patriots hugs Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins following the game at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, had much cleaner protection across the line and, of course, faster and more dynamic weapons to target. But his decisiveness also helped offset the Patriots’ high-powered pass-rush, and at times he caught rushers over-pursuing him to hit open guys. He deserves credit for taking what the Patriots defense gave him and putting drives together without forcing the ball downfield too much.
Jones was good under pressure, an encouraging sign two games into his third season. He had the league’s seventh-best passer rating in Week 2 when under pressure, per Pro Football Focus (107.6). He needs to clean up the turnovers (his third-quarter interception against Miami was his worst pass attempt of the season so far), but he’s not at the top of the Patriots’ list of problems so far.
If you’re wondering what better receivers and blocking could do for Jones, just look at the other guy.
Mac Jones Has NOT Been The Problem
Sep 17, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) throws a pass against the Miami Dolphins in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
We’re two weeks into the grand experiment of figuring out just how good Mac Jones is and how far he can take the Patriots. But believe it or not, I think we have something of an answer already: Jones is playing pretty well overall, and is not the biggest problem.
Obviously, Jones is not absolved of any criticism. He needs to prove he can win a close, competitive game at some point. But if you’re watching these games and determining that Jones is what’s really holding the team back, you may need to watch closer. Considering the blocking problems and lack of high-end receiving talent, Jones is making the most of a bad situation.
Jones may not be a high-end talent himself, and will never be good enough to elevate guys around him, or make big plays with pure athletic ability. But if anything, we already knew that. In my opinion, Jones so far has shown enough that he could bring the team more success with a better offense around him. Give him Hill, former Alabama teammate Jaylen Waddle, and good blocking, how do you think he looks?
Again, the two interceptions were both horrendous, and Jones hasn’t always targeted the best option down the field on any given play. But to talk about these two games like he’s been terrible or the reason they’ve lost is to miss the bigger problems at hand.
‘Beating Ourselves’
Sept. 17, 2023; Foxborough, MA: Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill scores a touchdown against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. (Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports)
One of the most crucial sequences of the game happened on the Dolphins’ final possession of the second quarter. The Patriots had finally put points on the board, and the defense had a chance to make a stop to get the team to halftime down just 10-3.
Instead, Tagovailoa went 7-of-7 for 69 yards and a touchdown to Tyreek Hill, putting the Dolphins ahead by two touchdowns as they hit the locker room. Though Hill finished the drive as he slipped through what appeared to be a miscommunication between Kyle Dugger and Christian Gonzalez, Tagovailoa got to that point by completing passes to Durham Smythe, River Cracraft (2), Salvon Ahmed (2), and Braxton Berrios.
Tagovailoa’s pass to Berrios on that drive was a beauty, and a stark contrast to Jones’ interception in the same area of the field later in the game. But for the defense, it was the worst possible time to let the opposing quarterback engineer a flawless touchdown drive.
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Braxton Berrios of the Miami Dolphins catches a pass against Shaun Wade and Christian Gonzalez of the New England Patriots during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
What could they have done better there?
“Everything,” lamented safety Jabrill Peppers after the game. “Communication, reading our keys better, being on the same page. We’ve got to do a better job of making teams beat us instead of beating ourselves.”
The thing about beating themselves has felt like a factor ever since the departure of Tom Brady, so it’s not like Mac Jones or any other player is alone in that. When it’s a problem that seems to transcend the roster over multiple seasons, you have to look at the coaching staff and wonder if they’re doing a good-enough job preparing the team to avoid self-inflicted issues.
Mac Jones Clarifies Callout
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Mac Jones of the New England Patriots reacts after officials overturned a spot to turn the ball over and end the game at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
It certainly sounded like Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was subtly calling out some of his teammates for not putting in enough work to help the team get back in the win column. He was given a chance to clarify his remarks during his Monday radio appearance on WEEI. Asked if his comments indicated a lack of effort from his teammates, he started with an emphatic “No,” then explained it was more about being close to a winning standard and simply doing a little more work to get over the hump.
“It’s not like it’s rocket science,” Jones said. “If you watch 30 minutes of film, watch an hour. If you lift for 45 minutes, lift for an hour and a half. Just, whatever you can do.
“For me, that’s how I feel better about everything. You can only put in so much work. There’s 24 hours in a day, you have to sleep for 8-10 of them. All of the other hours need to be about work.”
Even if the work ethic isn’t as bad as cynics want it to be, it’s clear that it’s going to take extra hours for the Patriots to beat more talented teams, and especially ones that will compete and not fold at the sight of Bill Belichick. That goes for both the players and the coaches. The simplest way for them to gain edges against more talented squads is to out-work them.
Two Tight Ends?
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Hunter Henry of the New England Patriots celebrates his touchdown catch with Mike Gesicki during the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Pats ran “12” personnel (one running back, two tight ends, two wide receivers) on 60.8 percent of offensive snaps on Sunday night, compared to 28.4 percent in “11” personnel (three wide receivers). DeVante Parker played every snap, while Kendrick Bourne and JuJu Smith-Schuster split time at the other receiver spot in these groupings.
Yes, the Patriots have two good, solid pass-catching tight ends in Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. But are they doing what’s best for the team to bench Demario Douglas and make the two-tight end set their base offense?
Separation Problems
FOXBOROUGH, MA: JuJu Smith-Schuster of the New England Patriots is tackled by Kader Kohou and Andrew Van Ginkel of the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Smith-Schuster had the lowest average separation in the NFL in Week 2, at 1.5 yards. He finished with five catches for 28 yards. Hunter Henry was tied for the lowest average separation among tight ends (2.0 yards), but made more of it with six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
There are more factors to this than just Smith-Schuster lacking separation ability. Receivers have lacked time to get open, and two games is a tiny sample size. Smith-Schuster actually had the second-highest avg. separation in Week 1 (4.3 yards).
But the tight windows were noticeable against the Dolphins. Ideally, Smith-Schuster gets open early in his routes, and does it consistently.
Running Game Down
FOXBOROUGH, MA: Rhamondre Stevenson of the New England Patriots runs the ball during the first quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 17, 2023. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
It’s one thing that Jones can’t get a clean pocket to throw the ball, but the Patriots’ injuries and poor performance on the offensive line are affecting the running game as much as anything else. Through two weeks, the Pats are 23rd in the league at 3.5 yards per rush as a team.
Running back production is one area where talent isn’t the problem. Rhamondre Stevenson is certainly better than his 2.8 yards per carry would suggest. Once the offensive line is healthy and solidified, improvement is expected in this department.
