The Patriots rolled out a significantly different offense than what we’re used to seeing on Sunday, and it almost helped them beat a more talented Cowboys team. Their plan on offense? “Bully ball.”
What exactly does that mean? Heavy personnel on offense, at all positions. How did they do it? By deploying by far a season-high in snaps in 22 personnel – one running back, one fullback, two tight ends, one wide receiver. At times, the second tight end was an extra tackle. The one receiver? The 6-foot-4, 225-pound N’Keal Harry.
When they ran “22,” it worked. Overall, the Patriots ran 17 plays out of “22,” 13 of them running plays. They gained 76 yards on the ground (5.8 yard average) and 26 yards on three completions (8.7 yard average), plus an incomplete pass intended for tight end Jonnu Smith. The problem is that you can’t exactly draw up an infinite number of plays in those groupings, so the Patriots gradually moved away from it in favor of their traditional three-receiver sets in 11 personnel.
“Well, when you go into the game with an alternative group, like the big people, it’s not like you go in there with like 25 plays,” head coach Bill Belichick said during his Monday Zoom conference. “Sometimes the shelf life on that doesn’t last forever. I don’t think you can just keep bringing it in and running the same play five times in a row in this league.”
Nonetheless, the Patriots had success out of “22” personnel. The grouping showed promise as far as adding wrinkles for future games, particularly to throw the ball to the tight ends. But that offense could only take them so far to keep pace against a high-powered Cowboys offense.
Here’s more on the Patriots’ unique offensive approach on Sunday against the Cowboys…
Snap Counts
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 17: Hunter Henry #85 of the New England Patriots celebrates with teammate Nelson Agholor #15 after scoring a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
In total, the Patriots ran a season-low 54 offensive plays. Excluding three kneeldowns at the end of the first half and a false start by wide receiver Gunner Olszewski, here are the snap counts from the Patriots’ skill players…
Jonnu Smith: 36
Hunter Henry: 34
Jakobi Meyers: 32
Nelson Agholor: 31
Damien Harris: 24
Kendrick Bourne: 24
Jakob Johnson: 19
N’Keal Harry: 18
Rhamondre Stevenson: 17
Brandon Bolden: 10
Mike Onwenu (as TE): 2
Yodny Cajuste (as TE): 2Clearly, what stands out is that Jonnu Smith led all skill players in offensive snaps, yet was only targeted twice as a receiver and made one catch for nine yards. It’s a reflection that the Patriots need to lean on Smith as a blocker, even when using him as the lone tight end in 11 personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs).
N’Keal Harry closed the gap on his teammates at receiver, but mainly because he was used to block in the running game out of 22 personnel. Harry was not targeted in 18 snaps.
Damien Harris led Patriots running backs in snaps. Rookie Rhamondre Stevenson had more snaps and touches in Week 5 against Houston, but had his most productive game of the season against Dallas, with 7.8 yards per touch and his first career rushing touchdown.
Mike Onwenu returned from the reserve/COVID-19 list and checked in as a “Jumbo” tight end on two snaps, as did tackle Yodny Cajuste.
Personnel Packages
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 17: Rhamondre Stevenson #38 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images)
Despite a season-high in snaps out of their heaviest personnel package, the Patriots’ three-receiver sets ultimately took over, particularly in the second half and especially once the Pats were trailing. Here’s how it broke down by personnel package…
11 personnel: 50 percent (25 snaps)
22 personnel: 34 percent (17 snaps)
12 personnel: 10 percent (5 snaps)
21 personnel: 4 percent (2 snaps)
23 personnel: 2 percent (1 snaps)The go-to receiver group in 11 personnel continued to be Nelson Agholor, Jakobi Meyers, and Kendrick Bourne. Harry replaced Bourne on one snap and Meyers on another.
There was an almost perfectly even split at tight end in “11,” with Smith taking 13 snaps to Hunter Henry’s 12. Henry continues to be the team’s primary third-down tight end, however. Henry’s touchdown catch in the first quarter came in 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs), showing added potential for the passing game in that particular package.
New England’s lone snap in 23 personnel was Stevenson’s fourth-quarter touchdown run. They used fullback Jakob Johnson, Smith and Henry at tight end, and Cajuste as the extra tackle.
Running vs Passing
Oct 17, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots running back Damien Harris (37) runs against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
The Patriots typically like to be multiple and unpredictable within their personnel packages, ie. passing out of traditional running formations, and vice versa.
That balance really only showed up in 11 personnel. They ran the ball a surprising 11 times out of 11 personnel, and one of them was the game’s most puzzling play-call: a handoff to Brandon Bolden on third-and-1, which went for minus-1 yard.
11 personnel: 56 percent passing (14/25)
22 personnel: 76.5 percent running (13/17)
12 personnel: 100 percent passing (5/5)
21 personnel: 100 percent passing (2/2)
23 personnel: 100 percent running (1/1)Overall, the Patriots actually had solid numbers on the ground in 11 personnel: 47 yards on 11 carries (4.3-yard average). Harris had seven of those carries, plus two for Stevenson and the third-and-1 carry by Bolden. Agholor also took a jet sweep out of “11” for a yard.
Interestingly enough, the Patriots exclusively passed the ball out of 12 personnel and 21 personnel, which are often deployed in the run game. It was a mixed bag out of “12.” Jones was 3-of-4 for 40 yards and a touchdown to Henry, but also took an eight-yard sack. Smith made a catch in “12” and was dropped for a two-yard loss, but drew a horse collar tackle on the play for a 15-yard penalty.