Nitpicks and Nitwits: Patriots Fall Just Short Against Bucs

As Nick Folk‘s 56-yard field goal attempt doinked off the left upright in Gillette Stadium’s south end zone late Sunday night, with rain falling, the crowd hushed with anticipation and no doubt emotionally exhausted from a physical and mental battle waged below – a thought immediately came to mind.

This wasn’t really a loss…it was an awakening.  It was a loss on the scoreboard, but it didn’t feel like the gut-punch it probably should have been.

Moral victories are usually sought by the down-trodden, the hopeless, or the non-believer.  But what the Patriots did for themselves, and perhaps for their fans Sunday night…wasn’t just a moral victory.  Yes, they lost the game.  They couldn’t run the ball.  Right now, the offensive line can’t fight its way out of a paper bag.

“We don’t really do moral victories,” Mac Jones said in his postgame interview session.  “Those are always forgotten.”

But this game won’t be, nor should it be forgotten.  Suddenly, there is a realization that not only is this season still in play, but that future seasons may also begin to resemble – someday soon – a part of the glory from the immediate past.

And, that the organization knows a thing or two about quarterbacks.  It’s the lasting legacy TB12 will leave behind in Foxboro, this standard of successful play.

Mac Jones lived up to the standard.  He played every bit as well as the GOAT, Tom Brady, if not better.  You can argue semantics and statistics, perhaps, and you can point to the scoreboard.

But you can also point to the fearlessness with which Jones stood in a constantly crumbling pocket around him, willing his team into a position where they could actually beat the defending Super Bowl champs at the end.

He had 19 straight completions at one point, tying the franchise record set by you-know-who.

Sunday night’s doink off the upright – three inches to the right, and we have a completely different end result to talk about – was tough to watch, considering the effort expended on the field.

But it also pointed to something greater, and maybe even long-lasting again.  The fight is still in Foxboro.  The spirit is still here.  And there’s a young quarterback leading the way.

The ‘Offensive’ Line

It was…offensive.  Again.  It remains a mere shell of what was originally thought by many to be a “top 5” line before the NFL season began.

Hard to believe that Trent Brown‘s absence – and he’s been out with what must be a helluva calf injury for three weeks now – has had this kind of effect on his linemates’ play.  Some effect, yes.

But the Patriots had three offensive tackles in the game who appeared overmatched at times, again, against an active Bucs’ front and struggled mightily on the left side with Mike Onwenu’s sudden penchant for committing penalties.

Jones was sacked four more times and took 12 more hits – bringing his four-game hit average to more than 10 pops per game.  There have been 32 QB hits on him in the three New England losses.  Tampa actually entered this weekend dead LAST in sack rate, too.  Ouch.

Hopefully, Jones stays tougher than he looks.  He’ll need to, at the present rate.

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Fumblerooski

Ball security IS worked on at practice.  There is much attention to this detail.

And yet Patriots’ running backs (and receivers) are still managing to commit crucial mistakes with turnovers that rob a fledgling offense of opportunity, if not points on the scoreboard.

J.J. Taylor‘s addition to the mistake pile (plus Mac Jones’ interception off a deflection) killed a promising 2nd half drive with great field position in Bucs’ territory.  They finished minus-two in the all important giveaway/takeaway ratio, and they’ve lost the turnover battle in each of their three losses.

At this rate, both Taylor and Rhamondre Stevenson will find themselves buried on a depth chart at a position that could really use some help.

Run like the…

Wind?  Not this team.  A month ago, the run game was a strength.  But a grand total of minus-one net yards rushing against the Bucs?  Lead back Damien Harris rushed for minus-four yards on the ground on just four total carries.

Yes, the line in front of them is part of the problem.  They can’t block, they can’t open holes.  But as Bill Belichick usually opines, ‘it is what it is.’  The backs also have to commit to finding their way.

Harris is running tentatively like he’s afraid of making a mistake.  Seems to be an issue with the entire backfield.

Don’t look now, but…

Next week’s road opponent, the Houston Texans, are coming off of a franchise-worst loss in a 40-0 defeat to Buffalo.

• The 109 total yards they gained were the third-fewest in team history.
• The six total first downs are second-fewest.
• The one third-down conversion produced tied for second-fewest.
• The five turnovers tied for second-most in franchise history (only one game with more).

Guess that means there’s a chance for someone, at least, to set themselves straight?