The New England Patriots may be in the middle of the league in offensive passing efficiency stats like yards per attempt (7.1) and completion percentage (65.1%), but when it comes to production in passing yards per game (184.5) and passing touchdowns (8), they are at the bottom of the league. But even with a strong rushing attack, the Patriots are seventh-worst in the NFL in points per game with 19.8.
There’s plenty of blame to go around for those lackluster numbers. When an offense is struggling at such a significant level, it’s surely that every position group is coming up short, a product of poor play-calling, coaching and playing.
Belichick was asked, in particular, how his receivers have played this season. And he made reference of that unimpressive passing offense.
“I think all of those players have improved through the course of the year. Our passing game still is not as efficient as we need it to be with really everything that’s involved – the protection, route distribution, which involves everybody, tight ends, backs and receivers, timing and ability to execute and create separation in man-to-man coverage,” Belichick said Tuesday. “So, we continue to work on all those things.
“Damiere (Byrd)’s had a solid year for us right from the beginning. N’Keal (Harry)’s started to come on here in the last few weeks. Jakobi (Meyers)’s had a pretty productive year, as well – primarily inside, but he’s also played outside in some of our two-receiver sets and has been productive there and has shown the ability to block. He’s been involved in some inside blocking plays and crack plays that have helped us in the running game, which our running game has been more productive than it has been in the past. I think our receivers have a role in that.”
Julian Edelman has spend most of the season on injured reserve with a knee injury, and that has left behind a vacuum at the position. Because Harry struggled mightily in the beginning of the season, Meyers has found himself as an emerging option in New England’s offense. And even so, Harry has just five catches for 64 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks. The fact that is what Belichick considers “coming on” is a testament to how much the standard has slipped for the 2019 first-round pick.
This doesn’t even get into the tight end position, which has provided almost zero production in the passing game in 2020.
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