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Greetings and welcome to the Unconventional Review, a real-time analysis of the highlights, figures, and narratives from the Patriots’ last game…
From this point on, it is ideal for the Patriots’ long-term future to lose as much as possible. But while they’re at it, do they really have to be so annoying?
With Kendrick Bourne, Christian Gonzalez, and Matthew Judon sidelined by injuries, the Patriots lack elite talent. We are aware of this. Facing that fact is not too difficult. It’s difficult to understand that the Patriots continually exacerbate their physical shortcomings with mental errors.
While JuJu Smith-Schuster is in position to make the game-winning field goal, a Mac Jones throw thuds off his hands for an interception that ends the game. Late in the fourth quarter, Mack Wilson Sr. foolishly calls an offside penalty on fourth and 2, giving the Commanders a first down. Every week, the special teams devise fresh and creative errors.
The Patriots are not close to being a strong team. In seven of their nine games this season, they have fallen down by double digits. They genuinely want to prevail! But a talent disparity will almost always cause them to lose. Observing how heedless they have grown is depressing.
Some additional observations after a quick review…
Three players deserving of awards: Terry McLaurin, Demario Douglas, and Christian Barmore are the players recommended in the Unconventional Preview.
Rhamondre Stevenson: After amassing 1,000 yards of rushes the previous season, Stevenson appeared destined to be one of the league’s top backs. However, this season has been perplexing for him.
Just 302 yards, two touchdowns, and a 3.2-yard rushing average—reminiscent of Marion Butts—were all he had going into Sunday. The idea that he was recovering from an injury earlier in the year is strengthened by the fact that he has recently appeared more like his ’22 self.
At last, he let go, scoring the team’s second score in as many minutes and twenty seconds during the second quarter with a 64-yard touchdown run. With the Patriots ahead 14–10, there appeared to be an indication that Stevenson, who had not yet accumulated 60 rushing yards in a game this year, was about to have a huge day.
However, another oddity occurred. Even without guns, the Patriots were still, um, reluctant? Reluctant to put him to use? He ran hard; with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, he made a particularly nice move in which he trucked safety Kamren Curl for a seven-yard gain while dodging a Commanders lineman in the backfield. However, he only gained four additional touches on 42-yard receptions while running just nine times for a total of 87 yards. It is illogical to use it that way.
Ja’Whaun Bentley: David Andrews, Matthew Slater, Deatrich Wise Jr., Jonathan Jones, Lawrence Guy, Joe Cardona, and Bentley were the seven players the Patriots dressed from the 2018 Super Bowl champion team.
That season, Bentley only appeared in three games before being placed on injured reserve. However, he is among the select few Patriots of today whose steady play makes you long for the good old days.
Despite missing time due to a hamstring injury, Bentley played effectively, recording 13 tackles (10 solo), including two sacks of Sam Howell in the fourth quarter, once on a third and six. Bentley is a hardy, dependable player who understands his place and is deserving of better.
Terry McLaurin: The Commanders’ passing game was incredibly balanced, at least when it came to their receivers. Jahan Dotson had four receptions for 69 yards, and McLaurin had five for 73 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown grab with 6:51 remaining in the third quarter to knot the score at 17.
With consecutive catches for 26 and 36 yards during a late third-quarter drive that resulted in the game’s winning field goal and points, McLaurin had a bigger effect. In addition, the fifth-year receiver stopped Kyle Dugger from participating in Brian Robinson’s touchdown run in the first quarter.
Bill Belichick would probably enjoy him as a player, and I feel compelled to reiterate that he was selected 44 picks behind N’Keal Harry in the draft.
Do you mean a grievance that goes beyond what I’ve already complained about? Okay, give this one a go: Tyquan Thornton and Jalen Reagor, two Patriots receivers, combined for two catches for eighteen yards on ten targets. Although my knowledge of NFL metrics is limited, I’m very certain that a combined yardage per target of 1.8 is not acceptable.
Reagor was subpar, which is consistent with the scouting report from his prior Minnesota and Philadelphia trips. In the final minute of the third quarter, Jones sent down a gorgeous deep ball that he missed. He might be Nelson Agholor in disguise, but Agholor was superior, in my opinion.
It was terrible with Thornton. He was awful. Early in the game, on a third-and-10 reception, he failed to fight for a first down. As a result, on the following fourth and third, Jones’s ball to him was incomplete. He was the target of missed throws on three consecutive early drives, and beyond the second quarter’s 11-minute mark, I doubt he saw the field. He seemed more lost than anything. He seemed to be in despair. It’s hard to think that during his early training camp days in 2022, this was the player that everyone was talking about.
After Jahlani Tavai, another player on the short list of Patriots deserving of further heralding, punched the ball free in the second quarter, Davon Godchaux recovered the fumble, capping an unappreciated stellar season. On the CBS broadcast, Jonathan Vilma gave an equally erroneous performance as the Patriots’ passing scheme.
He circled the incorrect player when highlighting Kyle Dugger’s interception, called Stevenson the best running back you’ve never heard of, and—most infuriating of all—blamed Mac Jones for Jartavius Martin’s late interception that ricocheted off JuJu Smith-Schuster’s hands. Jack Jones and J.C. Jackson did not begin, and the reason for this remained mostly unclear. I’m just going to assume that they were getting in trouble for making jokes about Rex Ryan’s feet.
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