For example, after three-straight runs by Rhamondre Stevenson produced 24 yards, the Pats had another promising drive going to start the second half. But, as you can see above, it wasn’t like they were opening giant holes for Stevenson to run through. Instead, it was the second-year breakout star churning out yards after contact and pushing the pile at a ridiculous rate.
With three-consecutive first-and-tens, one would hope that the play-caller would recognize that the running game was bound to dry up when the unstable yards after contact production ran out. Rather than calling play action, which worked earlier in the game, Patricia called for another run on a toss to Stevenson that lost four yards.
The negative play, adding to New England’s league lead in that category, produced a second-and-14 where Jones forced a pass downfield to Henry that Poyer nearly intercepted. Then, the Patriots waved the white flag with a downfield screen to Meyers on third-and-14. After making it to first-and-ten from the Buffalo 44, the punt team ran onto the field.
The Patriots offense has more than a coaching issue. New England’s offensive line is a mess, they lack explosive playmakers, and then there’s the quarterback’s year-two regression.
But an offense with mostly the same cast of characters doesn’t plummet from tenth in EPA per play in Jones’s rookie season to 26th on its own. If your plan to take down an elite operation like the Bills is best suited for a rookie who was drafted to play primarily on defense and special teams, is it really a good plan? If you are the Dolphins or 49ers, sure, get Tyreek Hill and Deebo into space and force a Bills defense missing some key pieces to tackle. That’s not the Patriots.
The Patriots are also one of the league’s best passing offenses off play-action, with Jones ranking ninth in yards per play-action attempt (8.8). Yet, Mac’s play-action rate is 28th among 32 qualified quarterbacks, and they only dialed it up for one drive on Thursday night.