Many are worried that the New England Patriots offense has struggled in training camp. The unorthodox approach to playcalling and lack of an offensive coordinator has some wondering if this setup is the best situation for Mac Jones.
As the entire Patriots offense tries to get on the same page, the team’s leading receiver for the last two years, Jakobi Meyers, had some interesting and strong words about the transition. Meyers spoke with NFL Network’s Mike Giardi and Scott Pioli, who stressed how important it is for the vets to get their egos in check.
Here is a transcript of Meyers’ interview captured by NESN’s Zack Cox:
Thought these were interesting comments from Jakobi Meyers to @MikeGiardi and @scottpioli51 on NFL Network.
Acknowledged “change and perfection are kind of a hard mix” with the Patriots implementing a new offense.
“It’s definitely been something to get used to.”
Is it Time to Panic?
Why is Meyers speaking candidly about some of the issues the Patriots’ offense is having? Because it has been pretty evident to anyone who has had a chance to watch the unit practice through training camp.
Aside from a few bright spots from DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, and high usage of hybrid player Ty Montgomery, the Patriots’ defense has had a clear advantage in the early stages. In a direct quote from Mac Jones, Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar wrote that the team’s offense “has a lot of room to grow,” in one of his early assessments.
ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss commented about a high number of “no-chance plays” coming from the offense. The first inclination is to blame the Patriots’ new offensive play-caller Matt Patricia and those assisting him, such as Joe Judge.
Fox’s First Things First personality Chris Broussard slammed the Patriots’ offense’s chance of succeeding with Patricia leading the way. Broussard tweeted, “not good.”
There is one potentially positive spin to put on the dominance of the Patriots’ defense in training camp sessions. Perhaps the Pats’ defense is set for a strong season, and New England’s offense is being prepared for the rigors of a long NFL season by a group that will give opponents fits throughout the year.
Ideally, you’d like to see a little more give and take from a team standpoint. If it’s too one-sided in favor of one unit, the indication is that the one that comes out on the losing end more times than not is a bit weak.
We won’t know for sure until the regular season gets underway. For now, we’ll see the first test of sorts on Thursday, August 11, when the Patriots take on the New York Giants in the preseason opener.
Patriots Notes and Quotes
- Nelson Agholor Likes the New Offense
After a disappointing first year with the Patriots in 2021, per Providence Journal’s Mark Daniels, the new looks have made Agholor feel like he’s “in a position to play faster.”
Agholor had just 37 receptions for 473 yards and 3 TDs in 2021. That production came in the first season after he signed a two-year, $22 million free-agent deal. In 2020 with the Raiders, Agholor had 48 receptions for 896 yards and 8 TDs.
If Agholor could come somewhere close to that production level in 2022, the concerns about the Patriots’ offense would be quieted. Still, Jones and Co. need more than one receiver production if they plan to be a dangerous unit.
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Patriots Veteran Has Strong Words for Teammates, Calls for ‘Ego Check’