Pats Pulpit
Buckle up, Pats fans! It’s going to be one of those kinds of seasons.
What to make of these 1-2 Patriots? They’re up in some areas, down in others and overall a work-in-progress. What they aren’t yet, is a team that can win games with sloppy, undisciplined play. What they do have is a quarterback they can build on and around, and that’s a good thing. To get this train rolling, the front office needs at least one more solid draft to shore up depth at almost every position. Players will benefit the more time they spend together, to build the kind of familiarity that fosters consistency and trust. Add on a refresher course in fundamentals to eliminate the penalties and improve ball security and they may just have a contender.
To the coaches’ credit, tackling was noticeably better in Week 3. To their detriment, the turnover issue cost them the game. Penalties and field awareness — including where the first-down marker is —also need attention.
Off the field, the rankings reflect this volatility. Most experts are slotting the Pats in the 20-27 range. They are no longer in the bottom five, thanks to that Week 2 win, Drake Maye, and defensive flashes. This week’s home matchup vs. the surging Panthers (who just shut out Atlanta 30-0) is important to steady the ship. A win could vault them into the teens; another slip, and the basement beckons. Mike Vrabel has preached resilience and it’s time to see if this roller coaster levels out. What’s your take: Maye for MVP or more misery?
GO PATS!!
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Around the AFC East:
Buffalo Bills (3-0) vs. New Orleans Saints (0-3)
New England Patriots (1-2) vs. Carolina Panthers (1-2)
New York Jets (0-3) at Miami Dolphins (0-3)
AFC Matchups:
Indianapolis Colts (3-0) at Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
Los Angeles Chargers (3-0) at New York Giants (0-3)
Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) at Denver Broncos (1-2)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) at San Francisco 49ers (3-0)
Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-1)
Las Vegas Raiders (1-2) vs. Chicago Bears (1-2)
Baltimore Ravens (1-2) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-2)
Houston Texans (0-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-3)
Cleveland Browns (1-2) at Detroit Lions (2-1)
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20th – Pete Prisco (CBS Sports): They have a turnover issue right now which cost them the Steelers game. That has to be fixed or they won’t win many games. [+2]
21st – Conor Orr (SI): I think we’re conflating the idea of more TreVeyon Henderson touches versus better TreVeyon Henderson touches. Think first-year Jahmyr Gibbs, which is why Rhamondre Stevenson might not be done yet. [+2]
23rd – Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports): It’s not like Mike Vrabel and the staff didn’t know Rhamondre Stevenson was a fumbler. And his two fumbles cost them a chance to beat the Steelers. The Patriots outplayed Pittsburgh but had nothing to show for it. It will be interesting to see the trust level in Stevenson going forward. [+1]
23rd – Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): *The Patriots saw their...
