Patriots-Giants Report Card: Woeful offense spoils stellar defensive effort originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Patriots have allowed 40 points total over their last three games. They’ve given up just 10 points in each of their last two. And yet they’re 0-3 in that span and now 2-9 on the season.
It’s been that kind of year in New England, where complementary football has been lacking since Week 1. Sunday’s 10-7 loss to the Giants followed a familiar script, with the defense (mostly) locking up its opponent and the offense actively hurting the team’s chances to win with head-scratching mistakes.
That script is reflected in our Week 12 Report Card, which features high marks on defense and very, very low marks elsewhere. To the grades…
Quarterback: F
On the first pass play of the game, the Patriots botched the snap. A significant loss on the play was prevented only by a delay-of-game penalty. It was a harbinger of what was to come throughout the course of the remainder of the afternoon.
Mac Jones got the start — something that some other offensive starters weren’t sure would happen until Sunday — and his best throw of the day might’ve been a four-yard completion on third down while under pressure. He threw one seemingly-accurate slant over the middle to DeVante Parker that was dropped, but Parker may have been expecting the ball elsewhere because Jones threw multiple slants in the game that were either late or thrown behind the intended target or both.
Jones’ two interceptions were ugly. The first was squeezed into Demario Douglas on a two-man route concept with seven players in pass protection. On second down, Jones probably should’ve thrown the ball away to live to see another down.
His second pick might’ve been avoided had Douglas handled his route as if he were “hot” with a free rusher running right by him and into the backfield, but with Douglas turning his head around late, Jones should’ve simply eaten the ball and taken the sack. That was a third-down…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-giants-report-card-woeful-181401193.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2023-11-27 18:14:01
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