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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. New England Patriots — Quick-hit mind and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Mac beneath stress: Quarterback Mac Jones’ overall performance whilst going through stress projects as a key storyline Monday in opposition to the host New England Patriots Arizona Cardinals (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).
It is a tenuous spot to be with the Patriots handling a run of accidents at offensive address and with go-to receiver Jakobi Meyers still in concussion protocol. Jones will be jogging for New England Patriots New England Patriots his life in opposition to a Cardinals protection that blitzes about 50% of the time.
“They bring a whole lot of unique men New England Patriots from plenty of different locations — show you one factor and bring something else. [They] keep you guessing and positioned you to your heels,” Jones stated.
Jones has end up conversant in feeling the heat this season. The shaky consequences in those situations have contributed to why the Patriots (6-6) haven’t had the offensive fulfillment train Bill Belichick anticipated after streamlining the offensive playbook and assigning Matt Patricia and Joe Judge as leading offensive coaches no matter their number one backgrounds inside the NFL coming on defensive and unique groups, respectively.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jones has finished simply 37% of his passes while forced this season, rating him 31st out of 35 certified quarterbacks within the NFL.
He is averaging just 2.9 yards consistent with skip try whilst pressured — thirty fourth within the NFL.
And his five interceptions when forced — which become an early-season problem that has subsided in current weeks — are tied for the most within the NFL.
Injuries at offensive address have contributed to Jones being below a lot duress. Starting proper tackle Isaiah Wynn (foot) will miss his third instantly sport Monday — and, frankly, he hasn’t been continually powerful whilst healthful — even as veteran backup Marcus Cannon (concussion) remains on New England Patriots injured reserve.
Furthermore, beginning left address Trent Brown has been fighting an infection that honestly affected his play in a Week thirteen loss to the Bills and then restrained his exercise time this beyond week. And backup offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste is dealing with lower back and calf injuries that sidelined him for the Bills game and restricted his exercise time this past week as nicely.
It’s no surprise Jones confronted pressure on 39.five% of his dropbacks final week.
Cardinals shielding coordinator Vance Joseph, who appears to sense blood within the water, made headlines on Thursday while he defined the Patriots’ offense as conservative and reflective of “how a defensive guy could name offensive plays.” He said he’s seen a whole lot of “run, short game and monitors” earlier than adding: “Hopefully they don’t trade that a great deal Monday for us.”
Some may say it gave the impression of a venture.
How Jones and the Patriots answer it’ll decide how an awful lot desire stays of their season.
2. Mac’s air yards: Jones has had 14% of his pass attempts journey 20-plus air yards this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. That is the fifth-highest general inside the NFL, contradicting the notion that the Patriots’ passing game is all “short recreation and displays.” As strolling again Rhamondre New England Patriots Stevenson essentially said, it depends on which game one chooses to look at.
three. Loose locker room: Given the Patriots are on a two-game dropping streak, and the stakes are as excessive as they’ve been for them this season, the looseness of New England Patriots players become incredible inside the time media participants have been round them this week. Matthew Judon saved things mild via sporting a couple of McCourty’s vibrant purple Rutgers shorts to his media availability, earlier than returning to McCourty’s media availability in hopes that he might put on a Grand Valley State shirt. Meanwhile, Jones said: “I experience like we’ve an amazing power. That’s important. Everybody is all-in and that’s all you could ask for.”
Matthew Judon, keeping it mild, returns for the duration of Devin McCourty’s information convention with a Grand Valley State blouse. %.twitter.com/l92iRfo4gB— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 8, 2022
four. Arizona experience: The Patriots will practice at the University of Arizona next week in place of returning home earlier than their Week 15 road game in opposition to the Raiders. Judon as compared it to a basketball group creating a West Coast ride.
Added longtime captain Devin McCourty: “It will just be us. All the distractions and the entirety else you have to manage as a husband, a father, a son, a brother, you kind of get a break from that. You sort of cross returned, almost like university — conferences, practice, lower back to the dorm with the men.”
The Patriots are hanging on to slim playoff hopes, and gamers have acknowledged the worst-case situation that things may want to move dry in the wasteland.
“It’s going to be tough, but if you win, it’s all worth it. If you lose, it’s like, ‘dang, this sucks,’” veteran safety Adrian Phillips said. “You just need to make sure that once we come back at the plane Sunday night time from Vegas, you’re speaking to the men saying, ‘That trip became well worth it. We did what we needed to do.’”
5. Wildcat alums: Kicker Nick Folk and exercise-squad walking again J.J. Taylor attended the University of Arizona, in order that they’ll understand their way around the Tucson campus well. Folk, who earned All-Pac-10 honors as a senior in 2006, has stayed well-related to the school — journeying in 2020 along with his family, after which attending the spring game in Jedd Fisch’s first 12 months as head teach in 2021. “It could be fun,” stated the 37-12 months-old Folk, who emphatically replied whilst asked if he’ll sense like a student again: “Oh no. That become a long term in the past!”
6. Uche’s help: Third-year pass-rusher Josh Uche has put together the maximum a success season of his 3-yr profession (19 tackles, 7 sacks, 25.5% gambling time), and Belichick noted his availability as a primary component. Uche has missed just two games due to harm and credits Judon with an help. “He’s helped me out a ton; the different things he does to get ready for a sport, I’ve sort of applied into my sport as nicely. It’s allowed me to maintain my day out on the sector.”
7. Kingsbury reminiscences: When fourth-12 months Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury stopped for a quick chat at March’s NFL annual meeting, he reminisced approximately his time with the Patriots in 2003 as a 6th-spherical draft preference out of Texas Tech. The Patriots released him following the 2004 training camp, in component due to his hand size. You’re a die-tough Patriots fan if you recall that Kingsbury changed into roommates with undrafted Brown University receiver Chas Gessner.
eight. Rhamondre’s workload: Stevenson performed 53 of fifty four offensive snaps final week, sparking a query of whether or not the Patriots had been putting too much on his plate. Belichick didn’t seem concerned, noting the lower-than-common general of plays. Stevenson recounted he changed into worn-out at the team’s 17-play force in the fourth area but stated it becomes a “intellectual component.” The fifty three snaps had been his 1/3-highest total of the season; he performed 60 of 70 against the Browns and 54 of 60 in opposition to the Lions.
9. Did You Know, Part I: Stevenson has made four one-exceeded catches this season, which leads the NFL, in step with ESPN Stats & Information. That’s one in advance of Raiders receiver Davante Adams.
10. Did You Know, Part II: In Belichick’s tenure as head train (2000 to offer), the Patriots have in no way misplaced twice on “Monday Night Football” inside the same season — a streak in an effort to be on the line Monday against the Cardinals — considering they lost to theChicago Bears 33-14 on MNF in Week 7.