On Thursday, Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt met with the media for his regular weekly press conference, and was asked about the continued struggles of his offense as his team prepares for a road game with the Chicago Bears (4-4) in Week 10 on Sunday.
Over the last four weeks, Patriots running backs are averaging a lowly 33.5 combined rushing yards per game, with Week 9’s loss to the Titans seeing a season-low 15 combined rushing yards from a unit that was once seen as a strength of the team.
By comparison - through the first five weeks of the season, Patriots running backs were averaging 117 combined rushing yards per game.
When Van Pelt was asked about his team’s backfield struggles, he didn’t shy away from recognizing that things need to change for his offense.
“We have to be better across the board,” said Van Pelt. “You know, I thought we took - as a whole offense, I thought we took a step back last week. And I told those guys that. You know, I thought we made two strides forward, and we took a step back last week.
“So the challenge is to get back to where we were heading, and I think the run game’s included in that. We’d love to run it 30 times a game, but at the same time you have to be in a situation where you’re allowed to do that. And having successful runs on first and second down throughout the course of the game, you know - unfair to the running backs at times, not giving them enough touches. But at the same time, you have to keep yourself in the game.”
With the traditional running game disappearing over the last four weeks, the play action game has been completely destroyed for New England. This has made for a predictable Patriots offense, relying heavily on the legs and arm of rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Van Pelt said that his team needs to earn the right to get their play action game going.
“We’re not running the ball effectively,” said Van Pelt. “You know, you earn that right to use the play action. You know, teams right now play shell against us in the run game, and until we can run the ball effectively against two-high defenses, it’s gonna be tough for us to get the play action game going.”
A major contributor to New England’s inability to get the running game going in recent weeks has been their offensive line’s inability to get any push up front. For a unit that was having major issues pass blocking early in the season, the spotlight now is on their struggles with moving bodies at the line of scrimmage.
Fans and media alike have continued to point to the O-line’s lack of continuity as one of the main reasons for their bad season as a unit in 2024, using eight different starting line combinations in nine weeks - the only repeat combo coming in Weeks 6 and 8:
Week 1 - Mike Onwenu (T), Chuks Okorafor (T), Layden Robinson (G), Michael Jordan (G), David Andrews (C)
Week 2 - Onwenu (T), Vederian Lowe (T), Robinson (G), Jordan (G), Andrews (C)
Week 3 - Onwenu (T), Caedan Wallace (T), Jordan (G), Robinson (G), Andrews (C)
Week 4 - Onwenu (T), Demontrey Jacobs (T), Sidy Sow (G), Robinson (G), Andrews (C)
Week 5 - Lowe (T), Jacobs (T), Jordan (G), Onwenu (G), Nick Leverett (C)
Week 6 - Lowe (T), Jacobs (T), Jordan (G), Onwenu (G), Ben Brown (C)
Week 7 - Onwenu (T), Jacobs (T), Robinson (G), Jordan (G), Brown (C)
Week 8 - Lowe (T), Jacobs (T), Jordan (G), Onwenu (G), Brown (C)
Week 9 - Onwenu (T), Lowe (T), Robinson (G), Jordan (G), Brown (C)
And a ninth combination in 10 weeks could be on tap for Sunday in Chicago, as Mike Onwenu was spotted at practice on Wednesday taking reps at left guard.
When asked in the locker room before Thursday’s practice if he will have enough practice at left guard to feel comfortable suiting up at that spot if called on to do so, he said, “There’s only one way to find out.”
Onwenu went on to say that he last played at that spot during the 2021 season.
Van Pelt was asked on Thursday if he was concerned with the possibility of moving Onwenu to yet another spot on the O-line in 2024.
“Sure, there is a concern on that,” said Van Pelt. “Continuity would be great, we’re just not - we don’t have that luxury right now. Mike’s our best offensive lineman, so we’re gonna put him where he can be successful for us as well.
“I mean, he’s been very versatile. We’ll see what happens with this week, but I feel really good about Mike’s play. He needs to be available wherever he needs to be. So if plays left guard, he’s plays right guard, he plays right tackle - again, he’s our best offensive lineman, we’re gonna put him in an area where we need him.”
If there’s ever been a week to right-the-ship for New England’s running game, it’s this week against the Bears, as Chicago ranks 20th in the league in rushing yards allowed at 131.6 per game.
We’ll see if a porous Chicago front combined with a possible ninth offensive line combination for New England can ignite things from running backs Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson and JaMycal Hasty.
If things open up for those three, it only makes Maye’s life that much easier.