Patriots’ personnel packages and snap counts certainly vary from week to week and opponent to opponent. Each week WEEI.com takes a look at New England’s snap counts from that particular game and breaks down not only what they meant in that week’s matchup, but also what trends might be developing with certain players’ playing time.
Here are a few observations and takeaways from the Patriots’ snap count totals in Sunday evening’s electrifying win over the Chargers in L.A.:
--New England played 67 offensive snaps against the Chargers.
--Rookie offensive lineman Michael Onwenu was the only Patriots player to play all 67 offensive snaps, as Bill Belichick was able to empty his bench and get some backups snaps late in the 45-0 blowout win.
--OL Joe Thuney and David Andrews played the second-most snaps, logging 62 (93 percent).
--Cam Newton was pulled from the game after 58 snaps (87 percent), acknowledging afterwards that it was a bit different feeling giving way to Jarrett Stidham in a blowout win rather than in a blowout loss, as was the case against the 49ers.
--With Newton able to relax on the sideline, Stidham earned 9 snaps (13 percent). The second-year backup completed two of his three passes for 61 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown hookup with Gunner Olszewski. It was the third game Stidham has played in relief duty this season, the first in which he did not throw an interception. It’s also the first game of his career (6 games played) in which Stidham threw a pass that he finished with a passer rating of above 40. Stidham had a rating of 149.3 against the Chargers.
--James White played 19 snaps (28 percent), leading to one of the stranger stat lines you’ll ever see in a blowout win. The veteran running back led the Patriots with three receptions on four targets totaling just 1 yard with a long of 3.
--Damien Harris was a key to the Patriots hot start on offense, the lead back playing 33 snaps (49 percent) on the way to an 80-yard rushing day on 16 attempts.
--Sony Michel logged his first carries since returning from IR. The third-year former first-round pick played 22 snaps (33 percent).
He took advantage of the playing time in the blowout to carry the ball 10 times for 35 yards while adding one catch for 23 yards, the longest of the 22 receptions Michel has had in this three-year career.
--Jakobi Meyers led the wide receivers in snaps, playing 56 plays (84 percent). That was followed closely by 52 snaps (78 percent) by Damiere Byrd. N’Keal Harry (34 snaps, 51 percent) was the clear third option, though the second-year target did record two catches for 15 yards with his second touchdown of the season. Myers and Byrd each finished with two catches, for 15 and 16 yards, respectively.
--Rookie tight end Dalton Keene returned from IR to play 23 snaps (34 percent) in L.A. He was not targeted with a pass.
--With the Patriots running the ball 41 times (kneel-downs excluded), fullback Jakob Johnson played 28 snaps (42 percent). Johnson has topped 40 percent of the snaps in four of the last five games, all Patriots wins. Johnson played 40 percent of plays in just one of the first seven games of the season.
--The Patriots were on the field for 72 defensive snaps against the Chargers, though no defender played more than 60 plays for New England in the shutout victory.
--Jason McCourty led New England defenders with 60 snaps (83 percent) in L.A., two more than his brother, Devin. CB Stephon Gilmore, who once again excelled in a matchup with an opposing No. 1 receiver with impressive play against Keenan Allen, also played 58 snaps (81 percent).
--Six of the seven most active defensive players for New England were defensive backs, which has become the custom this season, with the McCourtys, Gilmore, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger and J.C. Jackson all playing more than 49 snaps (68 percent).
--Dugger’s 56 snaps (78 percent), marked the fourth straight game he topped 75 percent play time as he settles into a huge rule in the back end of the defense. The top pick had not played more than 54 percent of snaps in the first six games played of his rookie season. The 56 snaps tied a career high set a month ago against the Ravens. Dugger finished third on the team with five tackles.
--Phillips led the Patriots with 12 tackles in his own 56 snaps (78 percent), tying for a career high against his former team.
--Chase Winovich was once again the most active member of the front seven. The second-year edge defender played 52 snaps (72 percent) and notched a sack, keeping hold of his team lead with 3.5 for the season.
--Rookie day 2 draft pick linebackers Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings both saw their playing time increase against the Chargers. Uche played a career-high 36 snaps (50 percent) against L.A. and continued to be an impact pass rusher, finishing with a team-high three of New England’s 11 QB hits. Jennings had two tackles and his own QB hit in his 44 snaps (61 percent), second most he’s played this season.
--Joejuan Williams was one of those young Patriots players who took advantage of extra reps late in the blowout. The second-year second-round pick played 23 snaps (32 percent), his most action since opening day.
--Undrafted rookie Rashod Berry played a career-high 22 snaps (31 percent) after getting the call-up from the practice squad for the second time this season.
