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 Thursday night’s dismal 24-3 loss to the Rams in L.A.:
--New England played 59 offensive snaps against the Rams, the fifth game this season the Patriots played fewer than 60 offensive snaps. The team is 2-3 in those games.
--Offensive lineman Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason and Michael Onwenu and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers played all 59 snaps against L.A.
--Jermaine Eluemunor once against started at left tackle and played 53 snaps (90 percent), while Justin Herron rounded out the offensive line play time.
--Cam Newton played 45 snaps (75 percent) before finishing the game on the sideline for the second time in five days, this time a blowout loss rather than a blowout win.
--Meyers (100 percent) and Damiere Byrd (52 snaps, 88 percent) held their customary role as the top two WRs, with N’Keal Harry (36 snaps, 61 percent) again taking third fiddle.
--With Ryan Izzo landing in IR, rookies Dalton Keene and Devin Asiasi manned the tight end position. Keene led the way with a career-high 31 snaps (53 snaps), though he was not targeted with a pass. Asiasi returned to the active roster playing 23 snaps (39 percent), earning the first target of his career though he still does not have a catch in six games played.
--Damien Harris played 22 snaps (37 percent). The lead back carried the ball 11 times for 50 yards and caught one of the two passes thrown his way for zero yards, continuing to essentially touch the ball on more than 50 percent of his snaps.
--James White was on the field for 27 snaps (46 percent) but continues to struggle to find much production, especially through the air. The veteran passing back caught one of two passes thrown his way for just 2 yards. It marked the third straight week that White caught at least one pass and gained 2 yards or less. White has had five games this season in which he caught at least one pass but tallied 8 yards or less. In each of those five games he has a long reception of 4 yards or shorter. No player may miss Tom Brady more or be greater evidence of the Patriots passing game struggles with Newton under center than White who had at least 56 receptions in each of the previous four seasons including 72 and 87 receptions in 2019 and 2018, respectively. White had never had single-digit receiving yards in consecutive games in his career before this season, something that’s now occurred in each of the last three weeks.
--Not only did Sony Michel earn seven carries in his 15 offensive snaps (25 percent), but the former first-round running back notched seven snaps of special teams action, most since the second game of his rookie season in 2018. Michel’s role has grown in the kicking game since he returned to the active roster as Harris’ clear backup.
--Offensive lineman James Ferentz was the only Patriots player active for the game who did not play a single snap.
--New England’s defense was on the field for 63 snaps against the Rams.
--Cornerback J.C. Jackson was the only Patriots defender to play every defensive snap.
--With the Rams controlling the scoreboard and running the ball 36 times, defensive lineman Lawrence Guy played 46 snaps (73 percent), his second-highest playtime percentage of the season. The veteran finished with four tackles. The bad news is that Guy has played 70-plus percent snaps in three games this season – Rams, Broncos and Seahawks – and the Patriots are 0-3 in those games.
--Though he’s been more of a full-time player of late, Chase Winovich’s snaps dropped against L.A. with the Rams running the ball regularly. Winovich played 24 snaps (38 percent), by far his lowest play time percentage since he played just five snaps against the Bills to open the month of November. He finished with two solo tackles against the Rams.
--Byron Cowart played his usual plus-or-minus 40 percent of snaps against the Rams, notching his first sack of the season. Cowart was on the field for 30 snaps (48 percent), the fifth straight game Cowart has played between 26 and 36 defensive snaps.
--Jason McCourty and undrafted rookie Myles Bryant each played 16 snaps (25 percent) against L.A. For McCourty it was by far as season low play time, while Bryant has topped 25 percent play time each of the last two games and notched his first career interception late in the first quarter.
--Adrian Phillips had another double-digit tackle performance with a game-high 10 stops against L.A. Phillips played 57 snaps (90 percent) on defense and also logged 13 plays of special teams action, third-most (Winovich, Kyle Dugger) among guys who see significant time on defense.
