The Patriots’ offensive line has been a work in progress dating back to the beginning of training camp, although some might question how much progress has actually been made with Adrian Klemm’s unit.
Sunday afternoon against the Saints the group got a new option as veteran Riley Reiff was active after spending the first four weeks of the season on IR with a knee injury. Though New England utilized the same offensive line for consecutive weeks for the first time against New Orleans – Trent Brown, Atonio Mafi, David Andrews, Mike Onwenu and Vederian Lowe – the five didn’t make it through the entire game.
Reiff came on for Mafi, who had his early struggles, in the first half. Then Reiff replaced a banged up Onwenu (ankle) at right guard, with Mafi returning to the left side. Overall the veteran free agent addition Reiff played 45 snaps (83 percent) split between the two guard spots in his New England debut.
While Brown, Andrews and Lowe played all 54 snaps in the game, Mafi ended up seeing the field for 41 snaps (76 percent), while Onwenu played 22 snaps (41 percent).
Lowe certainly has struggled at times in recent weeks, including again on Sunday. Depending on Onwenu’s health, it will be interesting to see what starting five linemen New England will field this coming Sunday in Las Vegas. Given the versatility of both Reiff and Onwenu, either one could slide into the right tackle spot and maybe give the Patriots their most talented, capable line of the still-young season as the team seeks some semblance of capable continuity in the trenches.
Beyond the way the reps unfolded on the line with Reiff added to the mix, here are some of the other notes from the playing time and snap counts across the rest of the Patriots’ roster in the ugly shutout loss to the Saints.
--New England’s offense was on the field for a season-low 54 snaps against the Saints, the second straight week the unit was on the field for season low playing time in a blowout loss. Andrews is the only Patriots’ offensive player who’s played every snap through give games.
--DeVante Parker was on the field for 53 snaps (98 percent), but wasn’t able to do much with the playing time yet again. Parker had two catches on four targets for just 20 yards. Since missing opening day to a knee injury, Parker has been on the field for at least 76 percent of the snaps in each of the last four games but has had more than two catches in a game just once, six catches for 57 yards against the Dolphins.
--Kendrick Bourne also saw plenty of playing time against New Orleans, on the field for 47 snaps (87 percent). Bourne caught just two passes on five targets for 43 yards.
--The running back reps were a more even split in Week 5 than had been the base over the first month. Rhamondre Stevenson played 27 snaps (50 percent), while Ezekiel Elliott got 25 snaps (46 percent). Each notched eight carries, resulting in 24 yards for Stevenson and 21 yards for Elliott.
--Tight end Mike Gesicki saw a season-low 16 snaps (30 percent) against New Orleans.
--The Patriots’ defense was on the field for 72 snaps against the Saints, a season high for the second consecutive week. No player came close to playing the whole game, safety Kyle Dugger leading the way with 62 snaps (86 percent).
--Twenty two players saw the field on defense for at least 10 snaps (14 percent). Thirteen Patriots defenders were on the field for 50 percent of the snaps in the game.
--J.C. Jackson played 36 snaps (50 percent) in his first game back in a New England uniform. Meanwhile, Jonathan Jones played 48 snaps (67 percent) in his first game back after missing three weeks to an ankle injury.
--Named by Jerod Mayo as a guy who’d have to step up with Matthew Judon lost to injury, rookie Keion White saw a season-high 39 snaps (54 percent). White had just one assisted tackle for his work.
--Josh Uche also saw his playing time grow, topping 50 percent for the first time this season with his 36 snaps against New Orleans.
Uche topped 50 percent play time just once in a game last season.
--Jalen Mills (10 snaps, 14 percent) and Adrian Phillips (15 snaps, 21 percent) both continue to be bit players in the back end of the New England defense.
--Phillips has become a core special teams contributor, joining Matthew Slater, Chris Board and Brenden Schooler leading New England with 30 special teams snaps.
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