(WEEI/WGR Sports Radio 550) - One step forward, three steps back. That’s the 2024 New England Patriots shuffle.
It’s an unattractive dance, and in Week 12, New England looked worse than Elaine Benes’ little kicks against the Miami Dolphins. It made for the most frustrating game of the season.
Jerod Mayo’s Patriots aren’t good, but they’re not this bad. They can’t be. This same Patriots team scrapped within one score of the Los Angeles Rams last week, and fully disemboweled the Chicago Bears two weeks ago.
Then, in South Florida on Sunday, they look the worst they have all year.
Everyone was out of sorts.
The offensive line, which should have been bolstered by the most continuity they’ve had all season, collapsed like a sandcastle against Miami’s pass rush. They turned Rhamondre Stevenson into Wile E. Coyote, running into a road painted against a canyon wall where there were supposed to be gaps. Tackle Vederian Lowe led the line in a flurry of penalties that killed the offense’s early momentum.
Drake Maye looked to be without answers for the first time since seeing the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. That international game was previously rock bottom for New England’s season.
They dug themselves a subbasement in Miami.
Maye was able to thread late-game connections with Austin Hooper and DeMario Douglas, but only in a manner that recalls a young Matthew Stafford in Detroit with the Lions. He also threw another late-game interception.
While the rookie quarterback has been awesome as a starter, those turnovers are beginning to make some wonder whether he might be trying to grow a Josh Allen-style superman cape when he previously showed himself surprisingly adept at getting rid of the ball in bad situations.
Demarcus Covington’s defense failed to generate real pressure up front for the second week in-a-row. Christian Barmore and special teamer Brendan Schooler sacked Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but otherwise, Miami kept his jersey clean.
The secondary was completely outmatched against the Dolphins’ stable of Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Jonnu Smith, and De’Von Achane. Christian Gonzalez was able to put points on the board with a scoop and score, which was a nice moment in a game that was already too far gone.
The 24-0 score at halftime was the least competitive New England has looked against Miami since 2008 when Matt Cassel was getting his feet wet after Tom Brady’s ACL tear.
Then there’s the coaching staff.
They made a pair of a head-scratching calls, starting with an unsuccessful and nonsensical head coaching challenge on a Waddle catch that had a Patriots penalty attached to it.
Alex Van Pelt’s trick play call on 3rd-and-17 was worse, though, as it took the ball out of his most dangerous offensive player’s hands and, instead, asked Kendrick Bourne to throw across the field. I want to give Van Pelt points for creativity, but come on. Why have anyone but Maye throw the ball?
Mayo set the goal for this team to be a spoiler late in the season. He wants them to shape up like the early Dan Campbell Lions, and make opponents give them a second look in December. He wants them to be respected, but they finished the Dolphins game with 10 accepted penalties for 75 yards. That’s a divisional rival.
Whenever the 2024 Patriots look as though they’re starting to climb out of the league cellar, they slam the door on their own fingers. It’s getting old.
Progress isn’t linear, but this repeated regression is hard to watch.