2-8. 6 points. Mac Jones benched. That’s where the Patriots are as they head into a much-needed bye week. The Patriots traveled across the ocean to put out the same product they’ve been producing all season. Pre-snap penalties, turnovers, ruthless interceptions, etc. The result – was a gut-wrenching 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
Mac Jones started hot and showed poise early on, but it derailed as the game went on and eventually led to his third benching of the season after he threw an interception in the red zone. A touchdown would’ve given the Patriots the lead with minutes on the clock, but Mac Jones threw his league-leading 10th interception instead.
After the interception, sophomore quarterback Bailey Zappe trotted out with the offense for the final drive, which ended in a game-sealing interception.
Studs
Running backs
The only positive from Frankfurt for the Patriots was the ability to run the football. Everyone watching knew the Patriots would run the ball, and the Colts still struggled to stop the run. Rhamondre Stevenson, who has been getting better and stronger as the week has gone on, ran for 88 yards on a season-high 20 carries. In addition, Stevenson recorded two receptions on four targets for nine yards.
On the flip side, Zeke Elliot played one of his best games as a Patriot, finishing with 54 yards on 13 carries and two catches for 34 yards. It was clear the Patriots went in with a run-heavy game dream. Although neither Stevenson nor Elliot has a 100+-yard rushing game this season, it could be on the horizon.
LB Jahlani Tavai
Every week, Tavai seems to find himself on the studs list. The linebacker continues to rack up pressures and disrupt plays. He finished Sunday’s game with seven tackles and one pass deflection, leading to a Myles Bryant interception. That marked the second straight week that Tavai was involved in a turnover. Tavai won’t get a lot of recognition among the national media, but he’s been one of the biggest bright spots from a lackluster season.
DT Christian Barmore
Barmore and Tavai have significantly impacted the Patriot’s defense this season. Against the Colts, he notched four total tackles, two solo tackles, a QB hit, and a tackle for loss. The numbers don’t do justice to Barmore’s effect on opposing offenses. The third-year starter labored injuries throughout last season, but Barmore is developing into an elite defensive tackle.
Duds
QB Mac Jones
Mac Jones might’ve had his worst game since he was drafted by the Patriots. He only mustered six points and flat-out sucked against the Colts. It was another game of head-scratching decisions, with the Patriots looking flustered. It was also another affair for a Mac Jones interception that had us all saying No-no-he-can’t-is-he-really-going-to-oh-my-god-he-did-it-I-can’t-believe-he-did-it-lmao-what-was-that-lmfao interception from Mac Jones. Although his protection stank and was insufficient for most of the game, Jones often had trouble moving in the pocket and was frantic at several points during the game.
And now, for the first time this season, we have a serious question… Who is the Patriots quarterback?
Offensive line
As I said above, the O-line gave no time for Mac Jones to be successful against the Colts, and the unit was poor at protecting Jones all game. The line allowed five sacks in the first half alone, including four on third down. At one point during the game, the offense was 2-for-7 on third down with five sacks. That’s not winning football. However, the unit did well with run-blocking, effectively allowing Rhamodnre Stevenson and Zeke Elliot to run all day.
Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick often emphasizes the importance of doing your job, and for the last three years, the Patriots have not been able to effectively do their job. The only other time in Belichick’s coaching career in which he’s been more than six games below .500 is in 2000, which is when the Patriots ended their season 5-12 and last in the AFC East. New England has gone 17 straight offensive possessions without scoring a touchdown, which isn’t even close to their longest streak of the season. The Patriots are on track for a top-3 pick in the draft. But the question remains? Who will be in charge of rebuilding the Patriots?
Special teams
Special teams used to be a staple for the Patriots for the last 20 years, but in 2022, the unit started struggling, and it hasn’t gotten better. Even with the Patriots spending resources on improving special teams in the offseason, it hasn’t paid off yet. In Germany, they had another rough game. The first miscue came in the second quarter when the Patriots didn’t have anyone returning the punt and went all out to block the kick. It didn’t pay off, and the Colts pinned the Patriots back all the way deep in their territory. Then Chad Ryland missed a 35-yard field goal, which significantly influenced the rest of the game. In addition, Isaiah McKenzie ripped off a 45-yard kick return late in the second half.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
