That brings us to QB Drake Maye, who set a new career-high with 294 passing yards but was a little off against the Bengals 32nd-ranked defense by DVOA. By my charting, Maye had his second-worst outing of the season, just besting the season-opener vs. the Raiders (8.5 plus plays, 11 minus). Accuracy was an issue for Maye, with five errant throws, including his first-career pick-six on a pass intended for TE Hunter Henry. Statistically, Maye produced his second-lowest completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) output of the season (-0.4), while Cincy’s defense also won some rounds by blitzing Maye (4-12 vs. the blitz, 0-5 vs. cover zero).
The good news for the Patriots is that, despite having a rare off-game, Maye generated +0.21 expected points added (76th percentile) with a 62.9 total QBR, which is still winning football. It also sounds like Campbell, Tonga, Williams, and Wilson may not be dealing with season-ending injuries, so New England could get that group of players back eventually. Still, games are won and lost in the trenches and by the quarterback’s play, and with measuring-stick games looming against the Bills and Ravens, the Patriots will need to find more consistency in those areas than they showed in Cincinnati.
Here are our quick-hit film notes from the Patriots win over the Bengals on Sunday.
Quick-Hit Film Notes From Patriots-Bengals
– The Patriots had at least four chances to score touchdowns on their first failed goal-line sequence: a four-yard swing pass to Henderson, Maye got inadvertently tripped dropping back from under center where Henry was open off play-action, a nullified touchdown due to OPI, and a fourth-down RPO where Maye could’ve kept it to work the pass (curl-flat) option. The Pats ran eight plays inside the five-yard line and should have scored several times. On their second red zone trip, kudos go to the Bengals, who timed up a safety blitz to blow up play-action and stuffed Maye on a sneak. Still, as head coach Mike Vrabel said on Monday, “you’re not going to win too many games if you can’t score from inside the 5-yard line.”
– LT Vederian Lowe could start until rookie Will Campbell (knee) returns, assuming the Patriots stick with the same five they ended Sunday’s game with on the O-Line (LT Lowe, LG Brown, C Bradbury, RG Onwenu, RT Moses). Lowe was serviceable in his 28 snaps vs. the Bengals, allowing a hurry when he got beat by the rusher coming off chip help, and he was on the scene for an unblocked pressure on the final third down of the game (hard to say who was responsible there). Lowe also allowed a run stuff where he got beat by some post-snap movement up front. On the plus side, he had a nice backside reach block on outside zone that led to a six-yard run. If he does start at left tackle next week, the mental errors will hopefully get cleaned up with a full week of practice reps with the 1s.
– LG Ben Brown is the other spot-starter who could see more playing time until rookie Jared Wilson (ankle) returns. Brown essentially played the entire game on Sunday, and it was a mixed bag. Pluses: backside reach/combo (six yards), backside second-level climb on outside zone (6 yards), pull block to kick out the edge on GF counter (9 yards), play-action pull pass-block, and a 1-on-1 pass pro vs. nose tackle. Minus plays: second-level climb run stuff, T/T stunt pressure, two-hand punch pressure, holding penalty coming off a duo block to pick up blitzer, and three frontside fold/reaches. Overall, that’s five plus plays to seven minus plays. As we said with Lowe, hopefully, a full week of practice with the 1s will help Brown prepare to fill in for Wilson.
– TE Hunter Henry was feasting on the Bengals linebackers all afternoon, with the Patriots using inverted formations out of heavy personnel to get him favorable matchups. Henry had gains of 28 (sail route TD), 23 (shallow crosser), 17 (short in), 14 (bluff screen slant), and 12 yards (under route on third down) to pile up a career-high 115 receiving yards. He dominated this matchup and was extremely reliable on an off day for Maye, catching three passes on the Pats TD drive following the pick-six—an outstanding performance.
– TE Austin Hooper also helped settle things down with a great 21-yard catch on a back-shoulder seam and a 14-yard reception on a crosser off play-action. Henry and Hooper played like true vets in this one, helping their young QB bounce back from a shaky start.
– RB TreVeyon Henderson was the lead-back and had 10 successful runs but didn’t register any runs over 10 yards. Henderson cut back nicely a few times off outside zone to hit two six-yard runs, followed behind good blocking on a 9-yard run (GF counter), and was the only Pats ball carrier to convert a late-down run (third-and-1 conversion). However, it would’ve been nice to see Henderson win in space vs. CB Jalen Davis in the low red zone. From this perspective, you’d like to see Henderson score there.
– RB Rhamondre Stevenson didn’t have much to work with on his six carries for five yards. I’m not trying to make excuses for Stevenson, but he had -2 rushing yards before contact – there wasn’t much there. This offense is better off with a productive RB duo, rather than just Henderson, so hopefully they can get the downhill runs with Stevenson going soon.
– WR Stefon Diggs had a quiet day while being shadowed by Bengals top CB, DJ Turner. However, Diggs came up big with a 14-yard reception on a crossing route to move the chains on third down, with a nice little bit of coverage manipulation by Maye. Those are the high-leverage plays they need from Diggs, even if he’s not having a huge day in the box score.
– WR Kayshon Boutte returned from a hamstring injury and looked like his usual self. Boutte drew a 35-yard DPI on a go route that likely would’ve been a touchdown, caught a 9-yard stop route, and a 6-yard curl. I’ve seen the late-separation go ball from Maye to Boutte enough times to think Boutte scores there if he’s not interfered with by Bengals CB Dax Hill.
– WR DeMario Douglas had two chunk plays with an excellent diving catch on a 37-yard seam-splitter and a well-sequenced end-around that gained 14 yards. McDaniels set up the end-around earlier in the drive with a similar blocking scheme on an inside run. Douglas continues to flash big-play ability as a speed-slot and gadget receiver.
– WR Mack Hollins fought through pass interference to catch a 24-yard condensed fade from Maye, which was a sweet play, and had a nice insert block on a 9-yard run. The OPI is probably going to get called, as Vrabel said, but it was a great sell by Bengals CB Dax Hill, who was burned on the play by Henry and wasn’t preventing a touchdown anyway.
– WR Kyle Williams got loose on an under route with Maye finding him late in the progression for an 18-yard completion, which was good to see. Williams also had the Patriots longest kickoff return since Antonio Gibson’s touchdown in Week 2, returning a fourth-quarter kickoff 36 yards out to the NE 40. I’m excited to see Williams continue returning kickoffs. He has the straight-line speed to be dynamic back there.
– C Garrett Bradbury was really good in this game with four plus-blocks in the run game, mostly on reach blocks. Bradbury was on the scene for a run stuff and a hurry, but his lateral movement in the Patriots zone schemes was on point. He had a nasty snatch+reach block and a frontside overtake that were great blocks. Bradbury is really solid when he’s not locked up in too many power engagements and is using his athleticism.
– RT Morgan Moses had a quiet performance in a good way, with two plus-blocks in the run game on a fold (gap scheme) and a second-level climb that each gained nine yards. PFF has Moses allowing a QB hit, his one pressure allowed, but it came when DE Myles Murphy climbed the pocket late to hit Maye, who held the ball for 3.53s – a solid outing despite leaving the game briefly due to illness.
– RG Mike Onwenu was the Patriots best linemen with an outstanding backside reach+combo block on a 7-yard run, another down/fold block on a 9-yard run and zero pressures allowed. Onwenu has played well over the last three weeks, hopefully a sign that he’s rounding into form for the stretch run.
– RT Marcus Bryant allowed two pressures on just six pass-blocking snaps, filling in briefly for Moses. Bryant lost to speed on one pass set and then had a tardy anchor against power on another. His pad level, an area the coaching staff pointed out as needing improvement in camp, is still an issue at times. Bryant did play on the left side in college, so it’ll be interesting to see if they flip him back over or ride with Lowe until Campbell comes back.
– LT Will Campbell had some issues blocking on the goal-line in this one, but had a nice backside reach on a six-yard run and was clean in pass protection before leaving the game at the end of the third quarter. The side of Campbell’s knee was contacted by Bengals EDGE Cedric Johnson, who was pursuing the play from the backside and caught Campbell in the crossfire. On Monday, Vrabel said Campbell’s injury isn’t expected to be season-ending.
– QB Pressures: Brown (QB hit, hurry), Bryant (two hurries), Lowe (two hurries), Bradbury (hurry), Moses (clean), Onwenu (clean), Campbell (clean in 43 snaps).
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