It’s officially the halfway mark of the season for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. After eight games, we’ve learned a lot about this Patriots team.
Here’s my position grades for the Patriots through the halfway point of the season.
Quarterback: D+
One word to describe Cam Newton and the rest of the quarterback room is inconsistent. Cam Newton has had moments in which he has looked like the old Cam Newton. But, for more than half the season, Newton has looked lethargic, inaccurate, and has had trouble reading defenses. Newton ranks 25th in the NFL in QBR, and has only thrown 2 passing touchdowns. He’s performed below-average, and at times, has been a liability for the Patriots. But, this D+ grade is not just a reflection of Cam Newton. Fellow quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and Jarrett Stidham have also struggled mightily. Hoyer had two critical turnovers in his lone start, and Jarrett Stidham has thrown 3 interceptions in 23 pass attempts. It has not been a good first half for the quarterback room. One could argue that if the Patriots had average quarterback play, they would likely be 4-4 or 5-3. If they want to turn their season around, Cam Newton needs to play well.
Running Back: B
Damien Harris and Rex Burkhead have been the catalysts of the backfield, combining for nearly 600 yards and 4 touchdowns. Harris has been one of the lone bright spots of this Patriots team averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Burkhead is on pace to have the most carries, rushing yards, receptions, and receiving yards of his career. James White continues to be a solid contributor in the pass-game, and J.J. Taylor when given the opportunity has provided the Patriots with a spark. The Patriots are a run-first team, they need their running backs to continue to produce.
Wide Receiver: C
Some might be surprised by this, but the Patriots receivers have not been as bad as people think. I’m not saying they have been great, or even good, but they have been serviceable. Jakobi Meyers has taken some steps forward, and has become Cam Newton’s favorite target. Over the past three games, Meyers has been targeted 30 times, hauling in 22 receptions for 287 yards. Damiere Byrd has also been a factor, as he is on pace to have a career season. Byrd has been able to get open, and has become a solid pass-catching option. However, outside of Meyers and Byrd, the Patriots have struggled. N’Keal Harry has still not shown to be effective, and has missed time with a concussion. Julian Edelman has been hobbled all season, and has not looked like himself. Other then week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, Edelman has not shown his typical burst, and has had some critical drops. Edelman is currently on injured reserve with a knee injury, and his return is uncertain. I do believe that the wide receiver unit will continue to get progressively better throughout the second half of the season. But, getting a healthy Julian Edelman back will be critical.
Tight End: F
The tight end unit has been a complete failure through the first eight games. Rookie’s Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene have combined for 1 reception on the season. They have not translated to the NFL level, which is absolutely concerning going forward. Asiasi was placed on injured reserve for personal reasons, and Keene is also on injured reserve with a knee injury. The other tight end on the Patriots roster, Ryan Izzo, has also made a negative impact. Izzo has missed numerous blocking assignments, creating negative run and pass plays. I’m not really sure what to expect from the tight end group for the remainder of the season, but my expectation is that they will continue to be a problem.
Offensive Line: B+
The offensive line has been solid, which has really helped the Patriots rushing attack. Joe Thuney, David Andrews, and Shaq Mason have really shored up the interior part of the line, which has been the difference from last season. Michael Onwenu has also been a real force on the offensive line. The rookie sixth-round pick from Michigan has proved to a gem found by Bill Belichick. According to Pro Football Focus, Onwenu has taken 112 snaps at LG, 89 snaps at RG, and 239 snaps at RT. He’s only allowed 1 sack, and PFF has given him a grade of 90.4. The success of the Patriots offense is truly dependent on the offensive line. If they continue to stay healthy, they will finish the season as a top-10 unit in the NFL.
Defensive Line: D+
The Patriots have really had a problem stopping the run, thus far. Other than Lawrence Guy, they just don’t have the personnel to do it. The Patriots rank 25th in the NFL in stopping the run, and it’s really impacted the defense as a whole. When it comes to generating a pass-rush, the Patriots have not fared much better, but the pass-rush has been better than the run-defense. Deatrich Wise has played well in spurts, and Chase Winovich has gotten to the quarterback when he’s been given the opportunity. The defensive line was not addressed properly in the offseason, and it has come back to haunt the Patriots. Losing in the trenches has become routine for the defensive line, they’ll need all hands on deck if they want to turn it around. But, the current personnel does not look promising going forward.
Linebacker: F
The linebacker unit has been a massive disappointment, and has become a real issue for this defense. Once Dont’a Hightower opted-out, many expected Ja’Whaun Bentley to step up and fill his shoes. But, that has not been the case. Bentley has struggled, and opposing offenses have been targeting him. The Patriots do not have much of a choice, but to keep him in the lineup, due to the lack of depth. Rookie’s Josh Uche and Anfernee Jennings have not gotten many snaps, and have not been impactful to this point. The linebacker unit needs to get better if the Patriots want to get where they want to be defensively. Maybe Uche or Jennings find a way to improve, but other than that, the personnel is just not there.
Cornerback: B-
Coming into the season, the cornerback unit was considered to be the strongest on the team. To this point, they have underachieved, but still hold the defense together. Stephon Gilmore has regressed, and Jason McCourty looks like he has aged. Jonathan Jones has played well, and for the exception of last week against the Jets, J.C. Jackson has played extremely well. Jackson leads the NFL in interceptions with 5 on the season. If Gilmore can get healthy, and Jackson rebounds, the cornerback position should be the least of the Patriots’ worries going down the stretch.
Safety: B-
The Patriots have receiving some inconsistent play at safety, but for the most part, they have been average. Devin McCourty has regressed a little, but still is the backbone of the Patriots’ secondary. Adrian Philips has been a nice addition, and has really done his part when it comes to stopping the run. With the linebacker group being so thin, Philips has been forced to act as a linebacker in that Patrick Chung role. Rookie Kyle Dugger has battled injuries, which has prevented him from getting on the field. But, when healthy, Dugger should forecast as an impact player going forward. As long as McCourty stays healthy, the Patriots should be in good shape at safety.
Special Teams: A-
Success on special teams has been a staple in New England for quite some time, and that has not changed in 2020. Jake Bailey has continued to be one of the best punters in the NFL. Nick Folk kicked a game winning 51-yard field goal to beat the Jets last week, and is 14/16 on the season. The only struggle the Patriots have had on special teams is kickoff returns. They have not been able to generate good field position. Gunner Olszewski has not been good, and their field position has suffered. But, as long as Nick Folk is making kicks, the Patriots special teams unit will remain a positive unit on this team.
