
That was the first strike against Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.Ī few drives later, the Patriots reestablished their rushing offense, with Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson hammering the ball. That’s not a high-percentage play, as shown by how off-target Jones was for the receiver. But they went with a surprising play call: a throw to a fade pattenr from Jakobi Meyers.

The Patriots got aggressive by going for it on fourth down. The Patriots' first-half decision-making was truly bizarre He and running back Damien Harris engineered a brilliant drive that required efficient and methodical work. On the final drive, he completed both of his passes for 11 yards and rushed for a first down on a QB sneak. But it’s also good that the Patriots managed to pull back Jones’ play into a conservative space where they could close out the game. It’s good that the Patriots are getting Jones more game-reps of aggressive, downfield passing.

But the Patriots relied upon Jones’ arm a little too much in the first half (we’ll get into some examples later), particularly when the Chargers were susceptible to the run. He has been a sound decision-maker and so he’s deserving of more shots to test the defense. It’s good that the Patriots are pushing Jones to be a bigger threat with downfield throws. The Patriots keep hoping Gunslinger Mac Jones is going to happen.
