Patriots talked about beginning over, however loss to Raiders seemed eerily similiar

Patriots

You already know what my grievance should be? That there are such a lot of Patriots blunders, errors, and screw-ups each week that it’s robust to slim it all the way down to only one.

By Chad Finn, The Boston Globe

October 16, 2023 | 8:29 AM

Welcome to the Unconventional Overview, an on the spot response to standouts, stats, and story traces from the Patriots’ most up-to-date sport …

After an embarrassing loss to the Saints final week, which adopted an embarrassing loss to the Cowboys the earlier week, Invoice Belichick talked about how the Patriots needed to begin over.

They did make some modifications throughout their 21-17 loss to the Raiders Sunday. They scored not one, however two touchdowns, their first because the win over the Jets in Week 3. They gave Malik Cunningham an actual contract and a few performs to run. However in any other case, the restart seemed an terrible lot like what they have been making an attempt to place up to now.

Mac Jones didn’t full a go within the first quarter. The Patriots offense didn’t get into plus yardage till a 7-yard DeVante Parker catch within the second quarter. They fell behind by double digits but once more. They dedicated extra penalties (10 for 79 yards) than the Raiders (6-42), who historically contemplate a excessive penalty rely the price of doing dastardly enterprise.

The protection, particularly contemplating the unending damage attrition, held up OK. However Jones had his compulsory horrible interception — a rollout and wild overthrow of Hunter Henry into the arms of the Raiders’ Tre’von Moehrig — that makes one query whether or not his alleged really feel for the sport was all the time a fable. I swear, the NFL Movies story of the 2023 Patriots season might be titled, “Stevenson for 3, incomplete to Henry, Jones sacked for minus-7.”

Anyway, the Patriots are 1-5, with the Payments and Dolphins forward.

Three gamers who have been price watching

Gamers urged within the Unconventional Preview: Jakobi Meyers, Maxx Crosby, Rhamondre Stevenson.

Jakobi Meyers: Most anticipated Meyers would do some October haunting in opposition to his former employers. And he did, partly as a result of the Patriots have been centered on taking away No. 1 possibility Davante Adams (two catches, 29 yards), and partly as a result of Meyers — at the least when he doesn’t go on crazed lateraling sprees on the worst doable time — is the epitome of a dependable soccer participant. Meyers scored the Raiders’ first landing early within the second quarter, catching a 12-yard dart from Jimmy Garoppolo one play after the receiver had lunged for a primary down, getting 6 yards on a third-and-5 scenario. Meyers torched Myles Bryant on his TD, getting extra separation than Parker has on each route mixed throughout his Patriots profession. Meyers additionally had an vital catch shortly earlier than halftime, making a 16-yard seize on third and 20 that arrange Daniel Carlson’s 37-yard area objective. Meyers completed with 5 catches for 61 yards, all within the first half. Not like present Patriots receivers, he additionally proved that he learns from his errors, by no means making an attempt a backward go even as soon as Sunday.

Kendrick Bourne: He’s just about the one participant on the Patriots offense that’s gratifying to observe as a rule. He all the time performs with vitality, and has a knack for selecting up further yardage after the catch. Bourne was darned good, catching 10 passes on 11 targets — are you aware how exhausting it’s to catch 91 % of your targets on this discombobulated Patriots offense? — for 89 yards. He delivered the Patriots’ longest play from scrimmage (at the least amongst those who weren’t referred to as again due to penalties), with a catch and nifty run for 36 yards within the second quarter on a drive that ended with a area objective. On the Patriots’ methodical — most likely too methodical, contemplating it required 17 performs and devoured 9 minutes, 30 seconds of sport time — drive to chop the Raiders’ result in 19-17 with 3:33 left, Bourne made seven catches alongside the way in which, together with a 15-yarder to transform a third-and-9 on the Raiders’ 36.

Maxx Crosby: The Raiders’ relentless edge rusher completed with only a half-sack, however it was doozy. Crosby and Bilal Nichols primarily ended the sport once they met at Jones’s torso and hauled him down for a security with 1:47 left, giving the Raiders a 21-17 lead. Crosby redeemed himself after a knuckleheaded play moments earlier, when he was referred to as for roughing-the-passer, giving the Patriots a primary down on the Raiders’ 3 and organising Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1-yard landing run. Crosby completed with a team-high seven tackles, and his frequent presence within the pocket ultimately had Jones serious about him even when he was not round.

Grievance of the sport

You already know what my grievance should be? That there are such a lot of Patriots blunders, errors, and screw-ups each week that it’s robust to slim it all the way down to only one. However this week, even with the requisite boneheaded decide by Jones and the standard undermining penalties originally and finish of the sport, the selection right here is straightforward. In his two-plus seasons because the Patriots’ beginning quarterback, I’m undecided I’ve seen Jones make a greater throw than the deep ball he dropped into Parker’s arms with 1:59 left within the sport and the Patriots down by 2. Sadly, that out-of-nowhere gem of a go dropped out of Parker’s arms and gently to the turf close to midfield. It was an egregious drop at an important time, certainly inflicting numerous Patriots followers throughout this land to marvel but once more why Belichick gave this man an extension.

Three notes scribbled within the margins

Predicted rating: Raiders 19, Patriots 13

Ultimate rating: Raiders 21, Patriots 17

Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott mixed for 17 carries for 80 yards and two touchdowns. That’s not going to remind any old-school Patriots fan of, oh, their ‘78 group’s speeding assault, however that’s respectable contemplating the Patriots trailed by double digits earlier than the sport was 18 minutes previous … Rookie tight finish Michael Mayer had as many catches on the Raiders’ first drive (3) as he had all season. He completed with 5 catches for 75 yards, together with a 32-yarder, and goes to be a great one … The Patriots doubled their interception whole on the season to 2 when Jahlani Tavai secured the rebound after Jabrill Peppers jarred the soccer and some different objects free from Adams with a vicious hit within the second quarter. Peppers jogs my memory of Lawyer Milloy generally.