Jakobi Meyers questions Patriots' offensive plan, according to report
BOSTON -- Rarely, if ever, has a Patriots player during the Bill Belichick era spoken out publicly about the decisions being made by the team. Jakobi Meyers may have just become the exception.
NFL Network's Mike Giardi reported from Pittsburgh on Sunday, ahead of the Patriots' Week 2 matchup against the Steelers. Giardi relayed answers he received from Mac Jones, Damien Harris, and Meyers when asked about their confidence in the offensive operation this past week, after a lackluster showing in Miami in Week 1. While all three expressed confidence that the ship would be righted, Meyers apparently has some trouble seeing the exact path right now.
"As for Jakobi Meyers, he said confidence isn't an issue," Giardi reported. "But he said, and this one stuck to me, 'I question what the plan is sometimes and how we're going to attack.' Gentlemen, that sort of puts the focus again on Matt Patricia and that offensive collaboration, as they try to get it done without Josh McDaniels."
Of course, some questioning is only natural after a performance like last week's, when the Patriots scored just seven punts, committed three turnovers, and never really made a game of it after falling behind 17-0 before halftime. (Meyers was the Patriots' leading receiver in Miami, catching four passes on six targets for 55 yards.)
At the same time, Meyers' comment might not be as out of bounds as it may seem. On Patriots GameDay on WBZ-TV on Sunday morning, Meyers was asked about Patricia's intelligence level by Steve Burton.
"It's different. I've been fortunate to have some very smart coaches, and Matty P. is definitely up there," Meyers said. "Just to hear him talk about the game, you know what I mean, it's different. And from a different side of the ball because he was originally defense. So just to hear him talk about defenses, and what should be going on, or what guys are thinking when they play, it's unique. I appreciate it. "
Ultimately, any and all questions about the Patriots' offense -- questions coming from the outside or from within -- will have to be answered on Sundays. And the Patriots have their second crack at proving themselves this week in Pittsburgh.
