Sports Final: Is it time to panic about the Patriots?
BOSTON -- From all accounts, it was not a very good summer for the New England Patriots. They struggled in training camp, they struggled in joint practices, and they struggled in their three preseason games.
The preseason came to a close Friday night in Las Vegas with the first-team offense putting up another lackluster performance. Mac Jones has looked uncomfortable all summer and the offense has struggled to move the football. Jones no longer has Josh McDaniels to turn to on the sidelines during his time of need, instead left with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge to help him figure things out.
It's fair to say that there are a lot of fans and pundits that are pretty concerned about the Patriots this season. The offense was a mess all preseason and the defense has some big question marks in the secondary. Add in some uncertainty on the coaching staff, and a lot of folks are worried the Patriots are heading for another playoff-less season.
But WBZ-TV's Steve Burton has an important message: Don't panic.
"The Patriots will get this thing together," Burton said on Sunday night's Sports Final.
That drew a lot of heat from WEEI's Christian Fauria, who vehemently disagrees with Burton. He's panicking, and telling everyone to do the same.
"I get it, it's the best week in the NFL because everyone is undefeated and all the hopes and dreams are right there in front of them. But I was saying this after Friday night's game: If I were a player, I'd be kidding myself if I wasn't a little concerned with the way things are going," said Fauria.
"I'd be a little concerned that our No.1 offense couldn't move the ball against twos and threes, guys who on cut-down day, probably aren't going to be on the team or are going to be on the practice squad," he noted. "That, to me, is a cause for concern."
ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss did see some positives after re-watching Friday's preseason loss to the Raiders. The offense was able to move the ball with some big plays, which were unfortunately taken off the board because of penalties.
But that doesn't make Fauria feel any better about the current state of the offensive unit.
"For me, I know that being on teams in the past, I know the feeling where you're telling yourself you have great things ahead of us but things just aren't clicking," said Fauria. "That is what I'm worried about; not that they won't eventually figure it out, but the fact that they haven't strung enough good days together."
The struggles of the offensive line, the issues with the running game, and Jones' mental makeup are some of the biggest concerns on the offensive side of the ball. With Jones frustrated with the new wrinkles to the offensive scheme heading into the year, it feels like the quarterback will be taking a step back in his second season NFL season.
And it wasn't even Fauria who pointed that aspect out -- it was Reiss. And that was on full display in Friday night's preseason finale after Jones threw a terrible interception in the middle of the field against the Raiders.
"Did you see the look that Bill Belichick gave to Mac when Mac came off the field? It caught my eye on the broadcast and was almost like a, 'What were you thinking?' look from Bill. That throw was a concern," said Reiss. "I'm worried he's not feeling as comfortable as he did at this time last year. He was coming up at this year last time, the excitement level was up. But I think the arrow is facing the other way now, and they have to find a way to turn that round."
"He feels he is making rookie mistakes," added Fauria. "That play is desperation. That play is, 'I have to save the day.' That play is, 'If I don't do it, then who will?'
"There were six guys around him," Fauria said of Jones' pick. "That was a terrible play. These are plays that you think he has advanced past. But it looks like he is making rookie mistakes, and one thing I'm concerned with is the frustration that will follow if things don't go as easy as they did last year."
It wasn't all doom and gloom from Fauria, who is somewhat positive when it comes to the New England defense. He likes the big guys along the defensive line and is high on the group of safeties. But he is concerned about the lack of size at linebacker and with the group of corners, and worries that the defense will have too much on its plate as it tries to make up for the offense's shortcomings.
"I have more faith and belief in the defense than the offense," Fauria said. "But I feel that the defense will be under so much stress because they're forced to slow down and save the day, and the offense won't give them a break that they'll give up more points than they should."
Tune in to Sports Final every Sunday night at 11:35 p.m. on WBZ-TV!
