After their loss against the Miami Dolphins last weekend in the first game of the 2022-2023 NFL season, the New England Patriots will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in the newly-renamed Acrisure Stadium on Sunday. Both teams have come into the season with questions surrounding their roster construction, and both will look for a decisive victory to build confidence in their team.
With New England’s offensive gameplay and defensive coverage looking less-than-ideal on the field last weekend, there is plenty of room for improvement in this matchup.
Here are 3 things to watch for in the Patriots’ game vs the Steelers.
1. Improved communication on the offensive line
New England’s offensive line struggled with assignments in their game last weekend, most notably with left tackle Trent Brown missing a blitzing Miami defensive back who ended up strip-sacking quarterback Mac Jones. That play was one of a number of missed blocking assignments that led to a pretty dismal offensive output for the Patriots.
However, when the team did get their assignments correct, they played well, pointing to the fact that the fix could very well solve any blocking issues. Brown addressed his play during the week in a press conference, giving a classic Patriots response to the question of his performance.
Trent Brown: Happy hat, but he doesn’t sound happy with the pass protection on Sunday.
“Got to get better,” he said. pic.twitter.com/7UluhPi8Ny
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 12, 2022
New England instituted a zone blocking scheme (think San Fransisco 49ers) as part of their offensive scheme change this offseason, and reports during training camp indicated that the players were having a tough time picking it up. However, as they play more games with the scheme in place, they should hopefully get more comfortable with it and better recognize their blocking assignments.
2. Rhamondre Stevenson, passing back
Running back Ty Montgomery was placed on injured reserve this week with a knee injury that he suffered in last weekend’s game, opening up the door for Stevenson to take over as New England’s main passing back.
Stevenson got work in the passing game last season after running back James White went down with a season-ending injury and played well in the role, tallying 14 total receptions for 123 yards and three touchdowns.
Stevenson’s combination of size and agility allows him to bring some explosiveness to a Patriots passing game that desperately needs it. With fellow running back Damien Harris shouldering the load on the ground, look for Stevenson to make an impact in the air.
3. Jack Jones on the outside
Rookie outside cornerback Jack Jones got some playing time in New England’s game last weekend and made his mark almost immediately with a near-interception of Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in his first few snaps.
The 5-foot-11 Jones, a fourth-round selection by the Patriots in the 2022 NFL draft, was expected to get some playing time at his position this season with the team thin at outside corner. However, longtime slot cornerback Jonathan Jones moved to the outside during the preseason, limiting the ability for Jack Jones to get playing time.
But Jack Jones’ usage in the first game indicates New England’s coaching staff is both excited and confident about his gameplay. With a tall frame and good instincts, he could be an under-the-radar factor in the Patriots’ secondary this season.
