The New England Patriots are set to take on the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Each week, we like to imagine certain members of the opposing team on the Patriots.
For this week’s Gimmie Him, Rashod Bateman would be my choice to help a struggling New England offense.
Bateman is a dynamic playmaker that can make downfield catches and help make an offense explosive. He has six catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Perhaps more impressive is his yards per catch average. He is averaging 27 yards per catch and has really established himself as a playmaker in the Ravens offense.
He caught four passes for 108 yards and a touchdown last Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. It was the second 100-yard game of his career, and it helped keep the Ravens close in a game where defense was nonexistent.
He showed last season that he could be a dynamic playmaker in the clutch. He was effective in hauling in 24 catches, 323 yards and a touchdown when the team was behind in games. There has been no loss of that explosiveness, either, with him averaging 13.5 yards per reception.
Right now, the Patriots are missing an explosive weapon on offense. Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor have been reliable. However, they don’t bring an explosive downfield presence like Bateman. DeVante Parker was supposed to be that wide receiver for the Patriots, but so far, he has struggled. Bateman has already proven that he can be dynamic in an era of football where offense is king.
He would immediately bring that juice to the Patriots offense. The Patriots have been searching for a dynamic playmaker, and he would be able to provide that. New England has several good possession receivers, but they don’t have a dynamic, game-changing one.
Adding Bateman to this offense would give the Patriots juice and somebody that could get the ball down the field in a hurry. Although this would probably never happen, it will be fun to see Bateman thrive in an offense that desperately needs a playmaker.
