As the New England Patriots get set to take on the division rival New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, it’s time to take a look at this week’s x-factor.
For those that need a refresher, we did this series last year, where we took a look at the matchups across the board and identified one player that could swing the tide in the Patriots’ favor with a good performance.
It might not always be the best player on the team, but it’s a player who could have a profound impact on the matchup. This week’s x-factor in the Week 3 matchup for the Patriots is none other than second-year receiver DeMario Douglas.
The Patriots have only targeted Douglas four times this season, which is surprising. After his breakout season last year, there were expectations that Douglas would be a focal point on offense.
But that hasn’t been the case with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s run-heavy scheme. His size limits him in those scenarios as the team opted for better blockers like KJ Osborn or Ja’Lynn Polk.
The offense needs explosiveness, and for the most part, a lot of that will come from additions to the unit in 2025 and beyond. However, they have one player on the team in Douglas, who fits the bill to some degree.
Last season, he led the receivers with an average separation of 3.3 yards per route, which was better than some of the more popular receivers like Tank Dell, Chris Godwin and Michael Pittman—and slightly less than Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
If the Patriots wish to win this week, they’ll need to unlock that level from Douglas once more. He was also high in cushion given, meaning teams were respecting his speed. By failing to utilize him, teams can crowd the box and make things more difficult.
This week, Douglas needs to not only be a focal point, but the focal point of the Week 3 offense. If he can create mismatches and get fed the ball, things will open up not only this week but for the remainder of the season.
We’ll find out for sure Thursday night against a potent defense primed for a big week if the Patriots remain one-dimensional.
