The New England Patriots control their playoff hopes and dreams yet again as their 23-21 victory over the Miami Dolphins awarded them possession of the seventh and final AFC playoff spot for 2022.
The Patriots will need to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, however, if they wish to guarantee a spot in the playoffs. But they could also sneak in with a loss, if some other scenarios shake out.
The Patriots’ season has been up and down for the majority of the year, and the issues have stemmed from the offensive play-calling and lack of efficiency.
In the game against the Dolphins, the Patriots defense managed to slow down Miami’s top weapons, Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, to just seven catches and 107 yards combined with a depleted secondary.
Mac Jones was good, again, despite some play-calling issues. He went 20-of-33 throwing for 203 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. The Patriots offensive line managed to keep Jones protected, while the receivers benefitted from a depleted Dolphins secondary with more spacing than normal.
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1. Patriots offense mirrored much of Week 16 performances
The Patriots offense wasn’t as explosive as they were last week. But the Dolphins have a solid defense, and the Patriots seem to have built on the success they have found as of late.
Tyquan Thornton made up for his dropped pass last week with a solid performance of three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Statistically speaking, the Patriots improved, but from just the eye test, the Patriots looked like they have begun to get on the same page.
Even if it is too late for the offense to start clicking, it is a welcoming sight that the issues faced can be resolved, whether with new coaching or personnel.
Although there’s only one more week left, the offense clicking could be perfect timing, especially with a win over Buffalo sending them into the playoffs. The Patriots could potentially be a sneaky problem for playoff teams if they can find consistency here.
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2. Patriots defense is still very much elite
The Patriots defense has shown all year they have the ability through scheme and talent to shut down most opponents’ game plans. Talented players will still find ways to be productive, but the Patriots defense has been a steam train since this season started.
This week, the Patriots’ banged up secondary, missing Jack Jones, Marcus Jones and Jalen Mills, still managed to hold Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to just seven catches for 107 yards combined.
Newcomer Tae Hayes filled in as best as we could have hoped. But a lot of the success is owed to Myles Bryant and Jonathan Jones, who were tasked with shadowing the elite receivers more so than Hayes or Quandre Mosely
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3. Extension time
Soon, the Patriots will need to make decisions on a few players who are free agents in 2023. But the 2020 draft class will be eligible for extensions this offseason, and the Patriots have a few talented players they need to retain.
Josh Uche, Kyle Dugger, Mike Onwenu, and free agent pickup, Jabrill Peppers, all deserve another deal in New England. All four of those players fit the mold for the next wave of the Patriots’ core. They fit extremely well in the system and timeline, age-wise.
They wont be cheap, but retaining them is important to avoid massively overspending in free agency like the Patriots had to do for some players in 2021, due to the talent drop off from poor draft classes prior.
Dugger and Onwenu will likely be the most expensive of the bunch, but the Patriots have the space and flexibility to sign all four of their priorities this offseason.
This week’s game showed how important those players are to the Patriots’ future success and should remain priority.
