Inside the NFL

Back to Basics  

Having abandoned the offense that brought them success, the slumping Patriots need to reestablish the run

By Peter King

Three weeks ago, when their offense was strafing the league for 38 points a game, everything the Patriots did was cutting edge. Tom Brady passed on 68% of the downs in an opening-night win over Pittsburgh. Two weeks later New England threw 70% of the time in a 41-38 shootout victory over Kansas City. At the time offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said, "This isn't old school, where you say, 'This is what we do. Come and stop us.' Now, we figure a game plan depending on who we're playing. If it's not working, we don't wait till halftime. We'll adjust after a couple of series."

Bubba Franks put the Pack up 21-3 over the Patriots with a third-quarter TD reception. Heinz Kluetmeier

But what happens when the adjustments aren't effective? In their last three games the Patriots have scored 14 points or fewer, five touchdowns in all. Most shocking is what transpired during a 28-10 loss to the Packers in Foxboro on Sunday. Against a Green Bay defense playing without five injured starters, New England was totally out of sync. Now, nothing's working on offense for the defending Super Bowl champs, and coach Bill Belichick, speaking in measured but adamant tones after the game, said, "We are going to start all over."

With a bye week to get retooled for a tough upcoming stretch, the Patriots might want to consider these changes.

*Stop making the games passathons. Brady wouldn't have lasted until the sixth round of the 2000 draft if he'd been the most talented and strongest-armed passer. He was drafted because of his ability to manage a game, which is exactly what he did down the stretch last season. The linemen, plodders for the most part, aren't suited to pass-block 45 times a game. And when about 15 of the passes go deep, trouble hits: In the last 10 quarters Brady has thrown seven interceptions.

*Make Antowain Smith a go-to guy again. Last season the Patriots ran on 49% of their snaps. This year they're running only 35% of the time, even though Smith is averaging 4.5 yards a carry. "When you know [the pass] is coming," Packers cornerback Bryant Westbrook says, "you can put yourself in position to upset the passing game." That's why the Patriots will almost certainly turn to the run more in their last 10 games. Like most backs, Smith needs work -- and that means getting more than the 14 carries a game he's averaging this season.

After their bye week the schedule is a killer. Denver is up at home, followed by a brutal three-game road trip, to Buffalo, Chicago and Oakland. The Patriots had better get things straightened out. Otherwise they'll be playing meaningless games after Thanksgiving.

Issue date: October 21, 2002

For more Inside the NFL see this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, on newsstands Wednesday, October 16. Click here to subscribe to SI.

 

Related information

Stories

Scorecard: Can Sinners Be Winners? Inside College Basketball: Gators' Great Dane Dr. Z's Forecast SI Online: Current Issue and Archives

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video