Unexpected gifts from the Patriots this season
The Patriots have reached a stage in the regular season that hasn’t been a part of the equation the past two decades — playing irrelevant games in December and January. After so much success, that’s where they currently stand with two games remaining on the slate. They’ve devolved into a third-place team in the AFC East that’s essentially playing out the string on a disappointing 2020.
Whether it’s poor quarterback play, getting little production from the tight ends, a wide receiver group that doesn’t measure up, a run defense that’s been abysmal or a pass rush that’s little threat, there are so many areas that need work.
That being said, it hasn’t been all bad this season. There have been a few positives along the way, and areas for the Patriots to build on.
So in the spirit of the holiday, y, here are some of the gifts wrapped under the Patriots’ Christmas tree heading into the new year.
Special teams
Two of the Pats’ three Pro Bowlers this year are specialteamers. That about says it all.
But if that’s not enough, there’s this: The Patriots rank No. 1 in the league in special teams, per Football Outsiders’ opponent-and-situation-adjusted metric, DVOA. How do they do it?
Well, punter Jake Bailey earned his first Pro Bowl nod in just his second season after dropping a higher percentage of his punts inside the 20 than anyone who’s started at least 12 games. Bailey ranks second in the league with a 46.1 net yards average per punt. He’s also on track to set Patriots records for net and gross punt averages.
Speaking of all-time achievements, Matthew Slater was named to his ninth Pro Bowl as a special-teamer, the most in NFL history. Slater’s led a unit that has returned one punt for a touchdown this season and blocked a field goal for a score. He’s helped down several of Bailey’s punts inside the 20 and, with fellow core special-teamer Justin Bethel, allowed just 46 punt return yards all season, well below the franchise singleseason record of 75 set in 2007. The Pats’ special teams have truly been special in 2020, a major, unexpected boost, given their struggles in the other two phases, and they’ve been under r the leadership of first-year coordinator inator Cam
Achord. d.
Cam Newton’s leadership
Say what you want about Newton’s performance — and there is plenty to say — but from an intangibles standpoint, he’s been an All-Pro.
Newton is beloved in the Pats’ locker room. He acclimated instantly, becoming in September the rare first-year Patriot to be named a team captain. The question of how anyone could follow Tom Brady wasn’t raised after that. Newton has embraced the team’s standard and set it himself daily, logging longer hours than just about anyone.
“He works hard. Very professional. Puts in as much time and effort as anybody I’ve ever worked with, any player I’ve ever coached,” Bill Belichick said last week. “He’s dedicated and conscientious about his job.”
Earlier this year, Belichick described Newton’s leadership as “tremendous,” which can’t be underrated given what’s transpired this season: a COVID-19 outbreak, tough losses, benchings and lastly, elimination from the playoffs. Through it all, Newton, among other team leaders, has remained steady and committed, a reflection on his character and confirmation the onfield struggles haven’t been for lack of
trying.
Defensive rookies
Kyle Dugger has developed into a solid starter.
Josh Uche may already be the Pats’ best pass-rusher.
Anfernee Jennings has gained valuable experience playing both inside and outside linebacker.
And Myles Bryant proved the Patriots’ scouting department still has a knack for unearthing undrafted defensive backs.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was always going to be inhospitable to consistent rookie production. But the fact the Pats have been able to play their rookies late in the season should hasten their development moving forward. A player’s most significant growth usually takes place between Year 1 and Year 2.
Because of these rookies, the Patriots defense should also make a leap in 2021.
Michael Onwenu
Ed Warinner, Onwenu’s position coach at Michigan, had absolutely no doubt Big Mike would make it in the NFL.
Speaking to him shortly after the draft, Warinner, who has placed more than a dozen offensive linemen in the NFL, said he’d have moments watching Onwenu in practice, where he’d have to pause, and just marvel, because no player he had ever coached could do the things Big Mike could.
“Physically, he has freaky talents. People get distracted by, ‘oh he’s so big, he just gets in people’s way.’ He doesn’t,” said Warinner. “He can do some things ... and if teams got to work him out, he might have climbed the board a little bit. So I think he’s a great value pick for the Patriots ... which is one of their fortes.
“Because I think he’s a 10-year guy in the league,” Warinner went on. “I think he’ll be around for a couple contracts ... No one wants to be hit by him. When he hits you, you get knocked off your feet. He’s not 310-315 hitting you. It’s all 360 solidas-a-rock when he hits you.”
That’s all proven to be true.
Onwenu, who was taken in the sixth round by the Patriots, has filled in at several positions across the line. While he primarily played right guard in college, he’s taken over as the starter at right tackle, and is one of the highest-rated linemen in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
So he’s already well on his way to being that 10-yearguy, and a standout on the line for years
to come.
Damien Harris
The 2019 third-round pick from Alabama appeared in only two games as a rookie. Finally getting a chance in 2020, Harris has flourished, giving the Patriots another lead back option to complement Sony Michel, and the rest of the fine stable of backs.
With Michel spending some time on IR, and Rex Burkhead suffering a season-ending injury, the Patriots have not only needed Harris to be the nextman-up, but take it a step beyond.
He did just that, as he currently leads the Patriots in rushing this season, and has been one of the most productive backs in the NFL.
He’s gained 691 yards on 137 carries, scoring a pair of touchdowns. Those totals come from starting just 10 games, as he began the season on IR.
Harris, who runs hard and makes the tough yards, figures to be a fixture in the Patriots backfield for many years to come.
Playing and contributing for an NFL team has always been Harris’ goal, and now that he’s finally gotten his chance, he doesn’t want to give it up.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Harris said earlier this year. “I’ve dreamed of this day … since I first picked up a football. So I can’t even stress enough how much of a dream come true this is for me and how grateful I am. I know I say it a lot but that’s just truly how I feel deep down in my heart. I love being a part of this team.”
Motivation for 2021
After not making the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade, the Patriots will have added fuel in their tank.
Talk about adding gasoline to stoke the fire, already it seems like they’ve been kicked to the curb and tossed out with yesterday’s news.
Losing does that.
The Bills and Dolphins are now the show-stoppers in the AFC East. They’re the two teams everyone is talking about.
Not the Patriots, who surrendered their hold on the division after 11 straight years of wearing the crown. With a season that won’t yield a winning record for the first time since 2000, they’ve fallen down the ladder. They aren’t the Jets, mind you. But being a rung above Gang Green still doesn’t sit well with Belichick, as well as many of the players on the team who have established a winning culture. The beauty of the Patriots over the past few decades has been their model of sustained success, and ability to rebound from or withstand any kind of setback.
Failure doesn’t sit well. And during the past few decades, the Patriots have taken motivation for any kind of slip, and used it as a powerful tool.
After this year’s fall, the first year without Tom Brady, the motivation will be to prove it was a mere bump in the road, as opposed to an emerging pattern.
Between the coaching staff and the leaders in the locker room, losing just might be the gift that sparks them forward.