Rookie N’Keal Harry potential cure for New England’s red zone issues
Foxborough, Mass. — The Patriots have a litany of issues keeping offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels up at night.
Those woes have also been making Tom Brady pretty cranky.
High on the list of troubles is an inability to score in the red zone. The Patriots have gone from being pretty automatic to score a touchdown, to having little chance from in close.
They haven't been able to run, which is the usual mode of entry from that territory. Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, James White & Co. has had difficulty advancing from inside the 20, and especially from inside the 10.
The blocking up front just hasn't been there. Brady also hasn't been too successful throwing in those tight quarters.
On Sunday against the Eagles, the Patriots went 1-for-3 in the money area, settling for three Nick Folk field goals during the 17-10 win. The one time they did score, they had to resort to a gimmick play, a double pass from Brady to Julian Edelman to Phillip Dorsett for a 15-yard score on a third-and-11 play. Statistically, they're ranked 25th (48.8%) out of 32 teams in the NFL in red zone touchdown efficiency. Obviously, that's not where they want to be. The running game part of the equation might improve with the return of left tackle Isaiah Wynn, who is expected back this week. A better fix? Having a big body go up and catch the ball for Brady in the end zone. The Patriots do have one of those prototype receivers. Rookie N'Keal Harry fits the profile as a potential red zone cure. He's 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, and billed as a contested catch monster.
At this point, with nothing working, and not much else to choose from, it can't hurt to use the kid and see what shakes out. Who knows, he might prove to be a lethal weapon.
Of course, there are the dream scenarios out there that would help the red zone woes.
Rob Gronkowski has been teasing a comeback with all of these big announcements, but the sands are running out on that hourglass. He has until the 30th to decide if he wants to play this season. It's hard to believe the next few weeks are going to make a difference and change his course. As for an Antonio Brown return, now that he's apologized publicly to Patriots owner Robert Kraft, that's another one that's hard to fathom. From a football perspective it's a no-brainer bringing him back. From a moral perspective, along with the unknown of what the league will do with respect to the sexual assault allegations, there's plenty of reasons to believe it won't happen.
So it behooves the Patriots to get Harry more involved. As it is, looking at the overall production, the Pats have just one touchdown from their tight ends all season. Michel has made it into the end zone on just five of his 12 attempts inside the 5-yard line.
Julian Edelman does get open on occasion in the red area even being double-teamed, and Mohamed Sanu is still working his way in. Dorsett's lone red zone score came Sunday on the trick play.