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What we learned in Pats-Seahawks: Young WRs an answer to passing woes?

They can’t continue to play that way, and Jerod Mayo knows it.

“We definitely have to start to get the ball down the field,” he said after the game.

Might be time to experiment.

Without much in the way of substitution options on the offensive line, the Patriots may want to see if a younger contingent of wideouts can provide them more juice. Javon Baker was active and played six snaps but was on the field for just one pass play. Kayshon Boutte was inactive due in part to his lack of a role in the kicking game. But it’s my understanding that the Patriots remain encouraged by both given what they’ve shown in practice.

If the team wants to shake things up in that room to see if there’s any more production there to be had, then going younger could be an option. K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton have combined for six catches for 55 yards in two games.

Dugger misread proves costly

When the Seahawks aligned in an empty formation with Geno Smith in the shotgun, the veteran quarterback made a subtle hand signal to his teammates like he was pushing something down by his knee.

The Patriots, on the other side, began to signal to each other by pressing up over their heads. The cat-and-mouse game was on.

Kyle Dugger and his teammates had checked into a “max blitz.” The Seahawks, though, had an answer. The result was a 56-yard wide-open touchdown strike to DK Metcalf. And Dugger owned it.

“We were in max blitz coverage,” Dugger said later. “Just a bad read by myself. They caught us in a call that was kind of problematic, their offensive call versus our defensive call.”

Dugger added: “You just have to read the quarterback. I didn’t get a good read on the quarterback so that’s basically like a bust.”

Metcalf split both Dugger and corner Christian Gonzalez — who eneded up tracking Metcalf throughout the game — for his explosive game-tying score. Dugger had his eyes in the backfield, apparently waiting for a shorter throw with his blitzing teammates getting into the backfield quickly. Didn’t…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/learned-pats-seahawks-young-wrs-164709128.html

Author : NBC Sports Boston

Publish date : 2024-09-16 16:47:09

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