New England Patriots: Wild Card Weekend Recap

The Patriots offense struggled against the Chargers to say the least. Drake Maye was under pressure all game, and the offense as a whole didn’t have the same spark we are used to seeing. This was concerning on multiple levels, especially since protecting Maye should always be the number one priority. Rookie left tackle Will Campbell struggled in pass protection and got bull rushed into the backfield on a number of snaps. This is very out of the ordinary for Campbell, since he has been rock solid most of the regular season. However, if anybody can get this offense back on track, it’s Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels. McDaniels is an offensive guru, and he will likely be making quite a few changes and corrections to his scheme for next weekend’s divisional matchup. 

This offense has shown some serious firepower and spark during the regular season, and it looked like they lost that on Sunday night. The big hope for Patriots fans everywhere is that McDaniels will get this offense back to its regular season form, and we will see a huge resurgence from Drake Maye and the playmakers that make this offense so dangerous. One of the biggest names to watch is obviously Stefon Diggs. He is the alpha receiver that this offense has lacked for the last few seasons, and when the lights turn on, he is usually the one who shines the brightest. It will be very intriguing to see if Diggs turns it up a notch next week, and dominates the game like we know he can.

The New England defense terrorized Justin Herbert

The Patriots defense played like the rent was due against the Chargers, and they terrorized quarterback Justin Herbert for all four quarters. Herbert had almost no protection all game, and when it mattered most, was sacked by the Patriots’ one hundred million dollar man in Milton Williams. Williams was the big free agent signing in New England and it is looking like he was worth every penny. He dominated the entire game from start to finish, and was constantly in the backfield. After his game sealing sack he ran into a huge hug from head coach Mike Vrabel and accidentally bloodied Vrabel’s lip. Vrabel absolutely loved it, which goes to show the type of culture Vrabel has built in New England. He has this team ready to go to war for him every single game, and it showed last night that his guys are willing to work harder than any team. It is truly refreshing to see after last season’s struggles with Jerod Mayo as the head coach. It looks like the Patriots have their fire back under the new command of the potential Coach of the Year in Vrabel.

Divisional Round Preview against the Texans

After the Texans Wild Card win on Monday night, the divisional matchup between New England and Houston is officially set. The Texans is going to be one of the most challenging games of the entire season for the Patriots. Houston has arguably the best defense in football, and their pass rush poses a serious threat to the New England offensive line. However, if Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels can scheme up a plan to slow down the force of the Houston defense, Drake Maye will be able to use his elite playmaking ability to create some big opportunities. This would be ideal after a very disappointing offensive performance against the Chargers, and it could reignite the spark of the Patriots offense. Overall, the Patriots are going to need to be on top of their game against such a powerful defense, and if they can make some big time plays, they will be able to punch their ticket to the AFC Championship game.