Patriots Only Used 2TE Offense for 18% of Snaps This Season

[Sciz]

I don't think the issue here is that Smith is coming off the field in obvious passing situations, because 3 WRs plus Henry and an RB is usually the right personnel there. Bourne is running a lot of the same routes and winning in the same way (underneath catches followed by YAC) that we would have expected Smith to anyway.

The problem is that Smith is so often on the field on early downs with Johnson, sometimes both Johnson and Onwenu, and later in the season even the Johnson, Onwenu, and Harry trio. They need fewer obvious running personnel groupings, more Henry in place of Johnson on early downs, and more passes on early downs, especially early in the game.

A lot of this may have been related to Mac's development, as it makes more sense to put super heavy personnel on the field if you know you're running the ball because Mac isn't going to change the play at the line. As the training wheels come off and he gets the freedom to make those calls to exploit mismatches after teams are lined up, it's going to be more important to have another viable route-runner on the field as opposed to the FB or extra OL.

(I'm sorry, Jakob fans. Keep him around for obvious running situations, like 8% of the offensive snaps instead of this season's 28%.)

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Shameful. Maybe time for a new offense. Can't keep bringing folks in that "don't get it". The dude can play. Get him the ball.

This was brought up awhile ago, why is it that players have such a difficult time coming to New England and learning this offense? How can a player like Jonnu who was all-pro on the Titans come here and barely be used at all?

If our offense is so complex that pro-bowl caliber players who have been productive in the league can't come here and learn it, and we cant seem to develop any wide receivers outside of Edelman and Meyers.... maybe its time to simplify the offense or make some tweaks?

Its a fair question IMO

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Jonnu just didn't look like a fit all year. Every time he got the ball it seemed like it had to be a schemed up play designed for him and not any part of the natural flow of the offense. He ended up as a very expensive blocker most of the time he was on the field. Speaking of blocking HH was billed as a solid blocker coming in but that didn't look to be the case but at least he was a red zone threat and ended up having a solid year after a slow start. I don’t think they can get out of the Jonnu Smith contract without getting killed on the cap so they need to find a way to get him naturally involved in the offense next season. Hopefully another year in the system and another offseason will help him build some chemistry with Mac.

Which is funny bc he's been terrible blocking and I suspect that's why his snaps decreased. He was solid coming into the year. Not much change in assignments but he's been really bad blocking.

Also many of his targets were in the MOF where we have multiple guys better than him in that role already. Running routes in an adjacent area.

Oh look another @DropKickFlutie thread with no original analysis. How much attention does one need?

 

[VectorPrime]

I honestly never thought a tight end signing could even theoretically be more disappointing than Scott Chandler. And yet here’s Smith.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

This was brought up awhile ago, why is it that players have such a difficult time coming to New England and learning this offense? How can a player like Jonnu who was all-pro on the Titans come here and barely be used at all?

If our offense is so complex that pro-bowl caliber players who have been productive in the league can't come here and learn it, and we cant seem to develop any wide receivers outside of Edelman and Meyers.... maybe its time to simplify the offense or make some tweaks?

Its a fair question IMO

I don't buy the excuse about how complex E/P is. Jonnu's routes are not complex. The OC simply isn't even trying to get Jonnu the ball. This was super predictable. McD's entire history is he has no clue how to use TEs. Denver'10 and StLouis'11 and NE'19 and NE'20 had the worst tight end production in the league.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Video: Jonnu Smith makes amazing one handed catch.

He could do this type of play action reception 3-4 times a game. Too bad they completely stopped even trying for no good reason after Thanksgiving.

Jonnu Smith highpoints play-action pass with one-handed juggling act

New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith impresses the broadcast team with a one-handed juggling catch.

www.nfl.com

 

[203Pat]

Which is funny bc he's been terrible blocking and I suspect that's why his snaps decreased. He was solid coming into the year. Not much change in assignments but he's been really bad blocking.

Also many of his targets were in the MOF where we have multiple guys better than him in that role already. Running routes in an adjacent area.

Oh look another @DropKickFlutie thread with no original analysis. How much attention does one need?

Yeah I have seen people call him a good blocker but to me he seemed average to below average and ended up with some killer penalties and a few blow up plays. Really nothing looked natural with him all year. Almost Harry-esque (not in production just in everything he was involved in looked harder than it should be).

 

[captain stone]

View attachment 40190

That's ****ing shameful. Patsies should've been in 12 personnel - with HH in-line and JS flexed, and NOT THE OTHER ****ING WAY AROUND - at a Minimum of 33% of their offensive snaps this season, especially when considering the "talent" level of their WRs.

EVERY ****ING SNAP that the ****ing grotesquely ****ing useless Kneal Harry was given should've gone to Jonnu Smith.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Yeah I have seen people call him a good blocker but to me he seemed average to below average and ended up with some killer penalties and a few blow up plays. Really nothing looked natural with him all year. Almost Harry-esque (not in production just in everything he was involved in looked harder than it should be).

I'd bet this was his worst year blocking by a long shot. In terms of snaps / playing time he had to be in the the bottom 5 for blocking. He was that bad and it definitely effected playing time.

 

[captain stone]

I'd bet this was his worst year blocking by a long shot. In terms of snaps / playing time he had to be in the the bottom 5 for blocking. He was that bad and it definitely effected playing time.

I doubt he was much worse blocking this season than he had been any other season.... Never was the reason that the Titties had him on the field either.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

That's ****ing shameful. Patsies should've been in 12 personnel - with HH in-line and JS flexed, and NOT THE OTHER ****ING WAY AROUND - at a Minimum of 33% of their offensive snaps this season, especially when considering the "talent" level of their WRs.

EVERY ****ING SNAP that the ****ing grotesquely ****ing useless Kneal Harry was given should've gone to Jonnu Smith.

Yes exactly. Only did 12 personnel in game1 for 50% of snaps. After that didn't even try the following 16 games, barely used 12 personnel and had Jonnu be a blocker which is his worst skill. Why construct a roster and spend all this $ if your OC is going to not use your $14M tight end YAC playmaker.

It's lazy play calling.

.

 

[captain stone]

Yes exactly. Only did 12 personnel in game1 for 50% of snaps. After that didn't even try the following 16 games, barely used 12 personnel and had Jonnu be a blocker which is his worst skill. Why construct a roster and spend all this $ if your OC is going to not use your $14M tight end YAC playmaker.

It's lazy play calling.

Yep, Skippy should've called plays for JS the way he called plays for Aaron Hernandez in 2012.

 

[masterbouncer]

which game was it where they ran an quite effecitve offense in first half with 12 personal just to switch away from it in second half (being again not so productive) and McD admitting they ran out of 12 personal play calls in his play book?

 

[DropKickFlutie]

which game was it where they ran an quite effecitve offense in first half with 12 personal just to switch away from it in second half (being again not so productive) and McD admitting they ran out of 12 personal play calls in his play book?

Early on the season right? That's ridiculous that McDaniels only has like 3 plays in 12 personnel.

Lazy play calling.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

I doubt he was much worse blocking this season than he had been any other season.... Never was the reason that the Titties had him on the field either.

This was his worst year blocking. Easily his worst year run blocking and not much better in pass pro. The past 2-3 years he was actually above average.

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Yep, Skippy should've called played for JS the way he called plays for Aaron Hernandez in 2012.

That was Bill O'Brien who installed the 2TE offense. The momen O'Brien left McD quickly abandoned 2TE's. Easily verifiable when one checks the 2013-2020 season game logs. Even with Bennett here it was almost always just him (Gronk hurt) or Gronk doing things.

 

[Sciz]

which game was it where they ran an quite effecitve offense in first half with 12 personal just to switch away from it in second half (being again not so productive) and McD admitting they ran out of 12 personal play calls in his play book?

That quote (from Belichick) was referring to 22 personnel in the Cowboys game. They used 17 snaps of 22 and only 4 snaps of 21 in that game, compared to 33 of 22 and 228 of 21 in the other 16 games. (Source)

 

[DropKickFlutie]

That quote (from Belichick) was referring to 22 personnel in the Cowboys game. They used 17 snaps of 22 and only 4 snaps of 21 in that game, compared to 33 of 22 and 228 of 21 in the other 16 games. (Source)

There was definitely a game in Sept where they went lights out rolling great in 12 personnel, and after the first quarter went to crappy spread shotgun for the next 2 straight quarters. I think Perry or Reiss noted it in their post game reports. This was from 2021.

 

[Nunchucks]

Smith was clearly lost. You can't have somebody running the wrong routes and screwing up the entire offense.

He did look good with the ball in his hands. Thought they should have used him as an outlet receiver on 3rd down. They didn't. IDK

 

[DropKickFlutie]

Smith was clearly lost. You can't have somebody running the wrong routes and screwing up the entire offense.

He did look good with the ball in his hands. Thought they should have used him as an outlet receiver on 3rd down. They didn't. IDK

Was he running the wrong routes when he started the season catching 9 of his first 10 targets ?