Quick stats:
Patriots were 26th in YAC (2.7 yards after catch) in '21
Meyers was 120th in YAC in the NFL in '21
Meyers was Mac Jones #1 target (126 targets .......... 51 more than #2 Henry)
Eye test:
Meyers has a knack for setting up in open space and securing the ball.
His initial steps after completing the catch are glacial.
On receptions when he comes back for the ball, his lack of footwork & explosion to quickly turn and accelerate up the field is alarming.
Conclusion:
Given his sub-par after-the-catch skills, in no way should Meyers be NE's #1 target unless the goal is to continue forward with a mediocre passing attack
Meyers is a strictly a possession receiver
The patriots were also 8th in yards per reception. They were 5th best in completion %.
So if they were 26th in yac then they were in the top few on air yards.
This all makes sense, if you are throwing the ball further down the field you are going to get less yac. A lot of yac comes on screens, bubble screens, short crossers. A lot of yac is a qb function rather than a receiver. This is another area you would expect a second year qb improvement.
I’m not sure I can agree that the passing attack was mediocre.
The offense was 6th in scoring, 2nd in % of drives scored on. 8th in yards per reception. 10th in 3rd form conversions, 11th in red zone %. 9th in first downs earned.
The only area that was only slightly above average was passing yards, which were 14th, but that was on the 25th most passing attempts.
Roughly average gross passing yards, with a rookie qb throwing the 7th fewest amount of passes, doesn’t sound like something that is doomed to mediocre.
Yes, we didn’t throw the ball all over the place and pass for 5000 yard, but the passing game was effective, especially with a rookie QB.
This board really needs to get over the idea that there are only 2 categories, greatest ever and perfect , or suck.