The Patriots come home to finish off the season with a pair of games against quality, playoff bound teams. This Saturday, the Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are under the guidance of 1st year Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. He has them playing very tough despite a rash of injuries.
Offense
| Starter | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | |
| QB | Justin Herbert | Taylor Heinicke | Easton Stick | – |
| RB | Gus Edwards Q | Kimani Vidal | Hassan Haskins | J.K. Dobbins IR |
| WR | Ladd McConkey | DJ Chark | Brenden Rice IR | |
| WR | Quentin Johnston | Derius Davis | Jalen Reagor IR | – |
| WR | Joshua Palmer | Simi Fehoko IR | ||
| TE | Will Dissly Q | Stone Smartt | Hayden Hurst Q | Tucker Fisk Q |
| FB | Scott Matlock | |||
| LT | Rashawn Slater | Foster Sarell | Tyler McLellan IR | – |
| LG | Zion Johnson | Jordan McFadden | – | – |
| C | Bradley Bozeman | Sam Mustipher | Brenden Jaimes | Bucky Williams IR |
| RG | Trey Pipkins III Q | Jamaree Salyer | ||
| RT | Joe Alt | – |
The Offense is ranked 24th Overall with 307.3 yards per game. Passing they rank 24th and Rushing they are 22nd with 106.5 yards per game. Scoring Offense they are 16th with 21.9 Points Per Game. In the Red Zone they rank 14th with 57.5% and on 3rd Down they are 17th at 37.9%.
QB Justin Herbert is having a resurgence under Harbaugh. The Ringer has him ranked as the #4 QB in the league. ESPN gives him a 98.4 rating. For the year he has completed 278 of 430 passes for a 64.7% completion percentage. He has thrown 18 TDs and 3 INTs. The 2020 Round 1 (#6) pick by LAC played at Oregon. Herbert stands 6’6” and 236 pounds. His PFF rating is 89.5, ranked 4th.
The Wide Receiver group has been completely revamped. They released Mike Williams, traded Keenan Allen to Chicago for a 4th Round pick. LAC also fleeced the Patriots rookie GM Eliot Wolf when they traded for the Patriots 2024 2nd round pick #34 to select potential Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate WR Ladd McConkey. The Patriots didn’t even get an extra draft pick out of the deal. Wolf traded #34 and #137 for #37 and #110. The Patriots selected Ja’Lynn Polk (bust) and Javon Baker (wasted pick). McConkey has 69 catches on 94 targets, 960 yards, 13.9 YPC, 5 TDs and a Fumble. The Georgia product stands 6’, 185-pounds and runs a 4.39 40-yard dash. He was flat out uncoverable at the Senior Bowl and that has translated to the Pros. His PFF grade is 79.5 good for 22nd.
Joshua Plamer is another exciting wideout taken by LAC in the 3rd round (#78) of the 2021 draft. The TCU product stands 6’2”, 210-pounds. On the season he has 35 receptions on 59 targets for 543 yards, a 15.5 YPC and a TD. His PFF rating is 66.7 good for 85th in the league. Quentin Johnston is a big play receiver. He is 6’3”, 200-pounds from LSU. On the year he has 37 catches on 69 targets for 477 yards, a 12.9 YPC and 8 TDs. Johnston was drafted by LAC in the 1st round (#22) of the 2021 draft. His PFF rating is 65.3 good for 94th.
The Chargers have been hit hard by injuries to the receivers with Jalen Reagor, Simi Fehoko and Brenden Rice all on IR. DJ Chark would be the 4th wideout. The 6’4” 200-pound receiver has just 3 catches on 3 targets. The former Jacksonville Jaguar was selected in the 2018 draft 2nd round (#61). His PFF rating is 59.2 good for 140th.
At Runningback they will miss Gus Edwards who is listed as Out for Saturday. JK Dobbins their leading rusher has been on IR but started practicing on a limited basis this week. However, he did not participate on Thursday and is listed as Questionable. Rookie Kimani Vidal is the backup. The 5’8” 218-pound back is a load. The Troy product has rushed 38 times for 131 yards, 3.4 YPC, no TDs and 2 fumbles. His PFF rating is 54.1 good for 109th. With Dobbins sidelined Hassan Haskins might see more time. The 6’2” 228-pound back played for Michigan and was drafted by TEN in the 2022 draft in the 4th Round (#141). He has 14 carries for just 26 yards, a 1.9 YPC with 1 TD and 1 fumble. His PFF rating is 54.9 good for 104th. Scott Matlock is listed as the Fullback. The 6’4” 296-pound two-way player from Boise State plays Defensive Tackle and Fullback.
The Tight End group is a good one with Will Dissly and Stone Smartt. Dissly was signed away from Seattle who drafted him in the 2018 draft in the 4th round (#120). The 6’4” 265-pound end played for Washington collegiately. On the year he has 43 catches on 55 targets for 413 yards, 9.7 YPC and a TD. His PFF rating is 68.5 and is tied with Hunter Henry for 22nd in the league. Dissly is listed as Questionable for Saturday, but he was a full participant in practice on Thursday. Smartt, a 6’4” 226-pound end is really big wide receiver playing TE. He played collegiately at Old Dominion. On the year he has 14 catches on 17 targets for 185 yards, 13.5 YPC. Smartt was signed by LAC after the 2022 draft as an Undrafted Free Agent. His PFF rating is 71.5 good for 17th.
Left Tackle is Rashawn Slater. The 6’4” 315 Tackle from Northwestern ran a 4.88 40-yard dash. Slater was taken in the 2021 Draft 1 (#13) by LAC and made the Pro Bowl and 2nd Team All-Pro as a rookie. His PFF rating is an excellent 91.1, good for 4th in the league at his position. Slater doesn’t turn 26 until next year. Zion Johnson from BC is the LG. The 6’3” 316-pound guard was taken in the 2022 draft 1st round (#17). He has a PFF rating of 67.6 good for 37th. Starting Center is veteran Bradley Bozeman. The Alabama product stands 6’5”, 305-pounds and was selected in the 2018 Draft by Baltimore in the 6th Round (#215). His PFF rating is 58.8 good for 43rd.
Jamaree Salyer will fill in for Trey Pipkin who has been ruled out. The 6’4” 325-pound Guard played for Georgia and was selected by LAC in the 2022 draft, 6th (#195). His PFF Rating is 52.9 good for 103rd. The Right Tackle is the guy I wanted the Patriots to draft. I’m happy with Drake Maye, but he had so many flaws, little experience, never took a snap under center and has small hands. The Patriots needed a Left Tackle that would be the cornerstone of the team for 10 years. Joe Alt is that guy and LAC has the luxury of playing him at Right Tackle. The 6’8” 322-pound tackle is the son of former KC Chief Tackle John Alt. The Notre Dame product was taken by the Chargers in the 1st round (#5) this year. His PFF rating is 78.5 good for 16th. He is the #1 rookie Offensive Lineman from this year’s draft.
Defense
| Starter | 2nd | 3rd | ||
| LDE | Morgan Fox | Scott Matlock | – | |
| NT | Otito Ogbonnia Q | Teair Tart | ||
| RDE | Poona Ford | Justin Eboigbe | – | |
| WLB | Joey Bosa | Tuli Tuipulotu | Chris Collins IR | |
| LILB | Daiyan Henley | Nick Niemann | Shaq Quarterman | |
| RILB | Denzel Perryman Q | Troy Dye | Junior Colson | |
| SLB | Khalil Mack | Bud Dupree | Chris Rumph II IR | |
| LCB | Cam Hart Q | Deane Leonard | Asante Samuel Jr IR | |
| SS | Derwin James | Tony Jefferson Q | ||
| FS | Elijah Molden Q | Alohi Gilman IR | Marcus Maye IR | |
| RCB | Kristian Fulton | Tarheeb Still | Eli Apple IR | |
| NB | Derwin James | Ja’Sir Taylor | Elijah Molden Q |
The Defense is ranked 16th giving up 337.9 yards a game. They are a bend / don’t break Defense. Passing they are ranked 16th giving up 213.8 yards a game. Rush Defense is ranked 17th at 124.1 yards a game. Overall Scoring they are ranked 2nd giving up just 18.3 points a game. In the Red Zone they protect the house as the best team in the league with a 44.7%. On 3rd Down they are 10th at 37.1%.
Morgan Fox starts at Left Defensive End. The 6’3” 275 DT played at Colorado State-Pueblo. After the 2016 draft he was signed as a UDFA by the Raiders. He has 25 Tackles, 3.5 Sacks and 4 Tackles for Loss (TFL). His PFF rating is 53 good for 127th. At the Nose Tackle is Otito Ogbonnia. The 6’4” 320-pound tackle played at UCLA and was taken by LAC in the 2022 draft 5th round (#160). On the year he has 33 Tackles. His PFF rating is 37.8 199th in the league.
Joey Bosa is 6’ 5” 280-pounds LB out of Ohio State. He was taken by LAC in the 1st Round (#3). For the year he has 21 Tackles, 3 Sacks and 5 TFLs. His PFF Rating is 65.3 good for 71st. Bosa has missed 3 games and parts of others due to injuries. Daiyan Henley leads the team in tackles with 143, 1 Sack and 7 TFLs. The 6’2 225 backer played at Michigan State and was taken in the 2023 draft 3rd round (#86). His PFF rating is 70.1 good for 50th. Denzel Perryman is a 5’11” 240-pound linebacker out of Miami. He was selected in the 2015 draft by LAC in the 2nd Round (#45). His PFF rating is 60.8 good for 89th. Khalil Mack is a highly decorated 11-year veteran. The 6’3” 269-pound linebacker was selected as the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, 4 x 1st Team All-Pro, one 2nd team All-Pro, 8x Pro Bowl and 2x Butkus Award winner as the best Linebacker in the NFL. Mack was selected by the Raiders in the 2015 draft 1st Round (#5) out of Buffalo University. The future Hall of Famer has 37 Tackles, 5 Sacks and 5 TFLs. His PFF Rating is 90.6 good for 4th in the league amongst LBs.
In the secondary Cam Hart is the starting LCB. The rookie out of Notre Dame is 6’2” 207-pounds and was selected in the 5th round (#141) of this year’s draft. He has 34 Tackles and a half Sack. His PFF rating is 55.2 good for 155th. Hart is Questionable for Saturday. Derwin James plays all over the field. He is the starting Safety but also plays the Nickle Back. The 6’2” 205-pound Safety played at Florida State and was taken in the 2018 draft by LAC 1st round (#17). He has 88 Tackles , 3 sacks and 7 TFLs on the season. His PFF rating is 78.4 good for 12th.
Elijah Molden is the other Safety. The 5’10” 192-pound safety played for Washington in college. He was drafted in the 2021 draft by Tennessee in the 3rd Round (#61). For the season he has 71 tackles, and 2 TFLs. His PFF rating is 77.4 good for 15th. Kristian Fulton rounds out the secondary. The 5’11” 197-pound DB played at LSU. He was selected by Tennessee in the 2020 Draft 2nd Round (#61). He has 44 Tackles and 2 TFLs. His PFF Rating is 72.7 good for 37th. The Chargers secondary is banged up. Top backup Tony Jefferson is Questionable along with Hart and Molden. They lost Alohi Gilman, Marcus Maye, and Eli Apple to IR. Don’t be surprised if Deanne Leonard and Tarheed Still end up getting playing time.
Special Teams
| Starter | 2nd | |
| PK | Cameron Dicker | – |
| P | JK Scott Q | – |
| H | JK Scott Q | |
| PR | Derius Davis | Ladd McConkey |
| KR | Derius Davis | Ladd McConkey |
| LS | Josh Harris |
The Chargers and Kicker Cameron Dicker were involved in one of the most exciting and obscure plays of the season, the Fair Catch-Free Kick. Jim Harbaugh knew the rule that awards a team a Free Kick after a Fair Catch (Punt or Kickoff). Derius Davis signaled for a Fair Catch at the Chargers 48-yard line. He was run into by the Broncos defenders. That wiped out a fumble but worse added 10-yards for the penalty, putting the ball at the Broncos 42. Harbaugh knew the rule and was awarded a Free Kick, meaning the Broncos had to play 10-yards off the Line of Scrimmage. Dicker attempted a 59-yard Field Goal with no rush and put the ball right through the uprights
Dicker is 9th best Kicker in the league based on points scored. He is 31 of 33 on FG attempts and 27 of 30 on PAT conversions.
JK Scott is listed as Questionable for the game. Scott is ranked 21st in Punt Average and 16th in Net Yardage.
Derius Davis handles the return duties. On kickoff return he ranks 5th in the league and on Punts he is 11th.
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Merrimack Valley native and lifelong fan of the New England Patriots. My earliest memories of the Patriots were attending as a child with my dad, the off-season practice at Phillips Academy. I was at the Patriots game at Harvard Stadium in 1970 where Bob “Harpo” Gladieux was called out of the stands by the stadium announcer over the PA to play in the game. Analyzing the draft since ESPN first started to televise it in 1980 and former writer for the Lowell Sun Newspaper.
