{"id":63787,"date":"2025-12-11T04:30:26","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T09:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?p=63787"},"modified":"2025-12-11T09:37:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T14:37:12","slug":"morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/","title":{"rendered":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills’ Matchup"},"content":{"rendered":"

I usually do an analysis of the Opposition but since we are playing the Bills for a second time, I thought I would do a check on the Patriots roster instead.<\/p>\n

The Patriots sit in 2nd<\/sup> place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0 Drake Maye\u2019s progression in his second year has been remarkable.\u00a0 He is now a legitimate candidate for Player of the Year.\u00a0 They have 4 games remaining with tough games against the Bills and Ravens on the horizon.\u00a0 This week is a Hat and T-Shirt game, that with a win they win the AFC East Division.\u00a0 Let\u2019s take a look at the roster and the individual performances of the team.<\/p>\n

OFFENSE 3WR 1TE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nStarter<\/td>\n2nd<\/td>\n3rd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
QB<\/td>\nDrake Maye<\/td>\nJoshua Dobbs<\/td>\nTommy DeVito<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RB<\/td>\nTreVeyon Henderson<\/td>\nRhamondre Stevenson<\/td>\nTerrell Jennings Q<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WR<\/td>\nStefon Diggs<\/td>\nDeMario Douglas<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WR<\/td>\nKayshon Boutte<\/td>\nKyle Williams<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
WR<\/td>\nMack Hollins<\/td>\nEfton Chism<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TE<\/td>\nHunter Henry<\/td>\nAustin Hooper<\/td>\nCJ Dippre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FB<\/td>\nJack Westover<\/td>\nBrock Lampe\u00a0IR<\/td>\n–<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LT<\/td>\nVederian Lowe<\/td>\nThayer Munford Jr.<\/td>\nWill\u00a0Campbell IR<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
LG<\/td>\nJared\u00a0Wilson O<\/td>\nBen\u00a0Brown<\/td>\nCaedan\u00a0Wallace<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C<\/td>\nGarrett Bradbury<\/td>\nBen\u00a0Brown<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RG<\/td>\nMike Onwenu<\/td>\nYasir Durant\u00a0IR<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
RT<\/td>\nMorgan Moses<\/td>\nMarcus\u00a0Bryant<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Drake Maye has been spectacular.\u00a0 He was selected as AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 1st<\/sup> time in his brief career.\u00a0 For the season has completed 276 passes on 386 attempts for 3,412 yards for a 71.5 completion %.\u00a0 He has 23 TDs to 6 INTs and has a QB rating of 111.9.<\/p>\n

Maye leads the NFL in completion rate (71.5%), passing yards (3,412), and MVP odds (-120, per BetMGM Sportsbook). He’s led the Patriots to 10 straight wins and the current 2nd<\/sup> spot in the AFC.\u00a0 His maturity and growth have been remarkable for a 2nd<\/sup> year player who has had 4 different Offenses in the last 4 years.\u00a0 Oh yeah, he is just 23 years old and has taken on a big leadership role.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 87.1, good for 4th<\/sup> amongst all QBs.\u00a0 His 8.8 yards Per Attempt is 2nd<\/sup> in the league.\u00a0 His deep passing game has been tremendous, leading the league with a 71.4 Completion %.<\/p>\n

He is no \u201cCheckdown Charlie\u201d, taking the easy short passes to boost his completion %.\u00a0 Maye has done a great job of improving his running \/ scrambling ability and is not taking unnecessary hits.\u00a0 The sack numbers are high, but that is on Maye not necessarily the Offensive Line. The number of yards lost are minimal.\u00a0 Josh McDaniels has drummed into his head about being risk-averse, as he has severely limited his turnover-worthy plays.\u00a0 He will run out of bounds or take a sack rather than throw a pass into a turnover-worthy play.\u00a0 On the season, he has 81 rushes for 319 yards, 3.9 YPC, 1 TD, and 1 Fumble.<\/p>\n

\"Drake<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Eric Canha-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Drake Maye Passer Rating by Situation (QB Ranks) Per<\/strong> Next Gen Stats<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Overall \u2013 111.9 (1st)<\/p>\n

Deep (20+ Air Yds) \u2013 136.5 (1st)<\/p>\n

Under Pressure \u2013 104.4 (1st)<\/p>\n

Outside the Numbers \u2013 127.9 (1st)<\/p>\n

Past the Sticks \u2013 125.6 (1st)<\/p>\n

vs Zone Coverage \u2013 114.9 (1st)<\/p>\n

Tight Windows \u2013 80.4 (2nd)<\/p>\n

vs Blitz \u2013 124.9 (2nd)<\/p>\n

2-High Safeties \u2013 111.1 (1st)<\/p>\n

vs Sub-packages \u2013 111.8 (1st)<\/p>\n

1st Down \u2013 131.6 (1st)<\/p>\n

On the Road \u2013 113.9 (2nd)<\/p>\n

When Trailing \u2013 113.1 (2nd)<\/p>\n

Outdoors \u2013 109.8 (2nd)<\/p>\n

3rd\/4th Down \u2013 109.4 (4th)<\/p>\n

Maye gets a an A+.<\/p>\n

Joshua Dobbs has completed 1 of 3 passes, playing in just 2 games.\u00a0 His grade is incomplete.<\/p>\n

\"TreVeyon<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Butler II-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Running Backs<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Rhamondre Stevenson is still considered the lead back.\u00a0 His stat line is 101 carries for 324 yards, 3.2 YPC, 3 TDs, and 2 Fumbles.\u00a0 He has missed 3 games with a toe injury.\u00a0 Last week he was ineffective in his 1st<\/sup> game back.\u00a0 His two fumbles in the Pittsburgh game led to the loss. But he hasn\u2019t fumbled since.\u00a0 Stevenson is very good in pass protection and has been a reliable pass catcher.\u00a0 His stats are 20 Receptions on 24 Targets for 214 yards and a 10.7 YPC, 0 TDs.\u00a0 \u00a0I don\u2019t think Stevenson is a long-term solution at Runningback for the Patriots.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 57.5, 51\/53 RBs.\u00a0 Because of his fumble issue, I give him a C- overall grade.<\/p>\n

TreVeyon Henderson came into the season with tremendous promise and excitement.\u00a0 He took his 1st<\/sup> touch on a pre-season kickoff and returned it to the house, and Pats fans lost their minds.\u00a0 However, Henderson started the season slowly and had difficulty in pass protection.\u00a0 When Stevenson got hurt, we saw what we had all anticipated.\u00a0 As a running back, Henderson does not see the cutback lanes very well and loses opportunities for bigger gains.\u00a0 He leads the team with 129 carries for 625 yards, 4.8 YPC, 5 TDs, and a fumble.<\/p>\n

As a pass receiver, he chipped in 32 catches on 38 targets for 199 yards, 6.2 YPC, and another TD.\u00a0 Henderson was awarded the Rookie Player of the Month for November. His PFF grade is 62.9 46th<\/sup>\/53 and his overall grade is a C+.<\/p>\n

Terrell Jennings was signed from the Practice Squad when Antonio Gibson went on IR with a knee injury and was lost for the season.\u00a0 Both players get an Incomplete grade.\u00a0 D\u2019Ernest Johnson was signed to the Practice Squad when Jennings was signed to the 53-man roster and he has used all three of his Practice Squad elevations without any significant impact.<\/p>\n

\"Patriots<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Eric Canha-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Wide Receivers<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Wide Receiver room has been a huge surprise.\u00a0 What was generally considered one of the worst groups of receivers has become one of the best.\u00a0 Stefon Diggs is on his way to Comeback Player of the Year for his remarkable play after having ACL reconstruction surgery a little over a year ago.\u00a0 The 32-year-old rehabbed like a maniac and was ready for the opening of Training Camp.\u00a0 His leadership has been exemplary, and his sure-handed receiving and precise route running have made him Drake Mayes #1 go-to target.<\/p>\n

He has 64 catches on 79 targets for 705 yards, 11.0 YPC, and 3 TDs.\u00a0 Some were afraid that Diggs would be a Prima Donna and demand that he get the ball.\u00a0 He has been just the opposite and a team player.\u00a0 Everyone gets fed!\u00a0 His PFF grade is 81.2, 12th<\/sup>\/83 WRs.\u00a0 For the season I give him a solid A.<\/p>\n

Kayshon Boutte\u2019s rise has been remarkable.\u00a0 Looks like the Patriots hit the lottery on Boutte, drafting him in the 6th<\/sup> round of the 2023 Draft.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t always sunshine with Boutte.\u00a0 He was in Bill Belichick’s doghouse for not getting two feet in bounds.\u00a0 A rookie mistake.\u00a0 He never saw the field again after that.\u00a0 Coming into the season, he was deemed expendable, and it was rumored that he was available for a trade around the time of the draft.\u00a0 He has come full circle; he is now Drake Maye\u2019s favorite deep threat.\u00a0 Most of his catches are for 1st<\/sup> downs.\u00a0 He has 23\/29 receptions for a First Down.<\/p>\n

Boutte was once considered a sure-fire 1st<\/sup> round pick after his freshman year at LSU.\u00a0 A broken ankle that required two surgeries stopped him as a sophomore.\u00a0 He was slow to come back as a Junior and fell out of favor with new LSU Head Coach Brian Kelly.\u00a0 Boutte declared for the draft as a Junior and ran a 4.5 40-yard dash at the combine.\u00a0 That was slow for him as he ran a 4.35 in high school, winning the Louisiana sprint championship.\u00a0 Boutte also had off-field issues and was arrested for underage gambling, but the charges were dropped.\u00a0 Oh yeah, and he is only 23 years old, the same age as Drake Maye.\u00a0 His stats are 29 receptions on 38 targets, 481 yards, 16.6 YPC, and 6 TDs.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 74.9 for 27th<\/sup>\/83 WRs.\u00a0 I think his grade is a little low.\u00a0 Overall, I gave him an A.<\/p>\n

We knew that Mack Hiollins was a little off the reservation when he walked around Buffalo last season shoeless.\u00a0 What we didn\u2019t know was how clutch Hollins is.\u00a0 It is not surprising that the Patriots acquired the 32-year-old Hollins in Free Agency.\u00a0 He had his best year as a pro with 58 receptions in 2022 under Josh McDaniels at Las Vegas. The 6\u20194\u201d, 221-pound receiver is a good blocker too, and is used in the run game.\u00a0 His stats are 35 catches on 48 targets, 440 yards, 12.6 YPC, and 2 TDs.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 68.2, 48th<\/sup>\/83 receivers.\u00a0 I gave him a solid B grade.<\/p>\n

Pop Douglas was expected to have a breakout season.\u00a0 Josh McDaniels’ use of the slot receiver is legendary.\u00a0 Douglas started the season slowly with too many dropped passes.\u00a0 Stefon Diggs’ use as the slot receiver has also limited Douglas’ playing time.\u00a0 Douglas has not pouted and willingly goes out and blocks despite his diminutive size.\u00a0 Take last week as an example.\u00a0 Douglas was key in the 1:00 drive at the end of the 1st<\/sup> half with two clutch catches to keep the drive alive.\u00a0 Those were his only catches of the day.\u00a0 His stat line is 27 catches on 39 targets, 401 yards, 14.9 YPC, and 3 TDs.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 81.6, good for 11th<\/sup>\/83 receivers.\u00a0 I think that is a little high, and I am giving Douglas a B grade because of the dropped passes.<\/p>\n

Rookie Kyle Williams has had a tough time getting on the same page as QB Drake Maye.\u00a0 Josh McDaniels’ offense is very demanding on the receivers, seeing the same thing as the QB and making the route adjustments accordingly.\u00a0 Too often, Williams has been in the wrong place.\u00a0 However, you can see his great speed and athleticism on his two TDs this season.\u00a0 I loved how he tracked the deep pass and got his feet in bounds for the TD against the Giants.\u00a0 He has 5 receptions on 13 targets for 143 yards, 28.6 YPC, and 2 TDs.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t have enough playing time for a PFF grade.\u00a0 I gave him a C.<\/p>\n

Rookie Efton Chism basically made the team because he was too good to try and get through waivers.\u00a0 He has returned kickoffs but hasn\u2019t been very good at that (too slow).\u00a0 I expected him to be inactive most of the year and have a red-shirt year.\u00a0 Credit should go to Mack Hollins for mentoring this rookie and helping him throughout Training Camp.<\/p>\n

\"Hunter<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Tight Ends<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The Tight Ends have had a very good season.\u00a0 Hunter Henry has been remarkable following up a 2024 season where he had 66 catches on 97 targets.\u00a0 This season, he has 45 catches on 66 targets for 610 yards, 13.6 YPC, and 5 TDs.\u00a0 His catches have accounted for 33 First Downs.\u00a0 Henry is the lone Captain holdover from last season.\u00a0 He was also selected as the Patriots Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.\u00a0 The NFL recognizes the achievements of players who have contributed to Community Service.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 74.1 good for 12th<\/sup> \/38 TEs.\u00a0 Henry has never been selected for the Pro Bowl and this might just be his year.\u00a0 I gave Henry a B+ grade.<\/p>\n

Austin Hooper had missed some time with a concussion, but he is a very reliable backup\/second option at TE.\u00a0 I think the TE numbers are down just a bit because Maye is not a checkdown QB, as he wants to pass the ball down the field.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Hooper has 16 catches on 19 targets for 213 yards, 13.3 YPC, and 1 TD.\u00a0 He hasn\u2019t played enough to qualify for a PFF grade, and I give him a B grade.<\/p>\n

Jack Westover was listed as TE and has been used as a 3rd TE; however, he has primarily been the Fullback.\u00a0 He has no stats, and he has been ineffective as a blocker.\u00a0 He has been so bad that McDaniels used Khyiris Tonga as the Fullback.\u00a0 I gave Westover an F grade and wonder why he is still on the team.<\/p>\n

CJ Dippre was signed as a UDFA and was given a good chance to make the team.\u00a0 He didn\u2019t make the team out of camp but was signed to the Practice Squad.\u00a0 Eliot Wolf made a big mistake not drafting a TE last year, and lucked out when Dippre, who had draftable grades coming out, went undrafted.\u00a0 Dippre was rumored to be a target of another NFL team that wanted to poach him off the Patriots’ Practice Squad.\u00a0 The Patriots signed him to the 53-man roster, but he hasn\u2019t played a snap yet.<\/p>\n

Offensive Line<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Will Campbell was having a fine rookie season before his knee injury put him on IR.\u00a0 Offense 71.4, 28th<\/sup> \/ 82 Tackles.\u00a0 He has given up Sacks 5, QB Hits 4, Hurries 16, Pressure 25 on 452 dropbacks.\u00a0 He is much better than I thought he would be at this point in his rookie year, especially playing alongside a fellow rookie.\u00a0 He gets a B+ from me. His run blocking has not been as good as I expected it would be. \u00a0\u00a0There are no questions about his arm length anymore.<\/p>\n

Jared Wilson has struggled at Left Guard.\u00a0 Although he played Left Guard at Georgia, he was always a backup and only started his Senior year at Center.\u00a0 I think he will eventually move to Center, and the Patriots will draft another Guard.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 49.8, 68th<\/sup> \/ 79.\u00a0 He has given up 4 Sacks, 6 QB Hits, 12 Hurries, and 22 Pressures.\u00a0 I gave Wilson a grade of C, mostly because of his poor run blocking grade.\u00a0 It\u2019s difficult for a rookie to break into the NFL, especially when playing next to another rookie in Will Campbell.\u00a0 This has only been done once in NFL history by the Ravens, and it didn\u2019t work out well that season.<\/p>\n

Garrett Bradbury has been a steady influence on the line.\u00a0 Last year, he was one of the worst O-linemen in pass protection, giving up 10 sacks.\u00a0 What a turnaround, as he hasn\u2019t given up a sack yet this season.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he hasn\u2019t fared so well in run blocking, where he excelled last year.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 58.5 29th<\/sup> \/ 37 amongst Centers.\u00a0 He has given up 0 Sacks, 4 QB Hits, 15 Hurries, and 19 Pressures.\u00a0 I gave him a grade of C.<\/p>\n

Michael Onwenu has been the best lineman this year.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 73.9 13th<\/sup> \/ 79 Guards.\u00a0 However, he has missed run blocking assignments, which have kept his grade from being top 10.\u00a0 He has given up 1 Sack, 1 QB Hit, 17 Hurries, and 19 Pressures.<\/p>\n

Morgan Moses has performed very well considering his age and injury history.\u00a0 His leadership cannot be underplayed.\u00a0 The PFF grade is 70.7 good for \u00a033rd<\/sup> \/ 82 amongst Tackles.\u00a0 For the year, he has given up 1 Sack, 3 QB Hits, 19 Hurries, and 23 Pressures.<\/p>\n

Ben Brown has filled in at left Guard when Wilson has been out.\u00a0 His PFF grade is a respectful 68.8.\u00a0 He doesn\u2019t have enough snaps in his 5 games, but if he did, he would have been 29th<\/sup> \/ 79 Guards.\u00a0 He has actually played better than Jared Wilson. For the season, he has given up 0 Sacks, 2 QB Hits, 4 Hurries, and 6 Pressures.<\/p>\n

Vederian Lowe is the left Tackle for the next 3 games at least.\u00a0 He played very well against Brian Burns and the Giants in his one start.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 55.3. He doesn\u2019t have enough snaps to be ranked.\u00a0 On the season he has 0 sacks, 0 QB Hits, 5 Hurries, and 5 Pressures.\u00a0 He will have his hands full with the Bills and Ravens.<\/p>\n

Both Tackles Marcus Bryant and Thayer Munford, as well as Guard Caedan Wallace, have not had significant playing time.\u00a0 Curious that Munford was active against the Giants.\u00a0 Munford started 10 games in 2022 for the Las Vegas Raiders, where Josh McDaniels was the Head Coach.\u00a0 Caedan Wallace has been active for a single game this season.\u00a0 Their grades are all Incomplete.<\/p>\n

\"Christian<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

DEFENSE<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Defensive Line<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Milt Williams has been everything the Patriots paid for in Free Agency.\u00a0 The Patriots were highly criticized for overpaying for his services.\u00a0 He was the number one player I wanted for the Patriots.\u00a0 His numbers last season were lower because he played less than 50% of the snaps.\u00a0 This wasn\u2019t a knock on him, but just how good the Eagles D-line was.\u00a0 His pressure rate was outstanding, and it hasn\u2019t slowed down when he has played 75% of the Defensive snaps before getting hurt. Williams is 3rd<\/sup> in Pressure rate by a DT.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 63.7, 48 \/127 D-linemen. \u00a0I gave him a grade of B+.<\/p>\n

Khyiris Tonga has been a huge surprise.\u00a0 Signed to a one year show me contract, Tonga was one of the reasons the Patriots line had led the league in stopping the run.\u00a0 The 29-year-old veteran will be in line for a contract extension. \u00a0His PFF grade is 68, 32nd<\/sup> \/173 amongst D-linemen.\u00a0 His stats for the season are 19 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 2 QB Hits, and 8 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a B+ as well.<\/p>\n

We all anticipated Christian Barmore\u2019s return and the possibilities of his pairing with Milton Williams and the havoc that pair could inflict.\u00a0 Barmore has played well but a bit underwhelming and that play has been indicative of his PFF Grade of 56.5 which is 72nd<\/sup> \/ 127 D-linemen. On the season he has 25 Tackles. 1 Sack, 5 QB Hits, and 34 Hurries.\u00a0 He is getting pressure on the opposing QB\u2019s but not getting sacks.\u00a0 I wonder if that is a defensive philosophy of Pressure over Sacks?\u00a0 I gave Barmore a B- grade.<\/p>\n

The Patriots have found themselves a gem in DT Cory Durden.\u00a0 \u00a0He is playing for his 4th<\/sup> Organization in 3 years.\u00a0 The Giants signed him off the 49\u2019ers Practice Squad a year ago and cut him on the final cut down day this year.\u00a0 The Patriots signed him to their Practice Squad the next day and promoted him to the 53-man roster before the 1st<\/sup> game.\u00a0 His PFF grade is an amazing 73.3 good for 18th<\/sup> \/ 127 D-lineman. \u00a0I knew he was performing well but not that good.\u00a0 On the season he has 17 Tackles. 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, and 11 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a B grade.<\/p>\n

Joshua Farmer has shown glimpses of his ability and why the Patriots selected him in the 4th<\/sup> Round. \u00a0Overshadowed by Durden, the rookie showed flashes.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 48.4, 103rd<\/sup> \/127 D-linemen.\u00a0 For the season he has 13 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, and 7 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a grade of C.<\/p>\n

Eric Gregory has been occupying a spot on the roster and not contributing much.\u00a0 Jeremiah Pharms has been elevated from the Practice Squad a couple of times.\u00a0 Both players get and Incomplete grade for their lack of playing time.<\/p>\n

\"Robert<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Linebackers<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Linebackers have just been average, but they have a certain role on the team, and most have made significant contributions.<\/p>\n

Robert Spillane was a Free Agent I overlooked.\u00a0 Playing in Las Vegas for a poor team. We didn\u2019t get to see a player like Spillane play much.\u00a0 He had 150 tackles each of the last two seasons and was an excellent Free Agent acquisition. \u00a0Spillane started the season slowly but has picked up the pace and leads the team in Tackles.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 76.3, 15th<\/sup> \/ 87 amongst all Linebackers.\u00a0 He has really improved his pass coverage, which was his weakness coming into the season.\u00a0 He has 2 INTs on the season with 97 Tackles, 1 sack, 0 QB Hits, and 11 Hurries.\u00a0 I give him an A- after the slow start.<\/p>\n

Harold Landry was let go by Tennessee and the Patriots quickly pounced on the Free Agent.\u00a0 Landry leads the team with 8 Sacks.\u00a0 However, he has not been the same player since the Tennessee game.\u00a0 Injuries have taken a toll on the 8-year veteran.\u00a0 He is not the same player as he was when the season started.\u00a0 He has been good against the run and therefore his PFF grade is 71.4, 39th<\/sup> \/ 112 for Edge players.\u00a0 For the season he has 46 Tackles. 8 Sacks, 10 QB Hits, and 28 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a grade of B because of his drop off since the Titans game.<\/p>\n

Christian Elliss received a large contract match as a Restricted Free Agent.\u00a0 The Patriots matched the Raiders Offer Sheet of $6.75M \/ year on the 2-year contract.\u00a0 Initially some questioned the play of Elliss and whether he was worth the investment by the team.\u00a0 Well, the last game versus the Giants showed why they kept him.\u00a0 His legal \u201cde-cleater\u201d hit on QB Jaxon Dart ignited the Defense.\u00a0 Later he had another hit on Special Teams that knocked out Gunner Olszewski.\u00a0 Ellis is a key Special Teams performer playing on all 4 Special Team units.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 56.3, 53rd<\/sup> \/ 87 Linebackers.\u00a0 On the year he has 68 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, and 3 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a grade of C+ because of his Special Teams work.<\/p>\n

Jahlani Tavai is one of the few holdovers from the Belichick regime.\u00a0 In the off-season Tavai re-dedicated himself to conform to what the New Coach and Defensive Coordinator wanted from their linebackers.\u00a0 He lost weight and unfortunately got hurt and started the season on the IR, missing the first 4 games.\u00a0 He also missed a game for personal reasons.\u00a0 His teammates love him and indicated that by giving him the game ball from the game he missed.\u00a0 PFF gave him a 65.8 grade, which would have been 46th<\/sup> \/ 87 linebackers if he had enough snaps to qualify for a ranking.\u00a0 On the season he has 21 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, and 0 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a C+ grade because he is one player that can hold the edge and stop the run.<\/p>\n

K\u2019Lavon Chaisson is having the best year of his career.\u00a0 He has already played more snaps than in any other season.\u00a0 He was signed a one-year show me contract and will cash in next year, hopefully with the Patriots.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 56.6, 92\/112 Edge players.\u00a0 The reason his grade is so low is that he has been bad against the run, unable to hold the edge which is typical of pass rushers.\u00a0 On the season he has 22 Tackles, 7 Sacks (most in a season), 8 QB Hits, and 32 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a B+ because of the run Defense.\u00a0 He may just be a pass-rush specialist.<\/p>\n

Anfernee Jennings is another holdover from Belichick.\u00a0 A wasted 3rd<\/sup> round selection in 2020.\u00a0 \u00a0Jennings PFF grade is 59.8 and doesn\u2019t have enough snaps to qualify for a rank.\u00a0 On the season he has 16 tackles, 1 Sack, 1 QB Hits and 6 Hurries.\u00a0 This will be his last year on the team.<\/p>\n

Marte Mapu finally is healthy and has been switched to Linebacker full time.\u00a0 I have been calling for this position swap from Safety for the last two years.\u00a0 He was drafted as and announced as a linebacker.\u00a0 He has an outstanding 75.5 PFF grade for what would have been 20th<\/sup> amongst all linebackers if he had enough snaps to be ranked.\u00a0 For the season he has 20 Tackles, 0 sacks, 0 QB Hits, 0 Hurries and 2 PBUs.\u00a0 He is the most effective weapon we have against opposing TEs.\u00a0 I gave him a grade of B.<\/p>\n

Jack Gibbens was a surprise when he was signed to a contract early in Free Agency. He was a career backup and was signed as a UDFA by Mike Vrabel.\u00a0 Gibbens has proven his value as filling in admirably when needed.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 62.8, 41st<\/sup> \/ 87 of all Linebackers.\u00a0 Middle of the road, exactly what you hope for in a backup.\u00a0 On the season he has 52 Tackles, 0 Sacks, 1 QB Hits, and 2 Hurries.\u00a0 \u00a0I gave him a B- grade.<\/p>\n

Elijah Ponder had been a big surprise.\u00a0 Credit to the scouting department for signing the Cal Poly star as a UDFA.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 56.9 and only has 132 snaps on the year and doesn\u2019t qualify for a ranking.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0The big stat that sticks out is that he has 3 sacks on the year.\u00a0 The #3 Draft Pick in this year\u2019s draft Abdul Carter has only 1.5 sacks.\u00a0 On the year Ponder has 20 tackles, 3 Sacks, 0 QB Hits, and 7 Hurries.\u00a0 I gave him a B grade.<\/p>\n

Caleb Murphy was scooped up on waivers earlier from the Chargers.\u00a0 Murphy was a UDFA for Mike Vrabel in 2023.\u00a0 He has a 49.3 PFF grade and doesn\u2019t qualify for a rank.\u00a0 On the season he has 2 Tackles, 1 Sack, 0 QB Hits, and 5 Hurries. \u00a0I gave him an Incomplete grade.<\/p>\n

The rookie Bradyn Swinson was selected in the 5th<\/sup> Round.\u00a0 He couldn\u2019t make the team out of camp and passed through waivers, and the Patriots signed him to the Practice Squad.\u00a0 On November 15th<\/sup> he was signed to the 53-man roster in part because the Patriots felt another team was going to try and poach him off of their PS.\u00a0 He has 1 Tackle and I gave him an incomplete grade.<\/p>\n

\"Christian<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Eric Canha-Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Defensive Backs<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Defensive backfield is led by Christian Gonzalez.\u00a0 The All-Pro CB started the year slowly missing all of training camp and the 1st<\/sup> three games due to a Hamstring injury.\u00a0 It is not a coincidence that upon his return this has been a different team.\u00a0 Gonzalez improved steadily with the exception of the Bengals game.\u00a0 Last game versus the Giants, Gonzalez was PFF\u2019s #1 graded CB for that week with an 86.1 grade.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 68.5, 37 \/111. For the season he has 49 Tackles, 8 PBU, 0 INT.\u00a0 I gave him a B+ grade.\u00a0 If he had some INTs it would be higher.\u00a0 He is trending up.<\/p>\n

Carlton Davis is a little bit handsy in his coverage.\u00a0 He has a reputation, and Officials are calling him for an average of one PI per game.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 65.4, 46\/111.\u00a0 He has 52 Tackles, 8 PBUs, and 0 INTs.\u00a0 I gave him a B grade.<\/p>\n

Charles Woods has taken the backup role with Alex Austin going on IR.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 59 and doesn\u2019t have enough snaps to qualify for a ranking.<\/p>\n

Marcus Jone has been one of the best Slot Corners in the game.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 68.7, 29\/111.\u00a0 For the season he has 50 tackles, 11 PBUs, 3 INTs and a TD.\u00a0 I gave Jones an A grade.<\/p>\n

Jaylinn Hawkins has had an up and down season.\u00a0 His PFF Grade is 76.4 grade, 10th<\/sup>\/96 which is higher than I thought it would be.\u00a0 \u00a0He has 51 Tackles, 3 PBU, and 2 INTs.\u00a0 I gave him a B+ grade.\u00a0 If it wasn\u2019t for some penalties he would have a higher grade.<\/p>\n

Craig Woodson has been a real find for the Patriots.\u00a0 The rookie has played the most snaps of any Patriot Defensive player.\u00a0 The surprise 4th<\/sup> round pick has a 64.3 PFF grade. 50\/96 amongst all safeties.\u00a0 That is pretty good for a rookie.\u00a0 He has 63 Tackles, 3 PBUs, and 0 Sacks.\u00a0 He has really improved his tackling and had several good open field tackles against the Giants.\u00a0 I gave him a B+ grade.<\/p>\n

PFF loves Dell Pettus.\u00a0 They gave him high marks last year when he filled in for Jabrill Peppers when he was suspended.\u00a0 His PFF grade is 86.9 which would have been 3rd<\/sup> if he played enough snaps.\u00a0 For the season he has 12 Tackles, 2 PBUs and 0 INT.\u00a0 I gave him an A grade.<\/p>\n

Miles Battle was signed from the Practice Squad and has an Incomplete grade.\u00a0 Alex Austin got an F grade before he went on IR.\u00a0 He was awful in Christian Gonzalez’s absence.\u00a0 Marellus Dial is on IR and gets an Incomplete grade.<\/p>\n

\"Andres<\/p>\n
(PHOTO: Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)<\/span><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Special Teams<\/h3>\n

Rookie Andres Borregales got a B+ grade.\u00a0 He was a little inconsistent to start the season but hadn\u2019t missed a Field Goal until the Giants game.\u00a0 Fellow rookie Julian Ashby got a B grade.\u00a0 His snaps have been good and if it wasn\u2019t for a few penalties his grade would be higher.\u00a0 Bryce Barringer has been awful this year, and I think the Patriots need to acquire a new punter.\u00a0 He gets a D grade.\u00a0 Marcus Jones has the highest career Punt Return average of any returner with 75 or more returns. Jones gets his second A grade from me.\u00a0 \u00a0His two electric TDs this year were special.\u00a0 The Coverage teams are very good with Ponder, Schooler, Elliss, Tavai and Woods being the core players.<\/p>\n

Coaches<\/h3>\n

Mike Vrabel should receive the Coach of the Year.\u00a0 What he has done to change the culture has been remarkable.\u00a0 He gets an A+.\u00a0 Josh McDaniels and the Offense are averaging 27 points per game.\u00a0 His coaching of Drake Maye has elevated him to MVP status.\u00a0 McDaniels gets an A- grade only because of some questionable calls in the Red Zone.<\/p>\n

Clint McMillan gets an A grade for the improvement in the Defensive Line run defense and Zak Kuhr also receives an A for taking on the duties of Defensive playcaller in Terrell Williams absence.\u00a0 I need to add Vinny DePalma as the Assistant ILB coach.\u00a0 He has taken on duties way above what was intended for the 2nd<\/sup> year coach.\u00a0 He has allowed Kuhr to work on the Defense overall.<\/p>\n

Todd Downing has done an outstanding job with the Wide Receivers.\u00a0 He geta an A grade as well.\u00a0 Jeremy Springer has done a good job with Special Teams in the coverage game, brought along two rookies in the kicking game.\u00a0 He can\u2019t control the bad performance of the punter.\u00a0 He can make suggestions, but it is Berringer that makes the kicks.\u00a0 He gets some credit for two PR TD\u2019s and a Kickoff return TD. Springer got a B Grade.\u00a0 Springer is also dating Kayla Burton, a sportscaster for NBC Sports Boston and longtime WBZ sportscaster Steve Burton\u2019s daughter.\u00a0 She is also the granddaughter of Ron Burton, the first Boston Patriots Draft Choice.<\/p>\n

Kraft and Belichick Finalist for the Hall of Fame<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wouldn\u2019t it ironic that both Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick were to enter into the Pro Football Hall of Fame together?\u00a0 It\u2019s not going to happen.\u00a0 Kraft and Belichick have rubbed too many people the wrong way.\u00a0 Kraft\u2019s lobbying to get into the Hall has turned people off.\u00a0 Belichick has too many enemies in the press, who are the voters.\u00a0 They both obviously belong in the Hall.<\/p>\n

Even if you do not like Bill Belichick you must acknowledge his greatness as a coach winning 6 Super Bowls.\u00a0 He also has 2 rings as an assistant coach with the New York Giants.\u00a0 I believe the voters will hold his cheating scandals of illegal filming of opponents and the absolutely ridiculous Deflategate scandal where the NFL ignored the Physics Ideal Gas Law just so they could punish a team for being too successful.\u00a0 There are lots of jealous owners and Roger Goodell works for the Owners.\u00a0 The voters will deny Belichick the honor of being selected in his 1st<\/sup> year of eligibility.<\/p>\n

For similar reasons, I think the voters will deny Kraft entry while he is still living.\u00a0 No question he belongs in the hall, especially for what he did to end the players lockout in 2011.\u00a0 Robert Kraft played a pivotal role in ending the 2011 NFL lockout. His negotiation tactics, such as establishing trust and generating options for mutual gains, were instrumental in bringing the NFL and the NFL Players Association to a “win-win” solution. Kraft’s personal relationships with key players and owners, along with his ability to make concessions on critical issues, helped facilitate the successful conclusion of the lockout. His commitment to the sport and his role as a mediator between the two sides were crucial in ensuring that the NFL could continue to flourish over the next decade.\u00a0 Because of the two scandals and as a \u201crepeat offender\u201d label the vindictive voters will deny Kraft entry while he is living.\u00a0 It will only be after he has passed will they select him.<\/p>\n

Kraft, has used his business acumen to turn the Patriots into a financial powerhouse.\u00a0 Forbes has the New England franchise ranked 2nd<\/sup> only to the Dallas Cowboys at a net worth of $9B.\u00a0 Kraft, for all his good deeds on the philanthropic front, and his involvement in the leagues new TV deals which made millions for the other owners, was among nearly two dozen men who in 2019 faced misdemeanor solicitation charges involving a massage parlor in Jupiter, Fla. The charges were later dropped, though Kraft released a statement of apology, stating, \u201cI am truly sorry. I know I have hurt and disappointed my family, my close friends, my co-workers, our fans and many others who rightfully hold me to a higher standard.\u201d\u00a0 The League was embarrassed by that ordeal.<\/p>\n

Bert Breer of SI.com Monday Morning QB, stated that a voter he has spoken with said that Belichick is automatic.\u00a0 Kraft probably has to wait.<\/p>\n

Hunter Henry Walter Payton Man of the Year Selection<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Congrats to Hunter Henry for being selected as the team\u2019s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award candidate.\u00a0 Henry is one of the most valuable members, both on the field and in the community.\u00a0\u00a0 The award is for the player that\u00a0\u201cexcel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game in their communities.\u201d\u00a0The 30-year-old has supported child sponsorship through Compassion International, organized bike giveaways, visited schools, partnered with Special Olympics and hosted holiday programs for families in need.\u00a0 Henry, was presented with the Patriots\u2019 Ron Burton Community Service Award prior to the start of the season.<\/p>\n

Coming and Going <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Patriots have signed Guard Mekhi Butler to the Practice Squad.\u00a0 Butler began his football journey at Iowa Western Community College in 2020, where he earned NJCAA first-team All-American honors. The 24-year-old transferred to Arkansas State in 2023. After redshirting his first season, the 6\u20193\u201d 310-pound lineman became a fixture at left guard, starting 38 games for the Red Wolves.<\/p>\n

Though he was not selected in April\u2019s draft, Butler was invited to attend Patriots rookie minicamp, where he wore jersey number 63. He parlayed a rookie minicamp invite into a free agent contract this May. The Arkansas State rookie had a number of solid flashes as a developmental player, undoubtedly keeping him on the Patriots radar throughout the season.<\/p>\n

To make room for Butler the Patriots released G Bill Murray, who was signed last week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":63701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[254,46,796,23466,1604,162,256,23278,664,44,23933,746,22588,1865,23738],"class_list":["post-63787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-patriots-news","tag-afc-east","tag-buffalo-bills","tag-defense","tag-drake-maye","tag-hunter-henry","tag-injuries","tag-josh-mcdaniels","tag-kayshon-boutte","tag-mike-vrabel","tag-new-england-patriots","tag-offense","tag-playoffs","tag-rhamondre-stevenson","tag-stefon-diggs","tag-treveyon-henderson"],"yoast_head":"\nMORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup | PatsFans.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"PatsFans.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pfans\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2355\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1694\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mark Morse\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@patsfans\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@patsfans\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mark Morse\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/db6ff3fd6d44db4d259b674785ea2167\"},\"headline\":\"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills’ Matchup\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":5569,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"AFC East\",\"Buffalo Bills\",\"defense\",\"Drake Maye\",\"Hunter Henry\",\"Injuries\",\"Josh McDaniels\",\"Kayshon Boutte\",\"Mike Vrabel\",\"New England Patriots\",\"Offense\",\"playoffs\",\"Rhamondre Stevenson\",\"Stefon Diggs\",\"TreVeyon Henderson\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Patriots News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/\",\"name\":\"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg\",\"width\":2355,\"height\":1694,\"caption\":\"David Butler II-Imagn Images\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/2025\\\/12\\\/11\\\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Patriots News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/category\\\/patriots-news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills’ Matchup\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"PatsFans.com\",\"description\":\"Patriots Blog with News and Analysis\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"PatsFans.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/PF_Social_Logo.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/01\\\/PF_Social_Logo.webp\",\"width\":300,\"height\":300,\"caption\":\"PatsFans.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/pfans\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/patsfans\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/patsfans\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/patsfans\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/patsfans\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.tiktok.com\\\/@patsfans.official\"],\"foundingDate\":\"2000-06-17\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/db6ff3fd6d44db4d259b674785ea2167\",\"name\":\"Mark Morse\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mark Morse\"},\"description\":\"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 \u201cHarpo\u201d 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.\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.patsfans.com\\\/patriots\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/markmorse5\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup","description":"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup | PatsFans.com","og_description":"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/","og_site_name":"PatsFans.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pfans","article_published_time":"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2355,"height":1694,"url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mark Morse","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@patsfans","twitter_site":"@patsfans","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/"},"author":{"name":"Mark Morse","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/db6ff3fd6d44db4d259b674785ea2167"},"headline":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills’ Matchup","datePublished":"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/"},"wordCount":5569,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","keywords":["AFC East","Buffalo Bills","defense","Drake Maye","Hunter Henry","Injuries","Josh McDaniels","Kayshon Boutte","Mike Vrabel","New England Patriots","Offense","playoffs","Rhamondre Stevenson","Stefon Diggs","TreVeyon Henderson"],"articleSection":["Patriots News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/","name":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills' Matchup","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","datePublished":"2025-12-11T09:30:26+00:00","dateModified":"2025-12-11T14:37:12+00:00","description":"The Patriots sit in 2nd place with an 11-2 record in the AFC playoff table.\u00a0 Nobody expected the Patriots to be in this position when they started the season 1-2.\u00a0","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","width":2355,"height":1694,"caption":"David Butler II-Imagn Images"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/2025\/12\/11\/morse-deep-dive-into-patriots-going-into-bills-matchup\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Patriots News","item":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/category\/patriots-news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"MORSE: Deep Dive into Patriots Going into Bills’ Matchup"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/","name":"PatsFans.com","description":"Patriots Blog with News and Analysis","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#organization","name":"PatsFans.com","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PF_Social_Logo.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PF_Social_Logo.webp","width":300,"height":300,"caption":"PatsFans.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pfans","https:\/\/x.com\/patsfans","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/patsfans","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/patsfans\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/patsfans","https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@patsfans.official"],"foundingDate":"2000-06-17"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/db6ff3fd6d44db4d259b674785ea2167","name":"Mark Morse","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/edac4d42d2c985795df98560d6b4a8771bc8502406d21e7a8ee977393412af3e?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mark Morse"},"description":"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 \u201cHarpo\u201d 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.","url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/author\/markmorse5\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/USATSI_27720430_168390408_lowres.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63787"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63787\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63792,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63787\/revisions\/63792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patsfans.com\/patriots\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}