Analyzing Patriots Snap Counts From Week 2
Let's take a look at what conclusions can be made based on the snap counts of the New England Patriots players in their Week 2 bout against the Seattle Seahawks.
Rex Burkhead Dominates RB Snaps
With three running backs active for the Week 2 primetime matchup, New England opted to give Rex Burkhead the majority of the snaps in the backfield. He had 51 snaps, which is by far the most of any running back that played against Seattle. Sony Michel played 15 snaps and J.J. Taylor played just one offensive snap.
Without James White in the lineup, New England's backfield was relying heavily on Burkhead, which is troublesome when considering how run-dominant we expect this team to be this year. New England's running backs rushed a total of 14 times for 20 yards, which is good for 1.4 yards per carry.
The production of New England's backfield relies heavily on how well the offensive line blocks up front. Their running backs struggle to gain extra yards on their own, which is problematic given the emphasis the Patriots put on their run game with Cam Newton under center.
Ryan Izzo Continues to Dominate TE Snaps
In Week 1, Izzo played 63 of a possible 64 offensive snaps, with rookie Devin Asiasi taking 10 snaps on offense. That snap share was much of the same in Week 2.
Izzo played 70 of a possible 72 offensive snaps against the Seahawks, with Asiasi yet again playing just 10. It's evident that Asiasi has a long way to go before he obtains a sizable role in New England's offense. That has to do with being in New England's system, being a rookie tight end in the NFL and the lack of preseason action.
For now, Izzo will continue to be TE1 in New England. But I wonder how long it will be before Asiasi starts chewing into his snaps. One has to think that the return of Dalton Keene, who missed the first two weeks of the regular season due to a neck injury, could make Asiasi's rise on the depth chart a bit more difficult.
Patriots Went DB Heavy on Defense
After seeing how well Russell Wilson and the Seahawks offense performed through the air in their season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, there seemingly was an emphasis by New England to try to get Seattle to stick to their ground game. That's why seven Patriots defensive backs recorded at least 30 snaps Sunday night. Those seven players were Devin McCourty (63), Stephon Gilmore (62), Jonathan Jones (59), Adrian Phillips (49), J.C. Jackson (38), Kyle Dugger (34), and Jason McCourty (30).
But it didn't work.
Despite challenging the Seahawks to run the ball, Russ still cooked. Wilson threw for 288 yards and five touchdowns, gashing New England's secondary in the second half, which made the Patriots' double-digit deficit that much harder to overcome in the fourth quarter.
Kyle Dugger More Involved vs. Seattle
Speaking of defensive backs that saw 30+ snaps in Week 2, Patriots second-round pick Kyle Dugger saw an increase in playing time Sunday night.
In the season opener, Dugger was on the field for just eight defensive snaps. But against the Seahawks he was on the field for 34 defensive snaps.
The Div. 2 product was one of the leading tacklers on the team (6) and was also very disruptive as a blitzer, recording half a sack. His playing time likely had to do more with the need for more defensive backs on the field rather than his production meriting more playing time. But it was nevertheless good to see New England's top draft pick active in a very competitive game.
Ja'Whaun Bentley's High Snap Share Highlights Hole at LB
Despite struggling when it came to pass coverage and containing Russell Wilson in the pocket, linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley tied Devin McCourty for the highest snap count on defense (63). Bentley's snap count highlights the struggles New England has in the linebacker department.
Yes, the Patriots utilized seven defensive backs heavily against Seattle due to the Seahawks' potent passing attack. But regardless of the opponent, we may see New England utilize their safeties in the box a lot going forward because of the lack of experience their linebackers have.
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