Patriots Offensive Report Card: Week 15
The New England Patriots advanced to 11-3 after their 34-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. Overall, the offense still looked rather sluggish, even against a depleted Bengals team. Time is running out for New England, and one of the best defenses in the NFL stares them in the eyes in preparation for their tilt on Saturday afternoon. Although the main narrative stayed the same in Cincinnati, there is still plenty to dissect.
Here are the grades for some of the offensive players from last Sunday:
Tom Brady: B+
Tom Brady completed 15-of-29 passes for 128 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Of the 14 incompletions thrown by Brady, four passes were dropped, two were thrown away and one was batted at the line of scrimmage. The two passing touchdowns were a screen pass to James White that was taken 23 yards for a score and a seven-yard bullet to rookie N'Keal Harry. Was he spectacular? No, but Brady didn't need to be. He did enough to get back in the win column, which was the priority.
James White: A-
James White continues to be one of the lone consistencies in the Patriots offense. For weeks now, it has seemed that the offense has been entirely made up of Brady, White and Julian Edelman. In Cincinnati, White caught three passes for 49 yards and a touchdown and added 13 yards rushing on three carries. The multi-purpose back will be key down the stretch, as his playmaking ability may be one of the few reasons the Patriots make a deep postseason run.
Sony Michel: C+
Sony Michel has been a frustrating part of the New England offense all season long. Before the year began, Michel was perceived to be one of the most intriguing backs in the whole league; however, it is clear that he has done very little to back up those points. Against the Bengals, Michel ran for 89 yards on 19 carries, a 4.7 yards-per-carry mark. Although the 89 yard total looks somewhat nice, it seems as if every run for Michel is a struggle and that each and every yard is difficult to get. Michel also fumbled the ball, which as Belichick has proven many times, is a one-way ticket to the sideline.
Rex Burkhead: B+
With Michel's struggles comes a rather interesting bright spot: Rex Burkhead. If you recall, in the postseason last year, Burkhead played a much larger role than anyone expected, and he thrived in his position. It seems as if the same could happen this time around. Burkhead's load stays light during the early stages of the regular season, and maybe that's by design, so later in the season he is fresh and ready to go. Against Cincinnati on Sunday, Burkhead ran for 53 yards on six carries and added a beautiful touchdown run that featured a nasty juke. Michel has run out of chances and White is not meant to be a primary ball carrier. Can Burkhead be the one who finally gives the offense a spark?
