What Ben Watson Can Do to Help Patriots Offense Bounce Back from Ugly Week 4 Outing

Now that the veteran tight end has returned from his 4-game suspension, how can the Patriots utilize Ben Watson after a miserable performance in Week 4?

The beginning of Week 5 in the NFL not only marks the quarter mark of the regular season, but it also marks the return of New England Patriots tight end Ben Watson from a four-game suspension he had served to begin the season. 

Watson, a 14 year veteran, who is playing as a Patriot for the second time in his career and at 38 years old, will entered this coming game against the Washington Redskins as the starting tight end for the Patriots. 

Matt LaCosse was the starter in Watson's absence, and didn't do much with the opportunity; in the two games he was healthy and in the lineup - which were Week 2 vs. the Miami Dolphins and Week 4 vs. the Buffalo Bills - LaCosse was targeted two times and grabbed both targets for 33 yards (both of those targets came in Week 2, he was targeted zero times last week vs. Buffalo). 

LaCosse's inability to stay healthy and be active on in the passing game makes the return of Watson this week that more enjoyable. 

Last week against Buffalo, New England struggled mightily on offense in all phases. They had their lowest point total (6) and total yards (224) for a single game this season by far. Their 3rd down efficiency against the stout Bill defense was their lowest of the season (5-of-18, 27%) and was the 5th worst in the NFL this past week, and Brady had his turnover over the season on an interception in the Bills' end zone. 

So what exactly can Watson do to help the Patriots offense bounce back from a poor performance in Week 4?

Well, for starters - he can help them move the chains. The tight end position has not been a volatile presence in the middle of the field for New England this season, which has forced the ball more outside the numbers and into the flats. 

Last season with the New Orleans Saints, Watson had 35 receptions for 400 yards and two scores. He averaged 11.4 yards per reception, and had the 6th highest catch percentage in the NFL (76%) according to Next Gen Stats for players who had 43 or more targets. Those numbers show reliability in a veteran who is trying to extend his career by being consistent and lethal. Granted - 35 receptions and 46 targets isn't a large sample size, but we have to base his future production on what he has done recently, and when Michael Thomas swallowed up 147 targets within the Saints offense in 2018, it's hard to get a large sample size from anyone else in that passing game. 

Watson presence in the middle of the field can help draw safeties away from the receivers, like Julian Edelman, who typically finds his way into the middle of the field and can draw the attention of safeties, especially when they know he's the only viable threat the Patriots have in between the hash marks. 

His contributions in the run game will be better than what the team's been getting from the remainder of the depth chart, though I wouldn't expect any high-graded blocking performances from the second oldest player on New England's roster. 

An improved offensive performance should be expected in Week 5, not only because the Patriots are taking on the Washington Redskins, who are one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, but because they have a productive, veteran tight end returning to their roster. The game will not only produce nostalgia for those who loved seeing Watson play for the Patriots back in the early 2000s, but it will also produce positive results for an offense that's searching for some after a six-point performance.