Overly conservative play-calling is becoming a problem for the New England Patriots, and wide receiver Kayshon Boutte wants to see a change in approach.
The second-year wide receiver was critical of the way a “shy” offense failed to attack man coverage during the 30-17 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15. Boutte explained, “We knew they was gonna play man the whole game. But I feel like it’s disrespectful when they go man first quarter, you know? So I feel like we need to be better at attacking that instead of being shy about it,” per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald.
Knowing what was coming gave the Pats an advantage, but they weren’t brave enough to exploit what they’d seen on film. The hesitation to target one-on-one matchups in the passing game is all the more confusing when rookie quarterback Drake Maye has been showcasing his elite arm strength and natural willingness to take chances.
Playing it safe raises further questions about the effectiveness of offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. He is already under scrutiny thanks to head coach Jerod Mayo’s bizarre answers about why the Patriots didn’t keep the ball in Maye’s hands in key moments.
Patriots Not Taking Enough Chances on Offense
It’s not just a matter of being aggressive conceptually. As ESPN’s Mike Reiss pointed out, Boutte would also “have liked to have seen the offense attack more early in the game — with a similar tempo they used in the fourth quarter.”
“Tempo” is the key word here. It relates to the Patriots upping the pace, getting lined up quicker and increasing their snap counts.
The problem is Van Pelt only let Maye go no-huddle once the game was out of sight. That’s why the third-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft led a pair of touchdown drives in garbage time.
Yet although the Patriots worked over a Cardinals defense playing softer, prevent-style coverages, Maye still proved he needs to be trusted more in clutch situations. Turning their QB1 loose is how Van Pelt and Mayo can expand the offense.
It’s also why play calling isn’t the only issue. Maye also needs receivers like Boutte to improve their technique and productivity.
Kayshon Boutte Needs to Step Up
Maye’s core athleticism will only take the Pats so far. He has to have better support from his primary pass-catchers.
Boutte has emerged as one of those amid the struggles of this year’s second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk and fellow rookie wideout Javon Baker. Maye has looked to Boutte for deep strikes and connections over the middle.
An attempt at the latter led to a key interception for the Cardinals. It happened when a low throw from Maye bounced off Boutte’s hands and into the grateful mitts of Arizona’s veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.
Boutte explained “I know it’s a play I’ve got to make but it’s kind of hard when you’re running full speed in one direction and the ball is kind of low,” per MassLive.com’s Mark Daniels.
Turning errant throws into tough catches and positive plays is how a receiver builds chemistry with his quarterback. Maye hasn’t had the chance to establish a rapport with his wideouts because so few have remained on the roster.
The Patriots have dumped brittle speedster Tyquan Thornton and also cut ties with K.J. Osborn during this season. Those moves have left Boutte and fellow 2023 sixth-round draft pick DeMario Douglas as Maye’s go-to receivers.
A lack of quality receivers is why defenses feel comfortable playing man coverage early in games against Maye’s offense. Unambitious play-calling only gives teams more incentive to trust single coverage.
Finding a marquee target on the perimeter should be the next step in accelerating Maye’s development. Only then will the Pats be able to call more daring plays for a more dynamic contingent of playmakers.
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