The Patriots clearly need to make adjustments nine weeks into the season, coming off of a loss to one of the league’s worst teams and sitting with a 2-7 record.
Quarterback Drake Maye is struggling to find dependable receivers, the Patriots’ rushing attack is anemic, and they’re failing to get pressure or stop the run on defense.
So, here are four players who should see more playing time in Week 10 against the Bears in an attempt to play the kids or fix some glaring issues.
RB Antonio Gibson
Gibson touched the ball 59 times in his first six games of the season. He’s received just 11 total in the last three games.
Gibson was dealing with a toe injury heading into Week 9 but was active and carried the ball once for a 1-yard loss and caught one 12-yard pass.
Gibson certainly has struggled over the last four weeks, averaging less than 2 yards per carry in each game. But the Patriots need to try something different in the running game against the Bears. And if Gibson can’t get going in the running game, then it’s at least worth handing him more regular pass-game snaps.
“Look, as we game plan, we try to do what we think is best for that game, and it just hasn’t worked out that way as of now,” head coach Jerod Mayo said Friday of getting Gibson more involved in the passing game.
Gibson flashed his speed and play-making ability earlier this season with a 50-yard catch and run. The Patriots should take any plays they can get.
WR Ja’Lynn Polk
Polk has struggled since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. That’s no mystery.
But the Patriots have one of the least productive wide receiver groups in the NFL, and Polk looked like the team’s best outside option this summer in training camp.
He’s not going to get any better sitting on the bench, and it’s worth getting him on the field to work through any mental hurdles.
“Just got to get him in there and get him acclimated again, get him back in there and find some targets for him,” offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt said Thursday. “Very capable receiver, loved what he did in college. Had a great summer for us. Just gotta get him reset and get back into it.”
Currently, Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne and DeMario Douglas are seeing the bulk of wide receiver snaps. Let Polk mix in more and more with Boutte and Bourne. It’s not as if they’re producing 100-yard efforts every week.
WR Javon Baker
Speaking of talented rookie wide receivers. Baker has played 10 snaps and has yet to catch a pass during his rookie season.
Baker has been active in the last two weeks, so he’s doing something right. But it seems relatively worthless to dress Baker and not see what he can actually do on the field.
The 2024 fourth-round pick out of UCF was a major playmaker early in training camp before falling off due to drops and mental errors.
“He’s an explosive player. Comes off the ball extremely hard. He stresses defensive backs in coverage,” Van Pelt said of the fourth-round pick. “He’s elusive, he’s really wiggly at the top of the routes and can create separation. There’s a lot to like.”
Baker showed good chemistry at times this summer with rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Similar to Polk, let Baker mix in with Boutte and Bourne and get more looks on offense.
LB Sione Takitaki
Takitaki, who’s still limited in practice with an offseason knee injury, played a season-high 12 snaps against the Titans and earned a 76.6 PFF grade.
That’s a good start for Takitaki, who the Patriots should be hoping continues to see an upward trajectory.
Jahlani Tavai and Christian Elliss have been the team’s top two linebackers with Raekwon McMillan also mixing in on snaps. Elliss was ruled out this week with an abdomen injury, which should lead to more playing time for Takitaki.
Takitaki can play inside linebacker or on the edge as an “adjustor.” The Patriots need help at both spots. The Patriots certainly did not envision giving Elliss more defensive snaps than Takitaki coming into the season, and they traded edge defender Joshua Uche to the Chiefs.
Takitaki exclusively played in the box during Sunday’s loss to the Titans, but he played more on the line of scrimmage in his previous two appearances this season.
He’s a big body at 6-foot-1, 238 pounds to take on blockers in the middle of the Patriots’ defense. He should be a more stout run defender than Elliss or McMillan, both of whom are more undersized.
The former Browns linebacker won’t single-handedly fix the Patriots’ defense, but they need more experienced players who other defenders can count on to be in the right place. With five weeks of practice under his belt, Takitaki should have more knowledge of the Patriots’ defense.
They need smart defenders who can contain Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in the pocket and stuff running backs D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson coming out of the backfield.
