Questions about the Patriots’ offense have persisted since camp.
This past week, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky unveiled a video on ESPN’s “NFL Live” showing how New England receivers were not coming out of their breaks quickly enough for Mac Jones to hit them. Michael Irvin, a Hall of Famer, reacted to this video on WEEI’s “Gresh and Keefe” on Thursday.
“That blows my mind. You know how they say basics is 101? This is before the 101,” Irvin said. “This is not English 101 or Math 101. Timing up routes with depth of routes and depth of drops, that’s even before 101. It’s that basic.
“To see [Orlovsky] call that out on some plays, where [Jones] had a three-step drop, he hitched one time and nobody is ready to come out of a route, there’s no timing — that blows my mind, man. That doesn’t look like anything that Bill Belichick has let go on.”
Michael Irvin blasted the Patriots’ offensive coaches for not designing plays well for Mac Jones.Getty Images for Harold & CaroleMatt Patricia is the de facto offensive coordinator and he is being helped on that side of the ball by former Giants coach Joe Judge. Before they were head coaches, Patricia managed defense and Judge special teams.
There have been questions about this setup since training camp, and Jones seems to have regressed in his second NFL season, throwing for 6.8 yards per attempt with four touchdown passes and seven interceptions so far this year.
Mac Jones has regressed in his second season with the Patriots.Getty Images
Matt Patricia is the Patriots’ de facto offensive coordinator, with support from Joe Judge.Boston Globe via Getty Images“When you talk about Mac Jones’ regression, that’s not on Mac Jones. You see what I’m saying?” Irvin continued.
“You’re seeing the results and it looks like a regression. That is impossible. That’s on somebody else in there, whoever is designing those [plays].”
Irvin could not believe Belichick put Patricia in charge of the offense.
“I said I’ve never questioned anything Bill Belichick has done, this is the first time that I said, ‘Oh my God. Oh my God, man. What is that?’” Irvin said. “Ooof. It’s impossible. It’s not…this ship…how did you even win the games you won with what I’m seeing now and what [Orlovsky] just pointed out? That’s the question.”
The Patriots are 5-4 and are favored against the Jets at home on Sunday.
