Is the Patriots’ passing game broken? Why they need to fix it ahead of Jets game

Ja’Lynn Polk scores his first NFL TD (0:16)

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett throws a 5-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Lynn Polk to open up scoring for the Patriots in the first quarter. (0:16)

Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterSep 15, 2024, 08:00 PM ET

Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — One of the themes coming out of the New England Patriots’ locker room following their 23-20 overtime loss to the Seattle Seahawks was that they need to move on quickly with a Thursday game at New York Jets next on the schedule.

In doing so, coaches and players acknowledged one area where they need a significant upgrade: contributions from receivers. It’s tough to win when wide receivers total three catches for 19 yards like they did Sunday against the Seahawks.

“We definitely have to start getting the ball down the field,” coach Jerod Mayo said.

The Patriots have proved they can run the ball and are a tough, physical team. They totaled 185 yards rushing on 36 carries (5.1 average) against the Seahawks. In Week 1, they grounded and pounded their way to 170 yards on 39 carries (4.4) in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

They’ve also shown that their tight ends can be effective, as veteran Hunter Henry totaled a career-high 109 yards in the loss to the Seahawks, while tying his career high of eight catches.

But without being able to soften up defenses by having more consistent success in the perimeter and downfield passing game, the one-dimensional offense has shown its limitations, such as in end-of-half and end-of-game situations when facing a long field with limited time on the clock.

“We have to be able to pingpong between the two,” said Mayo, acknowledging the Seahawks took away deeper passing plays with an effective use of a split-safety defense. “That’s something we need to work on. We need to be a more balanced offense and that will be the goal this week.”

That won’t be easy against a Jets defense that has allowed an average of 195.5 passing yards through two weeks — a Week 1 loss in San Francisco and a 24-17 win against the Titans on Sunday.

Veteran Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett is 30-of-51 for 270 yards, with one touchdown and no interceptions over the first two games.

“Obviously we would like more in our passing game,” Brissett said. “I have to do a better job of getting a lot of those guys involved in the game plan and throughout the game. I take responsibility for that.”

A lingering question, however, is whether the Patriots’ personnel at receiver is potent enough to deliver those desired results. Part of the reason the front office pursued free agent receiver Calvin Ridley so aggressively in the offseason, and then Brandon Aiyuk in a trade, is that New England lacks a dynamic threat who commands extra attention from defenses.

In the season opener, the Patriots used speedy 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton (2 catches, 27 yards) and fifth-year veteran K.J. Osborn (3 catches, 21 yards) as their top receivers, with DeMario Douglas (2 catches, 12 yards) in the slot. Second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk (1 catch, 6 yards) was the No. 4 option.

In Sunday’s loss to the Seahawks, Polk was elevated up the depth chart and finished with two catches for 12 yards (including a touchdown). Osborn was the other starter and didn’t make his lone catch, for 7 yards, until the second play of overtime. The rest of the receiving corps — Thornton, Douglas and 2024 fourth-round pick Javon Baker — didn’t register on the stat sheet.

Mayo put the responsibility on himself and the coaching staff, saying one possibility is to scheme up more plays for Douglas, the shifty slot option.

“We have to get him going. He’s one of our most explosive players. That’s on us as coaches to put it together,” he said.

Starting center David Andrews also acknowledged the team’s shortcomings through the air, but noted that it takes everyone to improve the results. That includes the offensive line, as Brissett was sacked three times Sunday and hit eight times, which Andrews said was too many.

“We’ve got to get more production from our passing game, which is something I’ve always said is a team effort from everybody. It’s not just one person, or one position group,” Andrews said. “It takes a team — all 11 guys on offense — and that’s what we will try to do this week.”