New England Patriots vs. Washington Commanders Snaps & Grades: Failing Continues

Patriots Country breaks down the numbers and implications behind the Pats’ playing time in New England’s Week 9 loss to the Washington Commanders.

FOXBORO — For the seventh time this season, the New England Patriots are once again taking stock into their performance on both sides of the ball in the aftermath of yet another loss.

New England suffered a 20-17 defeat at the hands of the Washington Commanders in Week at Gillette Stadium. With the loss, New England dropped to 2-7 for the first time since Bill Belichick’s first season as coach in 2000. The Patriots are now 0-5 in non-division games and remain the NFL's only team without a win outside of their division.

While game-film analysis will be the main focus, a look at playing time may assist the team in helping devise effective strategies moving forward.

Here is a look at the Patriots snap counts, along with a grade for each position grouping.

OFFENSE

On offense, the Pats overall snap count was 64 versus the Commanders.

NFL Game Summary: New England Patriots vs. Washington Commanders 5 Nov 2023 - Offense Snaps / NFL Copyright © 2023 by The National Football League

Quarterback:

Jones completed 24-of-44 passes for 220 yards with one touchdown and his aforementioned interception on Sunday. executed a precision 14-yard strike to tight end Hunter Henry for the Patriots first touchdown. His impressive 20-yard completion to Smith-Schuster set the table for a 64-yard touchdown run by running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Still, Jones continued his trend of making questionable decisions with the football, as well as subpar throws in key moments. Early in the first quarter, Jones widely missed an open Tyquan Thornton on a would be fourth-down conversion. In the second half, he nearly threw a deep-ball interception into the hands of Commanders rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes, which was thankfully knocked lose by receiver Jalen Reagor. Jones also underthrew Stevenson on a wheel-route, which had the potential for a significant gain.

Grade: C

Running Backs:

Despite the dismal aura surrounding the Patriots offense, lead back Rhamondre Stevenson made a strong case to be one of its cornerstones moving forward. The Oklahoma product finished the afternoon having compiled 87 yards on nine carries, while adding four receptions out of the backfield for 41 yards. His 64-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the longest of his career. Ezekiel Elliott continues to add significant value to the Pats running game by adding 17 yards rushing on six carries and 15 yards receiving on three catches. 

Grade: B-

Receivers:

With both DeVante Parker and Kayshon Boutte headlining the Week 9 inactives list, rookie Demario Douglas further enhanced his place as the team’s top receiver, formerly held by the injured Kendrick Bourne. Douglas finished with five catches for 55 yards. The rookie just nearly missed hauling in a 23-yard pass from Jones, where the ball hit the turf as he went to the ground. Beyond Douglas, New England’s receivers were significantly less productive than the stat sheet indicates. Despite catching six passes for 51 yards, JuJu Smith-Schuster’s performance will understandably be overshadowed by his fourth-quarter drop of Jones’ final pass of the day. Both Jalen Reagor and Tyquan Thornton struggled with ball security and route accuracy, each logging only one catch. 

Grade: D

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) passes the ball during the first half against the Washington Commanders at Gillette Stadium / Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

Tight Ends:

While the Pats trio of ‘tight endage’ has been its most productive positional group on offense, the unit underperformed against Washington. Hunter Henry led the way with four catches for 39 yards, one of which was his aforementioned touchdown catch from Jones. Henry a textbook route up the seam before making an impressive catch on a strong throw from Jones. Despite playing on 86 percent of the Pats plays on offense, Mike Gesicki was targeted only once and failed to secure a catch. Lastly, Pharaoh Brown did not see a pass thrown his way after aligning on only seven offensive plays. Considering New England’s struggles at receiver, the team needs much greater production from its corps of tight ends in the second half of the season. 

Grade: C-

Offensive Line:

With starting left tackle Trent Brown sidelined due to both ankle and knee injuries, practice squad elevation Conor McDermott got the nod as the team's starter. Cole Strange started at left guard with David Andrews at center, Sidy Sow at right guard and Michael Onwenu at right tackle. The Patriots starting five joined Jones as the only players on offense to take all 64 snaps. New England's line succeeded in preventing a single sack on Jones. While McDermott provided a strong performance in relief of Brown, Sidy Sow was the standout of the group, earning a 67.8 grade from Pro Football Focus — the highest among all rookie offensive linemen in Week 9.  

Grade: B

DEFENSE

On defense, the Pats overall snap count was 78 versus the Commanders.

NFL Game Summary: New England Patriots vs. Washington Commanders 5 Nov 2023 - Defense Snaps / NFL Copyright © 2023 by The National Football League

Defensive Line:

The Patriots defensive line performed in an ebb-and-flow-like fashion on Sunday. Despite holding Washington’s running game in check for much of the second half, the unit still allowed 127 yards on the ground — 27 of which came on the legs of quarterback Sam Howell. The Pats also failed to generate ample pressure on the Commanders quarterback. Still, third-year lineman Christian Barmore turned in a solid performance, logging five quarterback pressures, two quarterback hits, and two passes batted at the line. Barmore’s standout showings as of late earned him the most snaps of any defensive lineman in Week 9 with 55. 

Grade: C+

Linebackers:

Team captain Ja’Whaun Bentley was New England’s top defender against Washington, earning 13 tackles (two for loss), two sacks, and two quarterback hits. In addition to his six tackles, veteran Jahlani Tavai turned in arguably the Pats most significant defensive play by forcing a fumble to set the team up for their first touchdown. Josh Uche struggled for much of the day when defending the run, while Keion White and Anfernee Jennings failed to generate any notable disruption of the Commanders’ offensive attack. 

Grade: B

Cornerbacks:

Though neither player was given an injury designation heading into Sunday's contest, J.C. Jackson ended up missing the game's first two drives, while Jack Jones did not see the field until the Pats' fourth offensive series for what has been deemed “prior performance issues.” Although both Jones and Jackson ultimately received notable playing time [Jackson with 53 snaps, Jones with 30,] Jones finished the game with three total tackles, while Jackson registered only one combined tackle. Myles Bryant led all corners with seven tackles. However, the group collectively failed to provide much resistance for Washington’s pass-catchers. 

Grade: C-

Safeties:

While the Pats corners struggled mightily on Sunday, their safeties did not perform much better. Rookie Marte Mapu finished the day with three total tackles, while veterans Jabrill Peppers and Adrian Phillips each contributed two. Kyle Dugger looked a bit uncomfortable while aligning at free safety. However, the Lenoir-Rhyne product was the best player among the unit, having logged six total tackles, one pass-break up and one interception, while taking all 78 snaps on defense. 

Grade: C

Up Next:

The Patriots will remain in New England until Thursday, when they travel to Frankfurt, Germany for a Week 10 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts as a part of the NFL's International Series of games. Kickoff is set for 9:30 a.m. ET from Frankfurt Stadium. 

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