Patriots 2021 Week Eighteen Snap Counts: Interpretations and Implications

Patriot Maven breaks down the numbers and possible meanings behind the Pats’ playing time in New England’s loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

As the New England Patriots prepare to move forward from their 33-24 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, (dropping their record to 10-7 on the 2021 season) they continue to take stock into their performance on both sides of the ball.

Heading into their Wild Card Weekend matchup with the Buffalo Bills, there are plenty of areas in which the Patriots will seek improvement. While game-film analysis will be the main focus, a look at playing time may assist the Pats in helping to devise effective strategies moving forward.

Here is a look at the Patriots offensive and defensive snap counts from Sunday’s matchup, along with some possible insight on New England’s future game-planning.

Offensive Snaps

On offense, the Pats snap count was 62 versus the Dolphins on Sunday:

For the second straight week, only one offensive lineman took 100 percent of the Patriots offensive snaps on Sunday. Right guard Shaq Mason played on all 62 snaps, while right tackle Trent Brown took 61. David Andrews logged 60 snaps at center, with one notable absence coming on Mac Jones’ second-quarter fumble on a snap from Ted Karras (54 snaps). Left tackle Isaiah Wynn took only nine snaps, before leaving Sunday’s matchup with an ankle injury. In his absence, Justin Herron logged 52 snaps. Wynn’s injury will be closely monitored, as the Pats will need as much help as possible in protecting Jones against an aggressive Bills’ defensive front. Lastly, Michael Onwenu saw the field for 18 offensive snaps on Sunday, at left guard, in jumbo packages and aligning as an eligible tight end.

The snaps at running back were distributed among Damien Harris (30) and Brandon Bolden (28) as the two top options. Rookie Rhamondre Stevenson was present for only nine snaps, missing some time while being evaluated for a head injury. Stevenson did return to the lineup and saw limited dury

In his first on-field action since suffering a concussion in Week Fifteen, receiver Nelson Agholor led all Pats’ wideouts, taking 55 offensive snaps on Sunday. Jakobi Meyers, who was one of Jones’ most reliable and productive targets in Week Eighteen, logged 52 snaps. Rounding out the top three options at the position was Kendrick Bourne, who saw time as both a receiver and carrier with 36 snaps. N’Keal Harry returned to his customary role as the fourth option at receiver, seeing action on 12 offensive snaps.

Hunter Henry let the tight end tandem in offensive snaps on Sunday with 42 snaps, or 68 percent of the Pats playing time on offense. Henry led all pass catchers with 85 yards receiving on five catches. Jonnu Smith was not targeted in the passing game on Sunday, but did have one rushing attempt for a five-yard gain.

Defensive Snaps

On defense, the Pats snap count was 68 versus the Dolphins on Sunday:

With several key members of their defense sidelined for Sunday’s matchup in Miami, the Pats turned to a trio of valued veterans to see the field for 100 percent of their defensive snaps in Week Eighteen. Safeties Adrian Phillips and Devin McCourty, as well as linebacker Kyle Van Noy were on the field for all 68 snaps.

Cornerback Jalen Mills led the way for the cornerbacks, taking all but one defensive snap on Sunday (Mills logged 67 defensive snaps). J.C. Jackson was not far behind, seeing action on 61 defensive snaps in both man and zone coverage packs. In the absence of Myles Bryant (who remains on COVID-19/Reserve), practice-squad elevation D’Angelo Ross played on 46 snaps as the team’s fifth defensive back. Joejuan Williams saw limited duty as a rotational outside corner, taking on 16 snaps on defense.

Though Phillips and McCourty were present for every defensive snap, the team struggled in its three-man safety sets without Kyle Dugger, who was out of Sunday’s game with a hand injury. To make matters worse, practice squad elevation Sean Davis took only one defensive snap before leaving Sunday’s matchup with a shoulder injury. Ross, along with special teams stalwart Justin Bethel helped to shoulder the load against Miami. The Patriots will need a healthy Dugger in the lineup on Saturday to help control Buffalo’s versatile offense

The Patriots allowed 195 rushing yards to the Dolphins on Sunday, largely in part to some breakdowns along the front seven. Along the defensive line, Lawrence Guy (45 snaps) and Davon Godchaux (43 snaps) spent the most time on the field, manning the interior of the line. Rookie Christian Barmore took 28 defensive snaps on Sunday, before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a right leg injury. Barmore is expected to undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of his injury.

In the absence of Dont’a Hightower (who was out for Week Eighteen with a knee injury), Kyle Van Noy became the mainstay on the field for the Pats on the preventive side of the ball. Ja’Whaun Bentley (57 snaps) and Matt Judon (54 snaps) saw extensive time for the Pats, with Jamie Collins getting a bump in playing time to 44 defensive snaps. Both Josh Uche (5 snaps), Chase Winovich (3 snaps) returned to limited work in New England’s pass rush, despite showing some promise in that area during the Pats Week Seventeen win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Patriots now return to the postseason, as they travel to Orchard Park, New York to take on the Buffalo Bills for a Saturday night showdown during Wild Card Weekend. Kickoff is set for 8:15pm ET on January 15, 2022.