Patriots’ utilization of cornerbacks is elevating questions which might be getting few solutions

Patriots cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino stated Tuesday he isn’t involved about pictures posted on social media that seem to indicate Jack Jones sporting a towel round his neck and sitting on the bench whereas different defensive gamers had been gathered on the sideline throughout Sunday’s recreation towards Washington.

“You could know, or chances are you’ll not know, I’m up within the field, so I didn’t actually see that,” Pellegrino stated. “You would ask Jack about that, however I might say that may be an outlier.

“I’ve by no means seen Jack actually on the bench when the protection was up. It should have been one thing that was up for a fast second, however I’m not going to talk on it. He can discuss it. I wouldn’t blow it out of proportion.

“It’s in all probability one factor that occurred. If it had been a constant factor, would I be involved? Yeah. Nevertheless it’s not a constant factor, so I wouldn’t actually grasp my hat on that one. That’s not the man that I do know.”

Jones and fellow cornerback J.C. Jackson weren’t within the beginning lineup Sunday, however coach Invoice Belichick advised reporters after the sport that the gamers weren’t benched, and he talked about that they each performed.

Jackson performed 53 snaps, which was yet one more than he performed the week earlier than at Miami. Nevertheless, it was fewer than the 67 snaps he performed towards Las Vegas and the 64 he performed towards Buffalo. Jackson’s season-low for snaps is 36 towards New Orleans, which was his first recreation again with the Patriots after being acquired from the Chargers in a commerce.

Jones performed 30 snaps towards the Commanders, his lowest whole of the season. He performed 45 towards Miami and 36 towards Buffalo after coming back from injured reserve.

“Issues occur,” Pellegrino stated. “I simply put the blokes on the market that I felt had been able to go in that second. Everyone is aware of what they should do to play. I’ll simply type of depart it at that. I’m not attempting to create a story; I belief all my guys.

“All of them went in and performed, proper? I’ve stated this from, I feel, Week 1. In the event that they’re on the recreation, which means they’re prepared, they’re ready, they usually’re prepared to enter the sport. I place confidence in all my guys to go on the market and execute the sport plan and do an awesome job, so I actually simply did what I assumed was greatest in that second.”

Pellegrino added that Shaun Wade, who began the sport at cornerback together with Jonathan Jones, had an awesome week of observe and earned the chance to begin.

The place was Thornton?

Vast receiver Tyquan Thornton performed 12 snaps Sunday and didn’t make an look within the second half. He has three catches for 15 yards in three video games this season.

Why has it been so arduous for the 2022 second-round choose to get on the sector when it appears as if his pace can be a big asset for the offense?

Accidents have been an element, offensive coordinator Invoice O’Brien stated. Thornton has begun each of his seasons with the Patriots on injured reserve. He missed the primary 5 video games of this season with a shoulder harm.

“He has not performed plenty of soccer due to harm,” O’Brien stated. “And so, once you don’t play plenty of soccer, it’s arduous.

“He’s bought to proceed to work, and he’ll. He’s an awesome man, He works very, very arduous. He simply hasn’t had plenty of alternatives. I’m not making excuses for him, I’m simply telling you. He hasn’t been on the sector lots.”

Receivers coach Ross Douglas stated consistency is required for Thornton to get extra alternatives.

“He simply has to proceed to be constant in every thing that he does, from his releases, from his route stems on the prime of the route, to catching the ball,” Douglas stated. “He simply has to proceed to work on his total recreation, and that can include reps, that can include having nice practices, that can include getting within the weight room.”

Dropping the ball

Sunday’s recreation was simply the newest instance of how dropped passes have stung the Patriots in key moments this season.

After extending the group’s remaining drive with a catch on fourth and 4, JuJu Smith-Schuster had the Patriots’ final move of the sport bounce off his fingers and into these of Washington’s Jartavius Martin.

Jalen Reagor additionally had a drop on a deep ball that may have put the Patriots within the crimson zone trailing by 3 close to the top of the third quarter.

Douglas and large receivers coach Troy Foreheadn each stated there’s extra the teaching workers can do to attenuate the drops.

“Clearly, I’m teaching the receivers, so I’ll take the blame for that,” Brown stated. “That’s on me. I’ll do a greater job of getting them ready and to play situational soccer higher.”