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Offseason Additions Are Fueling New England Patriots’ Hot Streak

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By @ConnorFultonRS

Brandon LaFell New England Patriots

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

I get it, it’s November. No one wants to talk about the offseason—especially last offseason. But to get a better idea of how the New England Patriots chucked a lousy first month off their back and seized the top seed in the AFC over the past five weeks, one needs to realize the incredible work the team’s front office did this past offseason.

Let’s start on offense. Jonas Gray has earned a central role in the ground game, and it’s clear the Patriots like his bruising, downhill style of running as a complement to the shiftiness of Shane Vereen. While rookie James White isn’t seeing much steady work, he was a training camp standout and figures to get an opportunity soon.

Gray and White have combined to produce 20 percent of the Patriots’ rushing yards. That figure will only increase as Gray continues to fill the void in the backfield left by Stevan Ridley.

In former Carolina Panthers receiver Brandon LaFell, the Patriots have finally found a threat on the outside to bring balance to the passing game. Too often in recent years, defenses have been able to collapse in on the condensed, Julian Edelman-focused passing game. Tim Wright, who the Pats snagged in the Logan Mankins trade, has done a great job playing second fiddle to Rob Gronkowski in two-tight end schemes. And while he hasn’t seen much of the field, Brian Tyms’ jaw-dropping touchdown grab against the Buffalo Bills a few weeks back indicates he can stretch the field.

All told, these three newcomers have accounted for 30 percent of the Patriots’ passing yards. That production is worth its weight in gold because of the pressure it takes off of Brady’s favorite targets, Edelman and Gronkowski.

As for the defense, let’s zero-in on that suffocating secondary, where the top three spots on the cornerback depth chart are all held by first-time Patriots. Darrelle Revis has played like a top-three cornerback, especially in recent weeks. After missing the first five games, Brandon Browner has been a force opposite Revis, proving that physical play at the corner position is actually not extinct. And lastly, undrafted rookie Malcolm Butler has leaped over multiple veterans to gain substantial playing time—against the Denver Broncos, Butler logged 36 snaps, mainly matching up against Emmanuel Sanders.

These three new additions at cornerback are responsible for 36 percent of all passes defended by the New England defense and 30 percent of the interceptions. Not too shabby.

Remember the days of Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson running around like chickens with their heads cut off? Well, Thompkins is currently a member of the Oakland Raiders and Dobson has been a healthy scratch for more games than he has actually played in. In the running game, the largely ineffective Brandon Bolden has been delegated to special teams duty, where he is much more valuable.

As for the cornerback position, Alfonzo Dennard and Logan Ryan have gotten the short end of the stick. The Patriots have a luxury that most teams don’t: an abundance of cornerback talent. If they were on just about any other team, Dennard and Ryan would be at least nickel corners. But due to the size, talent and overall ability of the three new corners, those two guys have fallen by the wayside.

In five short weeks, the 2014 Patriots have figured out who they are. They have maximized the value of their offseason additions beautifully. No Patriots fan should feel nervous about the tough slate of games ahead after the bye week, as the Pats simply have the resources to triumph over any team right now.

Connor Fulton is a Patriots writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ConnorFultonRS, or find him on Google. 

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