New England Patriots: 1 really bold prediction for Mac Jones in 2021
New England Patriots running game the key to beating the Bucs
Basically, the parameters to win this game are ridiculously simple. You keep the ball out of the hands of the all-time best quarterback in the business, Tom Brady.
The method is also crystal clear, you grind out time-clearing drives and critically, keep drives alive with tough short-yardage running and pinpoint passing when required. How can they do this?
First, The New England Patriots and Jones have a multi-faceted running game loaded with versatile performers all of whom can gouge defense for big gains on any given play.
The group of Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, James White, and J.J. Taylor is built to slash, gash, and run over, around, and through any NFL defense. This is the best group in the NFL.
They can run through you with Damien Harris. They can run over, through, and by you with “Ram” Stevenson.
They can run around and through you with dynamo J.J. Taylor, the Dion Lewis clone. And, they can all catch the ball, spearheaded by James White.
The key to rounding out the offense will be Mac Jones who will do what has to be done to beat the reigning champion, Brady.
The running game is the key to the win. You grind out yards, play-after-play, and secure drive-extending first downs (hello Stevenson on short-yardage).
Then, you cap off drives from in-close by scoring touchdowns. The emphasis here is to score touchdowns, not settle for field goals.
These were two critical components of success on the football field the 2020 New England Patriots just could accomplish, absent the absolute heroics of one Cam Newton.
When necessary the scrupulously accurate pin-point passing of Jones will do the rest to keep drives alive for running scores or finish them himself with needle-sharp accurate passes.
He will be able to so finish off drives with scores due to a much much better supporting cast than either he had in the pre-season or Cam Newton had all last season.
Alternatively, Jones will execute on screens and dump-offs from quarterback Mac Jones flawlessly, and when necessary, he’ll rip a 20-yarder on third and long to keep a drive going.
The end result is time/clock management and eight, nine, and 10-minute drives spearheaded by a New England offense that will leave Brady and the Buc’s vaunted offense on the sidelines.
No Brady, no offense, and no points are exactly how the Patriots will outmuscle and outfox the defending champions on the way to the win.