New England Patriots: 3 takeaways from Week 2 victory over Steelers

New England Patriots takeaway No. 2: Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor carry the passing attack

Mac Jones wasn’t at his best again this week, but he did show some improvement overall, and he relied heavily on Jakobi Meyers and Nelson Agholor for most of the day. Jones completed 21 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown. Of that, Meyers and Agholor combined for 15 catches, 205 yards, and Jones’ only touchdown of the game.

Meyers was the safety blanket for Jones throughout the day. He constantly found space in Pittsburgh’s secondary, and commanded a whooping 13 targets on the day. Agholor was the guy for big plays today, as his 44-yard touchdown was easily the best play of his Patriots career, and he showed up with a couple more timely receptions throughout the day as well.

While this can be viewed as a positive that Jones has a strong rapport with these two, it’s also a bit concerning. DeVante Parker, Hunter Henry, and Jonnu Smith all didn’t have a single catch on the day, with Jones’ interception coming on a pass intended for Parker. Kendrick Bourne, was also supposed to be more involved on offense, but he only managed to pick up two catches for 16 yards.

The Patriots did what they had to against the Steelers, but their passing game left a lot to be desired. There are a lot of weapons the Patriots are paying for that aren’t doing anything on offense, and it’s clear that’s going to have to change. But for now, we can feel good about the strong showings from Meyers and Agholor in this one.