The New England Patriots kicked off the Mike Vrabel era with a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Despite being 2.5-point favorites by the time of kickoff, the Pats trailed Pete Carroll's team for most of the game, ultimately falling 20-13.
The defense looked sharp early on, and they even picked off Raiders quarterback Geno Smith to gain some momentum in the first half. Unfortunately, Patriots QB Drake Maye and the offense failed to keep the chains in motion, especially in the final quarter.
Clearly, New England could've benefitted from giving Stefon Diggs a longer leash. However, head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had different plans for the veteran wide receiver.
Despite His Wishes, Patriots Keep Stefon Diggs on a Snap Count
Diggs only wound up taking the field for 39 of 71 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, trailing the likes of Kayshon Boutte (58) and Demario Douglas (45). Despite his lower-than-expected playing time, he was efficient in limited action, though, hauling in six receptions on seven targets for 57 yards.
Although a lower snap count seems reasonable for a player in his first game with a new team, the Patriots playmaker likely expected to play more than he did in his debut.
"Hell no!" Diggs responded when asked if he expected to be on a snap count earlier this week. “I don’t make the rules. We’ll see how it goes, but I really hope not.”
Will Ease Stefon Diggs Back Into Action
Of course, this shouldn't be the case all year long, especially considering how much Maye needs a playmaking pass-catcher to take a leap in his first full season in the league. Even so, with Diggs working his way back from a season-ending injury and being 31 years old already, they might want to err on the side of caution with him.
The Patriots registered 336 total yards of offense, with 276 yards coming in the passing game. However, they went just 4-for-14 on third down, and the Raiders got to Maye four times for a loss of 29 yards.
The upside is there, but the Patriots will need Diggs to be on the field more often to open things up for this passing game. Otherwise, it might not be long before New England's WR woes re-emerge.