3 Biggest Disappointments From Patriots’ Week 1 Win
By Ryan Bunton
1. Ja'Lynn Polk
After New England selected receiver Ja'Lynn Polk with the 37th overall pick in April's draft, Patriots fans were hoping that Polk would feature heavily in the offense during his rookie season.
However, his first NFL game left a lot to be desired as the Patriots run-heavy game plan limited Polk's usage. New England ran the ran the ball 39 times for 170 yards, while throwing the ball only 24 times for 120 yards. No Patriots wide receiver caught more than two passes, so Polk's limited involvement wasn't isolated.
Polk was only targeted once, catching one pass for six yards.
Tight end Austin Hooper and running back Rhamondre Stevenson led the team in receptions, with three catches.
New England's offense is likely going to look to stick to the ground for most of this season, so this could be a continuing theme. But after an offseason in which there was a lot of excitement around the rookie receivers Polk and Javon Baker (who was inactive on Sunday) - it was disappointing to not see them featured heavily.
The Patriots coaching staff has self-identified as a run-first team for this season, but it will be interesting to see how the game plan changes week-to-week as the season progresses and how Polk fits into it.
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