The Patriots rank second-worst in scoring offense this season, averaging 14.8 points per game.

The man in that charge of that offense has no illusions about the state of his unit.

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“Yeah, it hasn’t been what we want it to be. It’s been very inconsistent,” Pats offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said Tuesday. “There’s been glimpses of, ‘Hey, this, this is good. This is what it can be, this is the rhythm that we need to get into, these are plays that are well-executed, well coached, well designed.’ And then these are other things that aren’t as good.

“So it’s very, very inconsistent.”

The Patriots appeared to make some progress during their loss at Las Vegas in Week 6, then their upset of the Bills in Week 7. But they scored just 17 points last Sunday at Miami, thanks to one touchdown drive on a short field and another against a prevent defense in the fourth quarter when the Dolphins had a 14-point lead.

The Pats have struggled in every area for long stretches of the season. Through eight games, they rank 24th in passing by DVOA and 19th in rushing. According to Pro Football Focus, the Patriots are a below-average offense in passing, pass-blocking, run-blocking and receiving.

Tying that all together is an offensive line that’s used 10 different combinations to start possessions this season, the result of several injuries and poor depth.