Patriots have not considered changing offensive play-caller

While the Patriots’ quarterback might be different in Week 6, the play-caller will remain the same.

Head coach Jerod Mayo said Monday morning in a video conference call with the media that making a change at offensive play-caller is “not under consideration.”

Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is in his first year as the Patriots’ play-caller. He joined Mayo’s staff in February after being fired by the Browns following the 2023 season.

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Van Pelt has been coaching in the NFL since 2006, but he has little play-calling experience. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski called plays in Cleveland. Van Pelt did call plays as the Bills’ offensive coordinator during the 2009 season. He was fired along with the rest of the Bills’ staff following that season.

For the second time this season, the Patriots’ offense did not manage the clock well at the end of the first half of Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Dolphins. They got the ball back with 1:50 remaining in the second quarter and took just 48 seconds off the clock before being forced to punt. The Dolphins would have scored if their field goal attempt wasn’t aborted by a bad long snap.

The Patriots got the ball back with 28 seconds and actually were forced to punt again after three straight passing plays took just 12 seconds off of the clock. The Dolphins ran twice before time expried.

The Patriots had a similar situation in Week 2, but the Seahawks were actually able to capitalize with a field goal to end the first half. The Patriots got the ball with 1:37 left in the half and ran just 50 seconds off of the clock before punting. The Seahawks put together a 6-play, 26-yard drive before kicking a field goal. The Patriots lost the game by just three points in overtime.

“It was like a carbon copy of that game,” Mayo said Monday morning. “What I would say is, our execution throughout the season, at the end of the half and end of the game, they just have to be better. And that’s exactly what you saw at the end of the game, where we ran out of time. Once again, it wasn’t the call. It was just that we weren’t, we didn’t execute the play call.”

Van Pelt also drew criticism in Sunday’s game for throwing four straight times after the Patriots got down to the Dolphins’ 12-yard line with three timeouts and 1:13 on the clock. The Patriots averaged 7.9 yards per carry and just 4.1 yards per dropback. All four passes fell incomplete, and the Patriots turned the ball over on downs.

They got the ball one last time with 29 seconds left at their own 43-yard line with no timeouts. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed a 21-yard pass before spiking the ball at the 12-second mark. He used the final play to throw to tight end Hunter Henry in the middle of the field at the 11-yard line. The Patriots did not have enough time to stop the game, and time expired. Brissett did appear to have better options on the play with DeMario Douglas running toward the sideline and wide receiver Ja’Lynn Polk close to the end zone.

The Patriots do have one coach on staff with offensive play-calling experience in senior offensive assistant Ben McAdoo. Their quarterbacks coach, T.C. McCartney, has never been a coordinator.

Van Pelt’s unit currently ranks 28th in EPA (expected points added) per play, 30th in EPA/pass and 24th in EPA/rush. Their offensive line, which has been ravaged by injuries, has allowed the highest pressure rate in the NFL at 48.3%.

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