Julian Edelman wasn’t afraid to name out his former coach after the Patriots’ second straight blowout loss.
After saying Invoice Belichick “wants slightly assist” relating to evaluating offensive skill-position prospects, Edelman voiced his displeasure over New England’s most notable — and, now, regrettable — offseason transfer.
“I’m nonetheless slightly shook on the Jakobi Meyers departure,” Edelman stated Monday on FOX Sports activities’ “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” “I didn’t get that.”
This previous March, the Patriots selected to let Meyers, their high receiver for the previous three seasons, stroll in free company and changed him with JuJu Smith-Schuster. The thought on the time was that Smith-Schuster, the previous Pittsburgh Steelers star who was coming off a stable season with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, would supply extra explosiveness and run-after-catch skill than the dependable however restricted Meyers.
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That has not occurred. Smith-Schuster is off to a depressing begin in New England with simply 14 catches for 86 yards and no touchdowns via 5 video games. Amongst 68 receivers with at the least 20 targets this season, he ranks third-to-last in yards per reception (6.1) and second-to-last in yards per goal (3.4). His route-running appears labored and sluggish, and he’s additionally now coping with a head damage.
Meyers, in the meantime, rapidly emerged as a invaluable weapon for Josh McDaniels’ Las Vegas Raiders. Because the No. 2 behind All-Professional Davante Adams, Meyers has 25 catches for 274 yards and three scores regardless of lacking one sport and taking part in one other with a backup rookie quarterback.
“He might separate quite a bit,” stated Edelman, who overlapped with Meyers for 2 seasons in New England. “He might run routes. He was powerful within the run sport. He would go in and block the pressure. And that’s what you preach as a New England receiver: get open, catch the ball and block within the run sport.
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“These are the three issues that you just hear on a regular basis. This receiver group (the Patriots) have, it simply looks as if they’re struggling to create separation. Whatever the cause, they haven’t been in a position to separate.”
The stats affirm that. And it isn’t simply Smith-Schuster. The Patriots’ receiving corps as an entire entered Week 5 ranked final within the NFL in common separation when focused (3.1 yards), per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats.
“I’ve been actually onerous on Mac (Jones),” Edelman stated. “I’ve been watching, and it’s powerful. A man’s slightly open — that’s nonetheless open, however they’re nonetheless not giving him proper reads. …
“There’s three phases of the route: you win firstly of the route, the stem or on the high of the route, and I’m not seeing any of that with the Patriots.”
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The Patriots’ offense additionally has gotten poor blocking up entrance and sloppy mechanics and decision-making from Jones, who has six turnovers within the final two video games. New England misplaced each by a mixed rating of 72-3 to fall to 1-4 on the season.
Subsequent up: a date with Meyers and McDaniels this Sunday in Las Vegas.