THE BLITZ projects the New England Patriots to be the 4th-most run-heavy offense among all teams this week with a 45.4% run rate, accounting for their underlying tendencies and matchup dynamics.
The weather report calls for 13-mph wind in this game. High wind generally means reduced pass volume (and higher run volume) and worse passing efficiency.
THE BLITZ projects Rhamondre Stevenson to accumulate 19.7 carries in this contest, on average, placing him in the 100th percentile among RBs.
THE BLITZ projects Rhamondre Stevenson to be a much bigger part of his team’s rushing attack this week (67.6% projected Carry Share) than he has been this year (47.9% in games he has played).
The New England Patriots O-line grades out as the 2nd-best in football this year at opening holes for rushers.
Cons
The New England Patriots will be forced to utilize backup quarterback Bailey Zappe in this week’s game, which usually means fewer pass attempts and more rush attempts.
The Patriots are a 3-point underdog in this week’s contest, which points towards a passing game script.
THE BLITZ projects the Patriots to run the least total plays among all teams this week with 63.0 plays, accounting for their underlying tendencies and game dynamics.
The New England Patriots have run the 7th-least plays in the NFL this year, averaging just 55.4 plays per game.
The New England Patriots have been faced with a stacked the box on 27.7% of their plays since the start of last season, most in football. Positioning an extra defender close to the line of scrimmage improves run-stopping at the cost of better passing efficiency.