Patriots Snap Count Analysis: How Tight End Balance Shifted Vs. Jets

Breaking down snap counts and play percentages from the New England Patriots’ 25-6 win over the New York Jets on Sunday:

OFFENSE

— With a hip injury limiting Jonnu Smith in practice late last week, Hunter Henry saw the larger workload of the two Patriots tight ends, playing 47 snaps (81 percent) to Smith’s 29 (50 percent). The Patriots also utilized fewer two-tight end sets than they did in Week 1, operating more out of 11 (three wide receivers) or 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end).

Henry’s 32-yard catch-and-run down the seam was quarterback Mac Jones’ longest completion of the game, but he finished with just two receptions. Smith caught four passes for 28 yards.

Last week against the Miami Dolphins, Smith and Henry played 55 and 54 snaps, respectively. Neither tight end has truly broken out in the passing game thus far.

— The Patriots followed the same snap-distribution script at receiver as they did in Week 1, with Jakobi Meyers playing the most (52 snaps), followed by Nelson Agholor (50), Kendrick Bourne (31) and, in a distant fourth, Gunner Olszewski (five).

— Pass-catching back James White (29 snaps) outsnapped lead back Damien Harris (24), who saw his play-time percentage drop from 53 percent to 41 percent. White was one of the Patriots’ offensive standouts against the Jets, catching a team-high six passes on six targets for 45 yards and rushing five times for 20 yards and a touchdown.

J.J. Taylor, who was inserted into the lineup after rookie Rhamondre Stevenson struggled against Miami, hardly played, logging just two carries for 3 yards in his five snaps. Stevenson was a healthy scratch.

— Yasir Durant (31 snaps) started at right tackle in place of the injured Trent Brown but was benched for Justin Herron (30 snaps) after allowing three first-half sacks. Head coach Bill Belichick said Monday he planned to play both players and isn’t concerned about the Patriots’ depth at the position.

Left tackle Isaiah Wynn, left guard Mike Onwenu, center David Andrews and right guard Shaq Mason have played every snap through two games. Ted Karras (three special teams snaps Sunday) and Yodny Cajuste (one) have yet to play on offense this season.

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DEFENSE

— Safety Devin McCourty has played every defensive snap this season. He pulled down one of Zach Wilson’s four interceptions on Sunday and had an assist on one of J.C. Jackson’s two picks.

The Patriots employed a ton of three-safety looks, with Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips each playing 75 percent of snaps. Dugger and Phillips frequently played at the second level to offset the absence of injured linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

— Jackson saw his playing time drop sharply after he went wire to wire in Week 1. That was partially because the Patriots put in backups in the fourth quarter of a blowout, but Jackson also stayed on the sideline for the first eight plays of the second half, when the Jets trailed by just 10.

Asked after the game if he was given an explanation for this, Jackson replied: “I can’t tell you all that. I don’t know.”

Joejuan Williams, who replaced Jackson to start the third quarter, played 33 snaps, the second-highest single-game total of his career.

— With Van Noy out, the Patriots shifted Dont’a Hightower (60 snaps) to an edge rusher alignment for much of the game, often leaving Ja’Whaun Bentley as their lone true off-the-ball linebacker.

Bentley played all but five defensive snaps and was active, finishing with eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup and a pressure that helped force an interception. His 93 percent snap rate was the third-highest of his career.

Belichick had high praise for Bentley on Monday, saying the 2018 fifth-round draft pick has “taken it to another level this year.”

“I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence and playing a good, physical style of football,” the coach said.

— Josh Uche hardly saw the field in the first two quarters, but his role increased after halftime. He played a total of 35 defensive snaps, up from 15 in Week 1, and sacked Wilson twice on New York’s final drive.

Uche was viewed as a candidate to start with Van Noy sidelined, but the Patriots chose to deploy him primarily in passing situations. He rushed the passer on 19 of his snaps, dropped into coverage on 10 and defended the run on just six, per Pro Football Focus. The same was true for Chase Winovich, who had 15 pass-rush snaps, three coverage snaps and two run defense snaps.

When the Patriots wanted an edge-setter off the bench in the first half, they went with elevated practice squadder Tashawn Bower (15 snaps).

Though he wasn’t an every-down player, Uche was productive, registering six pressures in his 19 pass-rush opportunities, per PFF. Matt Judon led all Patriots defenders with seven pressures. Twelve players had at least one.

— Ace gunner Justin Bethel made a late-game cameo at cornerback (eight snaps). He’d played just six defensive snaps over his first 26 games with the Patriots.