The New England Patriots look like they’re playing in quicksand.
They haven’t been able to run the ball effectively behind a patchwork offensive line, and the passing attack still lacks explosiveness on the outside. Make no mistake, the offense is significantly better with Bill O’Brien calling the plays, but it was never a situation where one man was going to solve all of the team’s problems.
There’s little doubt that the running game will pick up at some point. Rhamondre Stevenson is an incredibly talented running back, and Ezekiel Elliott is a former two-time NFL rushing yards leader.