FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Clock work: Do the Patriots have a time management problem?
As coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt considered solutions to hopefully snap a four-game losing streak in Sunday’s home game (1 p.m. ET, CBS) against the 4-1 Houston Texans, this is one question they have pondered.
Twice in their first five games, the Patriots have had the ball deep in their own territory late in the second quarter, with their opponent having all three timeouts each time. The Patriots’ approach backfired in both situations.
“Our execution throughout the season at the end of the half just has to be better,” Mayo acknowledged.
In a 23-20 overtime loss to the Seahawks in Week 2, the Patriots were at their own 8-yard line with 1:37 remaining until halftime. They ran for 2 yards on first down, and the Seahawks didn’t take a timeout, so the clock ticked down to 58 seconds before quarterback Jacoby Brissett threw two incomplete passes.
That left the Seahawks all three timeouts when they took over at their own 49-yard line with 35 seconds remaining following a punt. They used them all to set themselves up for a 44-yard field goal on the final play of the half — points that turned out to be the difference in the game.
In the aftermath of the defeat, Mayo said it would be a true loss if the team didn’t learn from some of its mistakes, such as that one.
But when a “carbon copy” of the situation arose in last Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Dolphins, the Patriots didn’t change their approach — and execution also didn’t improve.
On that one, they had the ball at their own 5-yard line with 1:50 remaining to halftime. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 8 yards on first down and the Dolphins didn’t call timeout. So the clock ticked down to 1:14 by the time the Patriots snapped the ball on second down, with Brissett throwing incomplete up the right sideline to rookie receiver Ja’Lynn Polk to stop the clock.
Then with 1:09 remaining, Brissett again threw incomplete, which ultimately gave the Dolphins the ball back at their 44-yard line with 55 seconds remaining. While Miami botched the snap on a field goal attempt, the trickle-down effect of the Patriots’ offensive approach was that the defense played seven extra snaps — which caught up to them by the fourth quarter when they were fatigued.
Van Pelt addressed his thinking on that sequence.
“Still kind of torn on that one personally,” he said. “We had two chances to get 2 yards to get a first down. We took a shot there with one of our best wideouts, on a corner, gave him an opportunity. We didn’t win on the route and didn’t make the throw we needed to make. Came back on third down and had potentially a guy open there and didn’t get it to him. And now we’re punting. Second-and-2, I’m feeling confident we can get it whether we decide to run it or pass it.
“In hindsight, you run the ball there and chew off some more time on the clock. It’s that fine line of being aggressive or saying, ‘I’m just going to run the ball here and try to milk the clock and take us into halftime.’ We haven’t been productive on offense through the pass game, so I was probably a little more aggressive than I needed to be at that point.”
Van Pelt’s preference is to be aggressive, as was his own playing style as a record-setting quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh, but the Patriots aren’t currently built to play that way. Personnel missteps by the prior regime put them in a compromising position, and that will take time to rectify.
So it’s challenging to truly assess the work of Van Pelt, who has been open about his ups and downs in his first year as a full-time playcallers since 2009 with the Bills.
“I feel like I’ve put us in some good situations. I’ve had some bad calls. Obviously, the Jets game haunts me a little bit, some of the calls in that game,” said Van Pelt, who acknowledged he needed to rely more on the run in that Week 3 loss.
“We all collectively to be better. I have to be better at situational football,” he said.
2. ‘Excited for 10’: One of the themes in the Patriots’ locker room by the end of the week was summed up by a veteran player who said, “I’m excited for 10.” The No. 10, of course, is rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who makes his first career start Sunday and whose mobility and strong arm to get the ball downfield created a different feel at practice this past week, according to players. Mayo felt a “renewed sense of energy” throughout the team — even without injured running back Rhamondre Stevenson (out with a foot injury) — and now the question is if it translates into the game.
3. WRs challenged: Patriots wide receivers have the fewest catches (39) and receiving yards (342) in the NFL. Will the team’s switch to Maye — with Polk, second-year player Kayshon Boutte and top slot DeMario Douglas in leading roles — help increase those numbers?
They have been challenged to show it, with one team source saying this week, “The ball’s coming out [on time], so let’s see what you got.”
One knock on risk-averse quarterback Brissett over the first five games was that he sometimes held the ball too long.
Jerod Mayo: Renewed sense of energy as Drake Maye has had a good couple days of practice. pic.twitter.com/FzEyyfrwdX
4. Kraft on Peppers: Patriots owner Robert Kraft was a guest on “The Breakfast Club”, a national morning radio show, promoting his just-launched “#TimeOut Against Hate” campaign, and also addressed safety Jabrill Peppers being placed on the commissioner exempt list.
“When you read the [police report] initially, it turns your stomach. Once he goes on the commissioner exempt list, they do their independent checking. We’re doing ours. If what was reported is true, he’s gone. There have been some suggestions that this was a set-up and a lot of what was reported isn’t accurate … We want to get the facts.”
5. Mapu as Phifer: Safety Marte Mapu, the 2023 third-round pick from Sacramento State, earned widespread respect from coaches and teammates after coming off the injured reserve last week and playing all 78 defensive snaps while also wearing the green dot on his helmet as the primary communicator to the sideline. Mapu had missed all but the first practice of training camp with what the team later announced as a calf injury.
His fast-but-physical style of play and unique role — part safety/part linebacker — had defensive backs coach Brian Belichick reflecting on one of the underrated players of the team’s initial championship years.
“Like a Roman Phifer-type back in the day,” Belichick said. “[Phifer] was less of a [traditional] linebacker, more of an athletic linebacker who could cover tight ends. That was obviously a different era — a lot more ’21 personnel’ [2 backs, 1 tight end] and you played with three ‘linebackers’ every snap.
“I love what Marte does for us. Obviously he plays in the box some, but plays as a safety and can move around the defense. That’s the special part of a player like that who can be so versatile for us.”
Question: Any update on Christian Barmore?
Jerod Mayo: “He’s progressing. He still has some checkpoints or hurdles to get over.”
Q: Do you think there is a better chance Christian could play at some point this season than you did a few weeks ago?
6. Maye 7th: Since 2000, Maye will become the seventh Patriots quarterback to make his first career start, joining Tom Brady (2001), Matt Cassel (2008), Jimmy Garoppolo (2016), Brissett (2016), Mac Jones (2021) and Bailey Zappe (2022). It likely wasn’t a coincidence that the Patriots were playing Brissett’s first career start — a 27-0 win over the Texans in Brissett’s rookie season — in the athletic room last week.
“Hopefully he has the same result,” Brissett said.
7. Andrews/Strange link: Longtime Patriots center David Andrews is scheduled to travel to Colorado to undergo shoulder surgery by Dr. Matthew Provencher, which will give him the best chance to play in 2025. Andrews explained on his “Quick Snap” podcast that he tore his previously repaired rotator cuff, so the plan is to put a sheath over it in hopes that the muscles regrow. When he returns to the Patriots after the surgery, he plans to rehab and work closely with 2022 first-round pick Cole Strange in his transition to learning the center position.
Strange, who has solely played guard at this point, is being looked at as a potential center for the future as Andrews enters his 11th (and possibly final) season in 2025. If Strange ultimately becomes his successor, it would be a notable part of Andrews’ already-impressive team legacy.
8. London plans: This week will be a different one for the Patriots from a travel standpoint, as they face the Jaguars at London’s Wembley Stadium next week. They plan to travel to London after Thursday’s practice in Foxborough, and then are scheduled for a Friday practice in the UK, with Mayo and Maye addressing international reporters that day as well.
Along those lines, special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer said he was already preparing for the Jaguars late last week, which is standard operating procedure for him.
9. Did you know? Part I: Maye will be 22 years, 44 days old on Sunday, making him the youngest quarterback to start a regular-season game for the Patriots since Drew Bledsoe in the team’s 1993 Week 18 season finale against the Dolphins. Bledsoe was 21 years, 322 days old.
10. Did you know? Part II: According to Elias Sports Bureau, when Mayo’s Patriots team hosts DeMeco Ryans’ Texans squad on Sunday, it will be the first NFL game featuring head coaches who made multiple Pro Bowls as players since Sept. 30, 1990 — when Art Shell and the Raiders defeated a Mike Ditka-led Bears team 24-10.
Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 66 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday: Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to 68 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Scattered showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Kona
Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows 69 to 75 near the shore to around 55 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday: Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 68 near 5000 feet. Southwest winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
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Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows 69 to 75 near the shore to around 55 near 5000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Waimea
Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday: Breezy. Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs around 83 near the shore to 70 to 80 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Kohala
Tonight: Breezy. Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph increasing to 10 to 20 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 20 percent.
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Sunday: Breezy. Mostly sunny with isolated showers. Highs around 83 near the shore to 70 to 80 near 3000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy with isolated showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to 54 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.
South Big Island
Tonight: Mostly clear. Breezy. Lows around 70 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds up to 20 mph shifting to the north up to 10 mph after midnight.
Sunday: Sunny and breezy. Highs around 85 near the shore to around 72 near 5000 feet. East winds up to 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows around 70 near the shore to around 53 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.
Puna
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Tonight: Partly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then mostly cloudy with scattered showers after midnight. Lows around 66 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday: Partly sunny with scattered showers in the morning, then mostly sunny with isolated showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to 68 to 73 at 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Scattered showers. Lows around 66 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. North winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.
Waikoloa
Tonight: Mostly clear. Lows 70 to 75 near the shore to 51 to 58 above 4000 feet. East winds up to 15 mph.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Breezy. Highs around 85 near the shore to 69 to 75 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds up to 20 mph.
Sunday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows 70 to 75 near the shore to 51 to 58 above 4000 feet. Light winds.
Synopsis
Moderate to breezy trades will continue through the rest of the weekend, with limited clouds and showers favoring windward and mauka locations. Trades will ease into the light to moderate range Monday through Tuesday, then begin to increase slightly through the remainder of the week.
Discussion
A lingering weakness in the surface ridge north of the state is allowing another afternoon of leeward sea breeze development under the weaker trade wind flow over the western half of the island chain. Meanwhile, drier air and locally breezy easterly trades are returning over the eastern half of the state and will fill in elsewhere through this evening through Sunday as the surface ridge strengthens and expands westward slightly. At the same time, mid- level heights will continue to rise over the region, increasing the stability and keeping rainfall totals limited. The best shower chances will still favor windward and mauka areas. A pattern transition is expected next week due to two broad gale lows forecast to form far northwest and northeast of the state. The surface ridge will weaken in response, allowing the trades to taper back into the light to moderate range and land/sea breezes to occur. Global models are keeping most of the weather associated with these systems far west and north-northeast of the area, so mostly dry conditions should persist locally. Shower activity will be mainly light and focused on windward slopes, as well as over leeward areas in the afternoons where localized sea breezes develop. Trade winds look to rebound slightly through the second half of the week as the strong lows to the north weaken.
Aviation
The ridge to the north of the islands will continue to bring light to moderate easterly trade winds to the region into Sunday, with a bit of an uptick in winds expected. Clouds and showers riding in on the trades will favor windward and mountain areas. Overall, VFR conditions should prevail with brief MVFR conditions possible in showers. While no AIRMETs are in effect this afternoon, an AIRMET for mountain obscuration cannot be ruled out tonight.
Marine
Fresh to locally strong trade winds will continue through the rest of the weekend. Winds will taper off beginning Monday as low pressure systems develop to the northeast and northwest of Hawaii. The northwest low will linger through much of next week keeping winds gentle to moderate out of the east southeast. A small, short-period north to northwest swell will gradually diminish Sunday and early next week, shifting to a more northeasterly direction by midweek. North facing shores will see the surf from the swell then shifting to east facing shores as the direction changes. Elsewhere, background south swell will keep surf from going flat along south shores. A small, long-period reinforcement is expected to arrive Monday night and decline through the week followed by another on Friday. A Coastal Flood Statement (CFWHFO) for all coastal zones is highlighting the fact that higher than forecast water levels are combining with full moon high tides, bringing the potential for minor coastal flooding, mainly during the early morning hours.
HFO Watches/Warnings/Advisories
Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST Sunday for Maalaea Bay, Pailolo Channel, Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island Leeward Waters, Big Island Southeast Waters.
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A Grande São Paulo ainda tem mais de 23 mil imóveis sem energia elétrica por causa da chuva moderada do último sábado (19). Somente na cidade de São Paulo eram cerca de 16 mil, segundo boletim divulgado pela Enel às 8h55 deste domingo (20).
No fim da manhã deste sábado, eram 138 mil clientes sem energia na região metropolitana.
A empresa informou que os pontos sem luz chegaram a 24 cidades da Grande São Paulo. Na capital, Pinheiros, Vila Andrade, Jabaquara e Santo Amaro estavam entre os bairros que foram afetados.
A Enel afirmou seus cerca de 2.400 profissionais seguem de prontidão para restabelecer o serviço.
“Chuvas de intensidade moderada a fraca atingem a área de concessão desde a manhã deste sábado (19). As ocorrências, com maior incidência em trechos das regiões oeste e sul, são de média e baixa complexidade. Os casos de hoje são característicos de dias de precipitação leve, porém persistente.”
Em São Bernardo do Campo, no ABC, quase 2.000 pontos estavam sem energia. Em Cotia, o problema afetava cerca de 1.250 imóveis pouco antes das 9h deste domingo.
Após um sábado (19) de chuva moderada no estado —quando eram esperados temporais— São Paulo deverá ter um domingo (20) com muita nebulosidade e garoa durante boa parte do dia, principalmente na região metropolitana.
O domingo deverá ser frio, com termômetros oscilando entre 15°C e 20°C na cidade de São Paulo. A umidade do ar poderá alcançar índice de 100%, conforme previsão do Inmet (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia).
Mesmo sem perspectiva de chuva com maior intensidade, a cidade ainda está com alerta amarelo do Inmet, de perigo potencial para tempestades, até este domingo (20), “mas com baixo risco de corte de energia elétrica, estragos em plantações, queda de galhos de árvores e de alagamentos”.
A conquista de uma vaga na final da Copa do Brasil, é com este objetivo que Corinthians e Flamengo entram em campo em Itaquera a partir das 16h (horário de Brasília) deste domingo (20). A partida terá transmissão ao vivo da Rádio Nacional.
O Timão chega muito motivado para a partida de volta da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Apesar de precisar de uma vitória para garantir a classificação (por dois ou mais gols de diferença para avançar nos 90 minutos, ou por uma diferença mínima para ir para a disputa de pênaltis), a equipe do Parque São Jorge ganhou uma dose extra de confiança após golear o Athletico-PR por 5 a 2 na última quinta-feira (17) em partida válida pelo Campeonato Brasileiro da Série A.
Outro fator que pode pesar a favor do Corinthians é o apoio de sua apaixonada torcida. Segundo o auxiliar da equipe, o argentino Emiliano Díaz, a Fiel pode fazer a diferença diante do Flamengo: “Este estádio fala, é impressionante. O apoio das pessoas é incondicional. Domingo é guerra, vamos jogar uma guerra, necessitamos do apoio da torcida, da resposta do grupo. São finais que temos que jogar e esperamos competir e fazer um bom jogo para toda a torcida”.
Um desfalque certo do Timão é o atacante Memphis Depay, que não foi inscrito em tempo hábil para a Copa do Brasil. O holandês mostrou sua qualidade técnica ao marcar um golaço de falta no triunfo sobre o Athletico-PR.
O Flamengo, por outro lado, começa o confronto com uma pequena vantagem no placar agregado, mas em um momento anímico negativo, em especial após um revés por 2 a 0 para o Fluminense no estádio do Maracanã. A primeira derrota do técnico Filipe Luís no comando da equipe foi marcada pela falta de efetividade do Rubro-Negro.
Última atividade no Ninho com foco na semifinal da @CopaDoBrasilCBF! Logo mais o Mengão segue viagem para São Paulo! 🔴⚫️
Segundo o comandante da equipe da Gávea, o objetivo agora é se concentrar na partida decisiva contra o Corinthians: “Triste que tenha sido [a derrota] num clássico e às vésperas da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Duro, mas o futebol te brinda com oportunidades a cada semana para se superar e recuperar a confiança. Temos que limpar a cabeça o mais rápido possível para nos prepararmos bem para o jogo de domingo”.
Uma boa notícia é que peças importantes, que não iniciaram o clássico com o Fluminense como titulares por causa do desgaste após jogos pela Data Fifa, retornarão à equipe, como Alex Sandro, Pulgar, De la Cruz, Arrascaeta e Gerson.
Transmissão da Rádio Nacional
A Rádio Nacional transmite Corinthians e Flamengo com a narração de André Luiz Mendes, comentários de Rodrigo Campos e reportagem de Rafael Monteiro. Você acompanha o Show de Bola Nacional aqui:
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