Patriots Regular-Season Grades for Each Position
As the New England Patriots enjoy their first-round bye in the NFL playoffs, they have the luxury of doing some self-scouting. What they will see is a team that has had some consistent performers at key positions all year.
When grading out each position, I felt like I was being over-positive. However, a team that won 12 games—including a 4-1 record against playoff teams—is going to receive some good marks.
Here is how each positional group fared during the 2014 NFL regular season.
Grades were based on expectations, production and consistency. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was used for reference throughout.
Quarterback
1 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: A-
Despite a rocky 2-2 start that had some Patriots fans questioning their longtime leader on offense, Tom Brady was as good as ever down the stretch.
Utilizing each and every weapon afforded to him, Brady consistently put up points in clutch situations. His deep passing was still a bit shaky—hence the lack of an "A" grade—but few quarterbacks move the chains like Brady.
As a backup, Jimmy Garoppolo shined in limited work. He finished the year with a 101.2 quarterback rating on 27 pass attempts. His frenetic approach on the field energizes his teammates. The Patriots look to be in good hands if they—or Brady—should choose to move on.
Running Back
2 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: A-
If you thought Jonas Gray would lead the Patriots with 412 rushing yards this year, enjoy your countless lottery victories. While one running back didn't dominate all year long, New England got timely contributions from a plethora of ball-carriers.
Stevan Ridley carried the rock early in the year, before ceding his starting job to Gray and LeGarrette Blount. Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden were versatile contributors as well. Vereen was a third-down staple while Bolden was a monster on special teams.
Tight End
3 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: A
After four weeks this grade would have been a solid "C". However, Rob Gronkowski and Tim Wright took over the last 12 games, scoring 15 touchdowns down the stretch.
The duo were also a big part of the running game, opening up holes with their blocking ability. The penchant for the Patriots offense to transform from a power-run offense to a five-wide passing attack without changing their "12" personnel was a big part of their success.
While Michael Hoomanawanui didn't have a huge year—just three catches—he brought a known entity that Tom Brady could rely on to be in the right position.
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Wide Receiver
4 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: B-
This grade is more about who didn't show up than those who did. Julian Edelman was as good as ever. Brandon LaFell became a star after no-showing in the first two weeks. A wide receiver corps is more than just two players, however.
Aaron Dobson was limited with an injury early and left with a hamstring injury when he finally got his chance. Josh Boyce spent the majority of the year on the practice squad after failing to make the 53-man roster. The inability of those two to see the field limited what could have been a historic offense.
Danny Amendola was a disappointment as well, catching only 27 balls on 322 pass routes run. His contributions on special teams, however, mitigated some of the disappointment.
This positional group could see some new blood in 2015.
Offensive Line
5 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: B
This is a tale of two groups. The best five—Nate Solder, Dan Connolly, Bryan Stork, Ryan Wendell and Sebastian Vollmer—deserve an "A" for the work they put in protecting Tom Brady. Their backups—Jordan Devey, Josh Kline, Marcus Cannon and Cameron Fleming—deserve a "C-" at best.
Unfortunately, the amount of injuries forced Bill Belichick into playing a lot of guys from the second group. You only need one weak link to break a mighty chain.
Look for New England to target depth on the offensive line this offseason.
Defensive Line
6 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: B-
Similar to the wide receivers, the defensive line had a few solid efforts diminished by some disappointments. Dominique Easley wasn't 100 percent all year, while Chris Jones couldn't match his 2013 production. Chandler Jones played well when healthy, but he was absent for a long stretch in the heart of the season.
Luckily, Vince Wilfork had one of the better seasons of his career. He was dominant against the run and played more snaps than all but seven defenders. Rob Ninkovich was as steady as ever. Sealver Siliga, Alan Branch and Akeem Ayers were all players that stepped into roles in the middle of the season and made big contributions.
The 2014 postseason could depend on how well these new acquisitions perform.
Linebackers
7 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: A+
Even without Jerod Mayo—who was placed on injured reserve—the linebackers were the best group from top to bottom. Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins were two of the best linebackers in the league, displaying impressive versatility combating the run, dropping into coverage and rushing the passer.
Reserves Jonathan Casillas, Darius Fleming and Deontae Skinner filled in admirably when needed, but it was really a two-man show.
Look for the Patriots' dynamic duo to lead the defense on a deep playoff run.
Defensive Backs
8 of 9
Regular-Season Grade: A
As well as the linebackers have played, the Patriots defense isn't the same without Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner on the outside. The physical cornerbacks wore down receivers all year and forced quarterbacks to throw out of their comfort zones.
At safety, Pat Chung, Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon and Tavon Wilson all made contributions. Chung was a force against the run, while McCourty continued his under-the-radar stellar play as a single-high safety.
Regressions from the likes of Logan Ryan and Alfonzo Dennard were the only reason that the defensive backs didn't match the "A+" of the linebackers.
Special Teams
9 of 9
Regular Season Grade: A-
Stephen Gostkowski was 35-of-37 on field goals and boomed his kickoffs all year. A career year for most kickers was just another normal year for the Patriots kicker.
Ryan Allen was a bit inconsistent, but he boomed big kicks when he was under pressure. He did an admirable job as a holder as well.
Specialists Julian Edelman, Matthew Slater and Danny Amendola performed at the top of their class, while Danny Aiken was a bit below average. He is the weak spot in the special teams battery at this point and a small cause for concern.
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