New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt is looking back on his game plan in the team’s 24-3 loss to the New York Jets on Thursday with regret.
When speaking with media members on Monday, Van Pelt admitted the team should have run the ball more earlier in the game.
The Patriots seemingly went away from the rushing attack for the majority of the game. They only had 15 total carries for 78 yards. There was some efficiency there, as they averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Antonio Gibson led the team with only five carries for 28 yards on the evening.
The Jets have struggled against the run this season, giving up 129.3 yards per game over the first three games of the season. They were also playing without All-Pro linebacker C.J. Mosley on Thursday.
“In hindsight, should’ve flipped that and ran the ball more early,” said Van Pelt, via Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar.
#Patriots OC Alex Van Pelt: "In hindsight, should've flipped that and ran the ball more early."
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) September 20, 2024
Things won’t get any easier with the Patriots set to take on the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4. They’ll have to deal with another tough defensive front led by former Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.