The New York Jets are doing everything they can in order to lock up a playoff spot, so the New England Patriots will have their work cut out for them in Week 16; “X” receiver Brandon LaFell can help prevent them from being upset.
Brandon LaFell drew the ire of New England Patriots fans for three straight dreadful performances against the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans from Week 12 to Week 14. Instead of stepping up with Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, and Danny Amendola dealing with injuries of varying severity, LaFell dropped basically everything in sight, never surpassing four receptions or 9.0 yards per reception in a single game during that span.
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Those three displays were a far cry from what LaFell is capable of, and we saw a glimpse of his playmaking ability back in Week 9. In his third game back after being activated from the PUP list, LaFell took full advantage of a shoddy Washington Redskins secondary to produce 102 receiving yards on just five catches.
LaFell’s cold streak may have caused the fan base to sour on him, but it was always important to remember just how well he played the previous season. In a larger sample of 16 games in 2014, LaFell racked up 74 catches with seven touchdowns, playing a key role as a big body and field-stretcher on the outside in the Patriots offense.
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Week 15 presented the 29-year-old LSU product with a prime bounce-back opportunity against a beatable Tennessee Titans secondary, and I named him one of my top ten sleeper wide receivers. LaFell delivered for both gutsy fantasy owners and the Patriots, turning just four receptions into 88 yards.
This week, things won’t be so easy with Darrelle Revis and the New York Jets beckoning, but the increased difficulty of the opponent makes LaFell all the more critical to the success of the offense. We all know what Tom Brady can do with a limited array of weapons, but he’ll be even more limited than usual this week with Amendola most likely out. Gronk and running back James White are two players he can rely on, but the Patriots might not have much success against the Jets if LaFell doesn’t step up for a second straight week.
See, for as many mis-matches as the Patriots can make with their TE, RB, and the shifty Keshawn Martin, it’s always nice to have your “X” receiver clicking. Moreover, it’s quite an impediment to offensive efficiency when your top target on the outside is dropping a copious amount of passes and not generating much separation. Those two issues plagued LaFell during his nadir in the 2015 regular season, and he did a 180-degree turn in Week 15 against Tennessee in both of those departments.
Fans, especially Patriots fans, are forgiving, but that doesn’t happen overnight. Just as it took more than one game for LaFell to be thrown in the doghouse, so, too, will it take more than one game for him to be back in the good graces of the fan base. That said, Brady will always turn to him and Bill Belichick will always play him, simply because the Patriots don’t have anyone better on the outside.
Dec 13, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell (19) during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
And therein lies LaFell’s ultimate value to the Patriots offense. When he’s not at his best, the Patriots are robbed of their best vertical threat on the outside, as well as a physically strong receiver who is adept at blocking for the running game and winning in contested situations.
He’s no star receiver, but LaFell is the sort of player who needs to establish himself as a factor against top teams. After all, the Patriots probably would have won (Gronk injury and all) against the Broncos and Eagles if LaFell played more like he did in Week 15.
Most people looking at this week’s matchup between the Patriots and Jets will highlight LaFell-Revis as a mis-match that decisively favors Todd Bowles’s team, but that’s over-simplifying things.
According to Football Outsiders, the Jets are actually the best team in the NFL in terms of DVOA against No. 2 receivers. They are actually about average vs. No. 1 guys, surrendering nearly 80 yards to these receivers.
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Since Amendola is dealing with a knee injury he picked up last week and the Patriots can ill-afford to lose their second standout slot weapon, LaFell, barring an unexpected development, will be the team’s No. 1 receiver this week.
Gronk and White could both garner more targets than LaFell, but the second-year Patriot’s role is well-defined. If he can come up big against the hated Jets, then Patriots fans can breathe easy with the knowledge that he is indeed back to his best.