The folks over at Pro Football Focus (PFF) have provided a breakdown for the Patriots blowout victory. Ben Stockwell's Refocused article highlights the performances of Tom Brady, James Develin and Shane Vereen.
Performances of note:
The Patriots five starting linemen all graded positively for the first time this season, with Nate Solder having his best game of the year. Dan Connolly earned the best blocking grade on the team, which means the left side of the line definitely showed up to play. It's clear the new formation is a step above what the team has been fielding; it's crazy to think this was the first week the Patriots didn't play a converted tackle at guard (Marcus Cannon, Jordan Devey, and Cameron Fleming are all tackles).
Our own James Develin posted a great +2.5 score and was voted honorable mention fullback of the week for his performance.
Brandon LaFell led receivers with 78 snaps, ahead of Julian Edelman's 69, a testament to how involved LaFell is and how important he's become for the team.
Tom Brady was 8/13 on passes beyond 10+ yards, a tremendous improvement over weeks past. The extra time in the pocket to let him settle and make a quality read did wonders. He posted a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeting new tight end Tim Wright.
Jerod Mayo was the only Patriots defender to finish with a noticeably positive game against the run. He shot the gap to great effect multiple times, but it's clear the Patriots missed Dont'a Hightower.
Vince Wilfork has graded positively each of the past four weeks; his twilight renaissance cannot be understated.
PFF offers "Signature Stats" that go beyond the box score.
Danny Amendola has been targeted on 7.5% of his 106 slot routes, last among qualifying receivers.
Stevan Ridley has the lowest Elusive Rating and Yards after Contact per Attempt of any qualifying running back.
Rob Gronkowski ranks 4th among tight ends with 2.40 Yards per Route Run.