Week 9 Patriots vs Washington: Three Stars of the Game from the 27-10 Patriots Victory

Honorable Mention: The secondary and the sun. We have to give kudos to the defensive backs for a great outing, but the sun was really the MVP. Washington dropped roughly sixty passes over the course of the day and led to many a stilted drive.

Third Star: Kicker Stephen Gostkowski deserves props and this is as good of a game to give him notice. He has been fairly automatic this season and this game was no different, connecting on two short field goals and three extra points.

Second Star: Defensive tackle Alan Branch was a stud on defense, being disruptive against both the run and the pass. He bulldozed his way into the backfield on multiple occasions and really helped the Patriots to build up an early lead over Washington.

First Star: Running back LeGarrette Blount really stepped up after the injury to Dion Lewis. He put the team on his back and really ground away the rest of the game, picking up 129 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts. The Patriots will need him more than ever before moving forward.