Quick-hit thoughts on the Patriots’ 27-13 win over the Jets

The New England Patriots had a nice bounce back win against the New York Jets this weekend. Here are my quick hit thoughts from the game:

• Good job on the first defensive drive. Wasn’t perfect, but they got off the field and that’s important for this defense.
• Great second effort by Sony Michel to pick up the first down. Can’t go three-and-out on the first drive.
• The series stalls after a long catch by Julian Edelman. Notably, a third down incompletion to Rob Gronkowski. Tom Brady’s throw was inside and late, which never gave him a chance to catch the ball.
• Elandon Roberts shook by Isaiah Crowell, which leads to a big play for the Jets into Pats territory.
• Then Deatrich Wise Jr. with a downright stupid penalty on third down to extend the drive.
• Zero pass rush leads to an easy touchdown from Josh McCown to Jermaine Kearse. Not what you’re looking for from the defense.
• The combination of penalties and mistakes from the defense on that drive could lead to disaster today if they don’t clean it up.
• After a bogus call on James White on third down, the Jets decide to give the Pats another chance on third down instead of making it fourth down, and they make them pay. A long touchdown from Brady to Gronk is the result. It was everything you want to see: Gronkowski makes a great catch while getting hit, Brady stands in the pocket to deliver a great throw. Gronk makes this offense dominant if he can keep making plays like that.
• Right after the touchdown, the Patriots kick coverage problems rear their head again, as the Jets return it out to the 35. And now they are driving at the end of the first.
• Some good things in the first quarter: A great catch by Gronk. Big plays by Edelman and Josh Gordon. Some bad things: Kick coverage. Allowing McCown to sit in the pocket and pick apart the defense.
• A big third down to start the second quarter, and the pass rush forces a bad throw by McCown. And who gets in there? Trey Flowers of course.
• Julian Edelman hates calling fair catches, and it scares the crap out of me. Someone needs to talk to him about this.
• I assume Trent Brown was actually holding on the long run by Sony Michel, but I didn’t see anything, even on the replay.
• This crew calls a ton of penalties, and it’s no different today. Luckily, it ends up helping the Patriots with a hands to the face penalty on second down to give them an automatic first.
• Trent Brown does a terrible job walling off the side and is called for holding, while David Andrews whiffs on his cut block and gets called for a chop block. The Patriots already have 70 yards of accepted penalties.
• Then two straight false start penalties push the Jets back and the Patriots force a three-and-out.
• Well, at least the Patriots went one play without a penalty, as a long run by Michel is once again negated by a penalty.
• What a throw by Brady to Edelman as LaAdrian Waddle just gets smoked off the edge. Edelman is shaken up on the next play, but he stays in the game.
• Michel’s stats may not show it so far because of all the penalties, but he’s been running hard in the first half.
• Great play by Gronk to knock a potential pick away from Jamal Adams in the end zone. The Patriots then run exactly the same play and Brady throws it out of bounds. Gronkowski was in position on both of the plays if Brady makes the right throw: a jump ball that Gronk could’ve fought for. Don’t love the play calling, though. They settle for a field goal to take a three-point lead.
• Good job from the kick coverage team doesn’t matter because Jason McCourty gets smoked by Quincy Enunwa on the first play of the ensuing Jets drive.
• A pick by Stephon Gilmore on the next play turns things around! It’s forced by a solid pass rush that led to an early and short throw by McCown.
• The Patriots have 98 yards to go, but, because they receive the second half kick, they have a chance at the Brady Parlay.
• Michel with a tough run, breaking a tackle at the line to bring up 3rd and 4.
• The Jets, smartly, have used both of their timeouts to try to get the ball back. And it pays off, because they stop Michel when he runs into his own blocker on third down.
• With no timeouts, the Jets drive down the field, thanks to a long pass against Jonathan Jones, and tie the game up with a 55-yard field goal to end the half. Once again, not what you’re looking for from the defense.
• A rough first half from the Patriots. This Jets team was down 31-0 last week to the Bills. Need to execute better on offense and defense, and need to stop committing penalties.
• The second half starts with a great run by Sony Michel. After running into his own blocker on the last offensive play of the first half, he made some nice cuts and broke a tackle to pick up 31 yards.
• Michel gets stuffed on 3rd and 1 at the 10, and goes down awkwardly. Hopefully it’s not serious, but he didn’t look good coming off the field.
• Patterson then picks up 4th and 1, thanks in part to Jacob Hollister shoving him forward, completing a solid second effort by Patterson to pick up the first
• Two terrible throws by Brady to White brings up a 3rd and goal from the 9. Then he misses Gronk in the end zone, who had a step on Darron Lee.
• Then yet another penalty on the Patriots negates a field goal from Ghost, luckily, he hits the second one too, and the Pats lead 13-10.
• The Patriots defense is once again Swiss cheese. The Jets get help on a questionable holding call against Stephon Gilmore. After the penalty, two good rushes by the linebackers, one by Kyle Van Noy where he knocks the pass down, the second by Dont’a Hightower to force a bad throw.
• McCown gets away and picks up 11 on 3rd and 10 but the Patriots keep bringing the heat with blitzes, and the Jets are forced to kick a 38-yard FG. The game is once again tied, now 13-13.
• Impressive drive by the Patriots to follow up the field goal by the Jets, driving down in just four plays: a long run by White, a long catch by Hogan, and then a touchdown catch by Edelman when Brady pumped towards Gronk to draw the defense and free up the receiver. He then did the rest by lowering his shoulder and bullying his way into the end zone.
• Looks like the injury to Edelman wasn’t serious. It also appears that the injury to Michel wasn’t severe, as he’s still on the sideline in full pads with his helmet on.
• Another tipped ball caught by Jermaine Kearse. Luckily, this one didn’t cost the Patriots too much. Then the Patriots get a sack by Wise Jr. to force a punt that ends up in the end zone for a touchback.
• Michel has been a beast today. He’s gained some very tough yards and made some great cuts to free himself up in space. The touchdown is another great example of that.
• A solid play by Gilmore on a long pass on third down forces the incompletion to Robby Anderson.
• But the Patriots go three-and-out on the next drive, giving the Jets the ball back at their own 40 with about five minutes left
• Solid stand by the Patriots in the red zone, including good plays in the end zone by Gilmore, Jason McCourty, and J.C. Jackson.
• A long run by James White on second down seals the game for the Patriots, as they move to 8-3.
• Overall, a rough start for the Patriots was followed up by a solid second half to give the Patriots a 14 point victory. If the Patriots can run the ball as effectively as they did today, they may not lose again this year.

Pat is the host of The Patriot Nation Podcast

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