The New England Patriots may have lost their Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks, but they sure came to play and held their own against one of the best teams in the league. They needed to make one more play at the end of the day, but there were plenty of encouraging one leading up to the Seahawks’s game-winning goal line stand. Which one of them stood out, however? You be the judge!
Here are five plays worthy of being crowned the Patriots’ biggest on Sunday, and please make sure to vote for your favorite below. The play with the most votes, as always, will be broken down in greater detail later during the week.
1.) Devin McCourty’s pick-six
DMac to the house! pic.twitter.com/TT9ieKtMMk
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) September 21, 2020
While it was eventually unable to keep up versus one of the best quarterbacks in football, the Patriots’ defense had a huge moment just three plays into the game: Russell Wilson tried to hook up with tight end Greg Olsen, but the veteran let the football slip through his fingers and right into the waiting arms of safety Devin McCourty. New England’s team captain took the football back 43 yards for the game’s first score — while also dedicating it to teammate James White, who had lost his father to a car crash earlier on the same day.
2.) N’Keal Harry’s fourth down catch
N'Keal Harry with a GROWN MAN catch on 4th down pic.twitter.com/ZLnu2774hz
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 21, 2020
N’Keal Harry had the statistically best game of his young career against Seattle, and finds himself on this list twice due to some of the plays he made. The first was an impressive fourth down conversion in the first quarter that eventually set up a touchdown: Cam Newton’s pass was perfectly placed and the former first-round draft pick was able to hold onto the ball for a 13-yard catch despite a helmet-to-helmet hit from Quandre Diggs.
3.) Julian Edelman for 49 yards
QB1 throwing pic.twitter.com/f3fZtfVWWV
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) September 21, 2020
With the Seahawks going up 28-17, the Patriots’ offense needed a spark and it found it in the form of a deep pass to Julian Edelman. The veteran wide receiver was matched up with superstar safety Jamal Adams but able to get behind him and reach out to grab Newton’s throw for a gain of 49 yards. New England’s biggest play of the day in terms of yardage eventually helped set up a 1-yard touchdown pass later during the series. Speaking of which...
4.) Fullback touchdown!
Fullback TD! pic.twitter.com/fbQTaDTa7V
— Pats Pulpit (@patspulpit) September 21, 2020
The Patriots offense scored three times out its jumbo package, but this variation brought a new wrinkle to the play. Instead of Cam Newton keeping the football, he faked the quarterback keeper and instead fired a pass to a wide open fullback. The catch was the first score of Jakob Johnson’s NFL career — and the next chapter in a journey that started with him arriving in the league via its International Pathway Program.
5.) Newton-to-Harry sets up one final shot
N'Keal Harry's catch inside the one-yard line. pic.twitter.com/AznhSaRgTR
— Andrew Bucholtz (@AndrewBucholtz) September 21, 2020
As noted above, the Patriots came within one yard of beating the Seahawks. They were in that situation because of the play leading up to it: with nine seconds left in the contest and New England owning only one timeout, Cam Newton hit N’Keal Harry for a 12-yard gain that set up the dramatic final act. New England eventually fell short, but Harry’s eighth and final reception of the day was nevertheless a positive one for him and the offense as a whole.
With that said, what do you think was the Patriots’ best play on Sunday?
Poll
Which play was the Patriots’ best on Sunday?
This poll is closed
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13%
McCourty’s pick-six
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20%
Harry’s fourth down catch
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50%
Edelman’s 49-yarder
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8%
Johnson’s touchdown catch
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8%
Newton to Harry