A brief analysis of last week’s victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as a look ahead to Sunday’s game against the Jets.
What Went Right
M.E.A.T. (MOST EFFICIENT of ALL TIME):
Tom Brady’s stat-line of 30-40 for 303 yards may seem subpar for a quarterback of his caliber, but in hindsight this was quite an efficient performance. Every Patriots player that caught a pass from Brady finished the game with more than one reception.This is nothing to sneeze at. At the age of 40, Brady can still beat teams with both his arm and his mind. Very few quarterbacks can get hit as often as he did last Thursday (and has been getting hit all season) and still put up solid numbers. This is a testament to why he’s the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.).
– IS THAT DEFENSE I SEE?:
Shockingly, there were moments in last Thursday’s game where the defense looked solid. Devin McCourty had 11 tackles (all solo). It was a step in the right direction for a defense that has looked like a shell of its former self all season. Hopefully this win will give the defense some momentum and more importantly some confidence going forward.
– AN UGLY WIN IS STILL A WIN:
Over the course of a 16-game season, teams are bound to win some ugly games. This was the first of what could be many ugly victories for the Patriots this season. Some weeks you just have to take your victory and move on to next week.
What Went Wrong
-NOBODY’S PERFECT:
Tom Brady threw his first interception of the season last Thursday. No starting quarterback is capable of finishing a season without throwing one, but let’s hope that this is not a sign of things to come. A game against the putrid Jets pass defense should do him some good.
– DON’T HIT THE QUARTERBACK:
Tom Brady was sacked three times and hit six times. One of these sacks resulted in a fumble and turnover by Brady. He is actually getting hit at an astonishing rate compared to past seasons.You have to wonder how many more hits Brady can take at the age of 40. Let’s hope that the Patriots offensive line can get it together before it’s too late.
– WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS:
Although it’s still somewhat early in the season one thing is clear, this isn’t Patriots football. A prime example of this came just before halftime. On two consecutive plays the Patriots were flagged for Roughing the Passer, which amassed 30 penalty yards and put the Buccaneers in field goal range. They missed the kick, but that’s neither here nor there. The Patriots don’t make careless mistakes, they force other teams to. Get it together fellas before Belichick trades you to Cleveland for a draft pick and a Slim Jim.
Two Point Conversion
– FIRE UP THE JETS:
This game against the Jets will tell us which direction the team is going. A loss (or even an ugly win) means the Patriots are in BIG trouble. This is a statement game for the Pats. The Jets tend to play them tough in the meadowlands, but they clearly aren’t in the same class as the Patriots. The Pats need to embarrass the Jets, and they will. Expect Brady to pick the Jets defense apart piece by piece. The Pats know what’s being said about them and that their reputation is on the line. They will show up and show out.
– FINAL SCORE PREDICTION:
Patriots 38 – Jets 10
