New England Patriots: 5 observations from NFL regular-season finale
The New England Patriots wrapped up the regular season with a 38-3 thumping of the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The New England Patriots set out to play 60 minutes of football and that is exactly what they did by destroying the New York Jets 38-3 Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
With the win, the Patriots improved their record to 11-5 and most importantly, secured the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye. They also became the only team this season to go undefeated at home during the regular season, which shows just how important homefield advantage is to the team.
Yes, it was just the New York Jets, but it was an impressive all-around effort for Bill Belichick’s team. Tom Brady looked just like Tom Brady again, spreading the ball around and throwing for four touchdowns.
There was even a glimpse of the old Rob Gronkowski, who looked healthier when he did get a chance to touch the ball. The running backs were also utilized in the game, including two passing touchdowns to both James White and Rex Burkhead.
And with the offense rocking and showing off their versatility, the New England Patriots defense did their part as well. Not only were they solid against the run, they kept Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold at bay and even forced a defensive touchdown with a strip sack return by Kyle Van Noy.
Was this the complete game effort Belihcick was looking for?
Close enough.
"“Yeah, it was a good team win,” Belichick said following the game. “We got contributions from every area. There’s still room for improvement, things we can do better but certainly we’re happy to win and happy to be moving on. We’ll take it.”"