There’s nothing like a game against the New England Patriots to raise the spirits of an atrocious opposing team to high levels early.
This Houston Texans team was shellacked and shut out 40-0 by Buffalo last week. Yet, the Texans took the kickoff and per usual, marched right down the field on a 10-minute plus drive to take a six to nothing lead.
Yet, somehow, someway the New England Patriots came from behind and beat the Texans 25-22 in Houston, as the Patriots upped their record to 2-3.
This win could make all the difference if the Patriots make their usual later-season improvements, polish up their offense and defense, and drive toward a playoff spot. We’ll see.
The New England Patriots were pretty ugly on defense early
In the first half, the Patriots’ defensive linemen couldn’t identify runners in the holes. And when they did, the tackling wasn’t great.
The offseason dedicated some big bucks on players to do just that. To try to stop the run. The additions of Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson (out for the year on IR) have done little to help at all.
The young second-round draftee, Christian Barmore looks pretty good. Yet, the coaches don’t play him enough. Hope they do. It looks like he can be a difference-maker.
The linebackers are also were slow to fill holes. And the defensive backfield got torched for a 67-yard touchdown in the second quarter and a lot more later.
And, as usual, in recent Patriots teams, the defense had trouble early getting off the field on third down and fourth and short. Frustrating.
Other than Matt Judon (see below) and maybe Lawrence Guy with a blocked punt no one else did too much of anything of great note on the defense.
Yet, this team traded away its best defensive back, Stephon Gilmore, last week for the huge return of a sixth-round pick. Brilliant.
New England Patriots offense, errors, and resilience
On offense, once again Damien Harris fumbled. This time it was right at the goal line costing the Patriots six points and the lead. Not good.
The running game was pretty much dormant until the fourth quarter when they came to life. They had positive rushing yards after a minus one-yard performance last week. More on that later.
The team still needs to get a wide receiver who can take a ball to the house, aka into the end zone. No one in this current group can.
Interestingly, arguably their best receiver, Jakob Meyers has never scored a passing touchdown in three seasons. Not one. And he missed getting one today.
Meyers dropped about a 35-yard pass and maybe a touchdown from Jones before the half. The ball was perfectly thrown, right in his hands, and he was all alone. UGHH.
Jones must have been livid at that gaffe. He should have been. It was a huge drop. And it was a key negative play that kept the Patriots behind the eight-ball.
It would be great if they did go out and get a top wide receiver now, before the trade deadline. Yet, the chances of that happening are slim.
Yet, when all the chips were on the line, the receivers and tight ends delivered. Despite atrocious play-calling by offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with the ball at about the Houston 20, the Patriots somehow prevailed.
in the third quarter, McDaniels called three passes yet no passes thrown went further downfield than the line of scrimmage.
This is dreadful play-calling and showed little confidence in the brilliant Mac Jones who again threw for a magnificent completion percentage.
Now for the good takes on an unexpected yet welcome win.
A few New England Patriots positives in an ugly win
The Patriots’ best defensive player in the game, again, was linebacker Matt Judon.
Judon was hailed as a top addition.
He hasn’t disappointed one iota. He’s been as advertised, and much more. He’s the Patriots’ best defensive player and it’s not even close.
Once again he was the real bright light on defense. He had two sacks and the final fumble recovery. He has already equaled his sack total of last season at six and a half sacks in five games.
That eclipses the five-and-a-half top sack total for the New England Patriots all last season logged by Chase Winovich. Too bad he has so little help thus far.
Now, for anyone not convinced of Mac Jones’s excellence, time to get with the program. Overall, he was exceptional.
Jones threw a pick on the first drive of the second half yet showed the grit and determination to shake off the adversity and take his team all the way back for the win.
He threw for 231 yards on 23 of 30 passing with a touchdown and an interception. Again, that’s a phenomenal completion percentage of 76.6 percent. This is unusual, folks. Very.
Jones started on fire, leveled off after the Meyers drop, then rebounded in the final two quarters to get the win. In the process was a great pass to Hunter Henry for a big touchdown.
Henry led the way with 75 yards on six catches and the touchdown. Meyers had 56 yards on four catches and that big drop.
The Patriots at two and four are still alive in hopes for a playoff berth. Hopefully, they’ll load up with a top receiver and tackle before the trade deadline.
Yet, ironically with four offensive line starters out, the offensive line looked better than they have all season. How’s that possible?
But let’s give credit where it’s due, they did a better job than the four starters who are out. It was what it was.
The backs ran OK at 4.2 yards per carry and 126 yards total. Lots better than last week’s total of minus one on eight carries.
One reason was probably the re-introduction of Ted Karras into the team. He should have been at left guard right after Trent Brown went down in the first game. Finally, he started at right guard.
There was also a sighting of Yodny Cajuste at right tackle. Only a complete debacle on the offensive line got him involved. Yet, he proved he can do the job. Keep him there.
And Justin Herron, who has been terrible at right tackle, seized the day at left tackle. No idea how to analyze that. Yet, he did the job well. Maybe because Houston is that bad. Who knows?
Whatever the reasons, Herron and his linemates did the job today and did it very, very well. Only one sack on Mac Jones. That’s a good day’s work.
And, an old standby, the reliable James Ferentz stepped in at left guard and did the job. How often has he done that and done a workmanlike job?
And another good sign was at least the insertion of Rhamondre Stevenson into the backfield for some plays. He began to get some positive yards in the fourth quarter.
At two and three, the 2021 Patriots are still in the soup two games behind the Buffalo Bills. In fact, they should be four and one and tied with the Bills.
Yet, examples of awful coaching, some terrible offensive line play, some big-time fumbles, picks, and other gaffes have stymied them.
But the light at the end of the tunnel is that maybe someday this operation will give Mac Jones their young terrific quarterback the top weapons he needs to really succeed.
But that’s doubtful. They seldom did that for their prior tremendous quarterback. They won anyway. There aren’t many like him, if any though, who can do that.
Yet, nevertheless, a win ugly is still a win. The Patriots are two and three, not one and four, and still breathing in the scrap for a wild card berth.
Who knows what might eventuate. Like Kevin Garnett, Celtics great once said, “Anythiiiinnnnngggggs possibllllllllllllle!”