New England Patriots: Game ball goes to Bill Belichick for shutout vs Lions

The Detroit Lions came into Sunday’s Week 5 matchup against the New England Patriots as the highest scoring team in the entire NFL.  They left the game with a big, fat goose egg.

In the team’s 29-0 victory over the Lions at Gillette Stadium, Bill Belichick and the Patriots turned back the clock with old school football, throwback uniforms and all and beat a high-powered Detroit team with good defense, a strong running game behind Rhamondre Stevenson and some timely throws from rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe.

New England Patriots put forth complete team effort to trounce Detroit Lions

Although the run defense was still a little suspect, the Patriots stopped the Lions on six fourth down attempts and got after Jared Goff on passing situations.  That man Matt Judon wreaked havoc in the backfield, creating a score on a strip sack that was taken to the house by safety Kyle Dugger.

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In this 400th game as the head coach of the New England Patriots, Belichick showed he can still coach his you know what off as he prepared his team both offensively and defensively to be in position to not only win a must-have game, but dominant rookie quarterback and all.

But, in Belichick fashion, he credited the success to the players, and his coaching staff.

"“Great coaching by the staff.  Good plan.  Well executed by the players,” Belichick said following the game.  “They have so many go-to guys, it’s hard to stop.  They’re a good sub-run time.  We made the stop on that on I think it was a third and two, which put them into a fourth and 8, 9, whatever it was.  That was a big stop.  The fourth down stop was really – third down stop, it’s a good sub-run team.  St. Brown is tough.  Hockenson is tough.  Reynolds is tough.  We saw Goff scramble out of the pocket sometimes as well.  Not that he is an elite runner, but he is an effective runner and knows how to convert those third downs or fourth downs.  Again, team defense.”"

In typical Bill Belichick fashion, the Patriots took away the Lions’ best offensive players by limiting both TJ Hockenson and Amon-Ra St. Brown.  Both of those players were quiet in the game as the defense dictated the game.

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Although it was the players who executed, Bill Belichick must get some praise here.  After falling short the last couple of weeks against the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers, the Patriots put it all together on both sides of the ball on Sunday which looked extra good in those red uniforms.

Whether it is Judon, Christian Barmore, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Adrian Phillips, Kyle Dugger or rookie cornerback Jack Jones, the New England Patriots defense made the kind of plays on Sunday that should help them go on a bit of a run whether Mac Jones or Zappe is under center going forward.

Great team win, great coaching job.

Game ball goes to Bill Belichick.