New England Patriots show winning formula in victory vs Lions
By Jack Murray
The fifth game of the New England Patriots 2022 NFL Season had all the makings of a trap game.
The Patriots were starting a third-string quarterback against a team with a supposed top-tier offense, so a slugfest-type game seemed like a nightmare scenario.
Instead, New England were the team that inflicted nightmares on the visiting Detroit Lions, and those dreams likely contain running back Rhamondre Stevenson and linebacker Matthew Judon.
New England Patriots display dominance on both sides of the ball
The 29–0 final score featured the best performance of the year from the Patriots on all three phases of the game. The defense scored seven points and held the Lions to an 0–6 slate on fourth down. The offense saw quarterback Bailey Zappe have an efficient day at 17–21 for 188 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Stevenson dominated the field with 161 yards on 25 carries and 14 yards from two catches.
Special teams was where the New England
Patriots really hit their mark, specifically with kicker Nick Folk who pounded five field goals through the uprights.
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This was a must-win game for New England, and they absolutely capitalized on it. They built off of a good effort from last week and now are staring down four winnable opponents in the next five games.
What to make of this New England Patriots team?
This win proved that the team is moving in the right direction. The offense has improved despite starting the rookie Zappe, and this means that it should be more dynamic when the return of Mac Jones comes in a few weeks. That is exactly the direction fans would want the team to be heading in, so an optimistic attitude is appropriate.
Still, it is not time to overreact. The Patriots are still 2–3 and sitting in last place in the AFC East. The combined record of the teams they have emerged victorious against is 2–8. This is a team that still has a lot to prove, and a win against a struggling Lions team doesn’t point towards another Super Bowl run.
Next. Game ball goes to Bill Belichick for shutout vs Lions. dark
Still, it was a must-win game that the New England Patriots showed up for, proving that they are still removed from being a bottom feeder and capable of competing against other playoff contenders.