3 Studs and 2 Duds from Patriots’ Week 3 Win Over Jets

Well, they finally did it. It took the Patriots three weeks, but they finally have their first win of the 2023 NFL season.

It wasn’t pretty, but New England prevailed over the New York Jets in a rain-soaked affair at MetLife Stadium, extending its winning streak to 15 games over its division rivals.

Several Patriots stepped up big time in Week 3 to help bring home the first win of the season, although several players weren’t so hot.

Before we move on to Week 4, here are three studs and two duds from our first win of the season.

3 Studs & 2 Duds Patriots Week 3

1. STUD: Matthew Judon

Judon has had a knack for making big plays since joining the Patriots in 2021, and before that during his time with the Ravens as well. The four-time Pro Bowler racked up 28 sacks in 2021 and 2022 combined, raising expectations for his 2023 performance.

After notching 2 sacks and 7 tackles (including 3 for a loss) over the first two weeks, Judon was expected to be a key factor against Zach Wilson in the Jets in Week 3. Sure enough, he delivered the biggest play of the game during New England’s hard-earned victory.

With the Patriots clinging to a 13-10 lead late in the fourth quarter, Wilson dropped back to pass on 3rd & 15. He drifted into New York’s end zone, however, and that’s where Judon dropped him for a massive sack.

Judon’s safety essentially sealed the game for New England, extending the Pats’ lead to 15-10 and giving them the ball back ahead of the two-minute warning. Judon celebrated his big play appropriately, waving good bye to the legions of disappointed Jets fans in attendance.

Judon finished the game with 2 of New England’s 3 sacks and 2 tackles as well, leading the defense in another impressive performance.

2. STUD: Jabrill Peppers

Peppers has been a solid contributor to the Patriots’ defense since he signed with the team ahead of the 2022 season. He played in every game last year and earned a starting role this year, appearing in 94% of the team’s defensive snaps in Weeks 1 and 2 combined as New England’s strong safety.

After racking up 12 tackles, 1 defended pass and 1 forced fumble in his first two games, Peppers was at it again in Week 3. His 6 tackles (5 solo) led all Patriots players, anchoring New England’s strongest defensive outing of the season so far.

Peppers has proved he deserves his starting role and is quickly establishing himself as one of the most important players on the Patriots’ defense. If he stays healthy, this could wind up being a career year for him.

3. STUD: Ezekiel Elliott

It’s funny how quickly things can change in the NFL. One week you’re total dud, and then the next week you’re a total stud.

Elliott was looking like a massive bust heading into Week 3. New England’s new running back was a complete non-factor during the first two weeks of the season, managing just 42 rushing yards on 12 carries combined. The 28-year-old appeared washed up, and Patriots fans were already regretting his late-summer signing.

Well, that’s no longer the case after Week 3. Elliott turned back the clock with a vintage Zeke performance, rumbling for 80 yards on 16 carries.

While he didn’t get into the end zone, Elliott registered 21 more rushing yards than lead back Rhamondre Stevenson on 3 fewer carries, asserting himself as a reliable option in the ground game for the first time this season.

Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for Elliott, especially if Stevenson continues to struggle with his efficiency. The Pats have a tough road game in Dallas next week against Elliott’s former team and will need a big revenge game from him if they want to pull off the upset.

4. DUD: Rhamondre Stevenson

We sort of alluded to it above, but what’s wrong with Stevenson?

Fans had high hopes for him after he ran for 1,040 yards last year in just his second season. Heading into Year 3, he looked like New England’s best offensive player.

Instead, his first three weeks have been completely underwhelming. His slow start continued in Week 3 as he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry and was held out of the end zone, finding little room to run against a Jets defense that had trouble containing Elliott.

Stevenson has 134 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown through 3 games, averaging just 44.7 rushing yards per game (down from 61.2 YPG last year) and 2.9 yards per carry (down from 5.0). While the Patriots have faced some tough run defenses thus far, Stevenson’s sluggish start is growing increasingly concerning, putting a lot of pressure on him to break out in Week 4.

5. DUD: JuJu Smith-Schuster

While Zeke finally got going in Week 3, Smith-Schuster was totally MIA. He grabbed just 1 catch for 5 yards in another quiet afternoon for the veteran pass-catcher.

Granted, Mac Jones didn’t have a great day passing the ball in the rough conditions (15-of-29 for 201 yards), but Smith-Schuster did absolutely nothing to stand out.

Through weeks, he’s already looking like a major bust and a terrible free-agent signing by Bill Belichick. His yardage total has decreased every week from 33 to 28 to 5, proving that he isn’t viewed as the team’s No. 1 receiver after all.

With only 10 catches for 66 yards and no touchdowns, Smith-Schuster has been one of the biggest letdowns in the NFL this year. The fact that he hasn’t even had one big play yet is extremely alarming, and the Patriots must find a way to get him more involved in the offense before it’s too late.

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