3 Encouraging Signs of Progress From Patriots' Massive Week 7 Win
By Tyler Maher
With their backs to the wall, the New England Patriots pulled off an incredible 29-25 upset win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 7, coming back during the final minute to upset their division rivals.
The Patriots looked like a totally different team on Sunday compared to the lackluster outfit that lost five of its first six games. The offense was efficient and took care of the football, the defense didn't break and against a potent offense, and the team didn't totally collapse at the end of the game.
New England finally showed some signs of life after three straight losses, and perhaps the team is finally turning a corner. Maybe its season isn't over just yet, after all.
With that in mind, here were the three most encouraging signs of progress from Sunday's victory.
3 Signs of Progress From Patriots' Week 7 Win
1. Mac Jones Isn't Broken After All
For the last three weeks, it was fair to wonder if New England had completely broken Mac Jones. The once-promising quarterback who made the playoffs and earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie in 2021 looked completely lost at sea, leading many fans to call for a change at quarterback.
Well, Jones silenced the doubters in Week 7. After throwing no interceptions and turning the ball over seven times in his three previous games combined, Jones once again looked like a talented signal caller. He was remarkably efficient, completing 25 of his 30 pass attempts for 272 yards and 2 touchdowns. He did not commit any turnovers and did a good job avoiding the Buffalo pass rush, taking just 1 sack for 4 yards.
And more importantly, Jones finally led his team on a game-winning drive. With the ball in his hands, the Patriots down three and less than two minutes remaining on the clock, Jones stepped up and marched his team down the field. The drive culminated with Jones' game-winning touchdown pass to Mike Gesicki in the end zone with 12 seconds left, sealing New England's victory.
Jones had failed in similar situations earlier this season and hasn't had a game-winning drive since 2021, so it was encouraging to see him finally get over the hump and finish the drive. Hopefully this game helps restore Jones' confidence, which appeared to be at an all-time low in recent weeks. It was a job-saving performance and was easily one of the best games of his career.