Getty N'Keal Harry.
The New England Patriots looked far from championship-caliber on offense against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon in a 17-10 victory. But most importantly, the defense allowed the Patriots to get back in the win column for a much-needed result.
New England endured a slow start, eventually pulling ahead on a trick play when Julian Edelman tossed touchdown pass to Phillip Dorsett. With the exception of an Eagles scoring drive, both defenses canceled each other out in a contest that resembled the opposite of their Super Bowl LII encounter.
The Patriots defense looked like they were destined to repeat its blunders from a brutal showing in Baltimore two weeks ago, but after falling behind 10-0, they settled in quickly. On offense, New England struggled to find consistency as Brady had little time to throw and Patriots’ running backs had few holes to hit.
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Here are a few observations.
Play-Calling Faltered
Some of the Patriots’ play calls were a little questionable. No instance was more infuriating than on 1st & Goal at the 4-yard line. The Patriots had varied success running the ball early, but in a shortened field and four downs to work with, could have afforded to at least try. Instead, three incomplete passes later and the Patriots were forced to settle for a field goal.
There were some other plays where New England needed just a short gain to extend a drive and looked to air it out deep to no avail. The Patriots became a little predictable at times when it came to their runs and play-action calls as well as short slants to the outside.
In most instances, however, the Patriots pushed the right buttons and got big plays in the process.
What is Sony Michel’s Purpose?
Against Baltimore, the Patriots went away from Michel completely. On Sunday, the Patriots tried to involve Michel in the running game and got mixed results. He rushed seven times for 25 yards and also caught two passes. The Patriots tried to get him involved in both ways, but he was either stalled on the ground or not connecting through the air. It’s starting to raise questions as to what Michel can provide for this offense.
Boost Coming on the O-Line
The Patriots offensive line continued to struggle against the Eagles’ pass rush, failing to contain blitzes or pave holes for its running backs. Most of the Patriots’ best runs came off the edge with either James White, Sony Michel, or Rex Burkhead winning races to the edge and cutting the corner for a decent game. Passing, Brady was continuously pressured and knocked down. Left tackle Marshall Newhouse had one of his worst games of the year containing rushers, but fortunately for New England he should be replaced this week by Isaiah Wynn.
Tight Ends Got Involved
With so much speculation about Rob Gronkowski getting back in the mix, the Patriots’ top two tight ends picked a good time to have easily its most productive game of the year. Ben Watson especially, catching three passes for 52 yards. Matt LaCosse had a hand in run-blocking to the outside and also caught a pair of passes. If those two can continue to play like they did on Sunday, it’s adequate enough for a very diverse Patriots offense.
Defense Looked Better
Well, certainly anything is an improvement over the Patriots’ performance against Baltimore. But in Philly, the Patriots defense kept the Eagles off the board for the final 40 minutes of the night. New England’s pass rush put pressure on Carson Wentz throughout the game and produced five sacks. Aside from Zack Ertz, the Patriots weren’t really gashed through the air and limited most of the damage to short, spotty gains.
It’s Tricky!
The Patriots pulled out their own set of trick plays fittingly against the Eagles. On two occasions, New England attempted a double pass. The first one fell incomplete on a Brady to Burkhead to Brady to Dorsett attempt. But the second one connected for a touchdown by Julian Edelman to Dorsett. The Patriots don’t often run these kinds of plays but often know when to call their shot.
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