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After a tough Week 1 loss at home to a division rival, the New England Patriots – and primarily their defense – rebounded significantly on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium. Led by four interceptions and four sacks on rookie Zach Wilson, the Patriots defeated the New York Jets 25-6 in a game where the home side never really had momentum.
There’s still plenty of room for improvement for a Patriots team that prides itself on getting better week after week. Running defense is still an issue after giving up over 150 rushing yards and five rushing yards while the offense is still struggling in the red zone and finishing its practices. But as quarterback Mac Jones said, “It’s tough to win in the NFL,” so they’ll get – what they’re hoping for – one of many wins this season.
Let’s move on to the winners and losers of Sunday’s contest:
Winner: RB Damien Harris
With a week away from his costly fumble with a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, Harris rebounded with a monster game on Sunday afternoon. He carried the ball 16 times for 62 yards with an impressive 26 yards where he missed seven tackles before making his way into the end zone. On a day when the Jets high school won shots on the Patriots field, Harris helped the Patriots move the ball efficiently and consistently get them in position to score points. If the Patriots are to be a successful team, they’ll need to handle the ball effectively and that starts with Harris in the lead.
Winner: CB JC Jackson
There was a lot of talk about the Corey Davis v JC Jackson game ahead of Sunday’s game. Davis, who historically torched the Patriots in the past, was limited to just two catches for 8 yards while Jackson caught two interceptions. Jackson said earlier in the week that Stephon Gilmore had helped him prepare for Davis this week and Jackson responded in a big way. Last week, the Patriots high school couldn’t leave the field on the third down but had a massive Sunday with four interceptions, including two coming from Jackson in Wilson’s first five attempts of the day.
Winner: LB Matthew Judon
The more you watch Judon play football, the more fun it gets. Judon was constantly in the Jets’ backfield from the start, making life extremely difficult for Wilson to settle down. He had three tackles – one for a loss – a sack and three quarterback hits. With a secondary still trying to find his rhythm and consistency, Judon lashing out at the quarterback is imperative for the Patriots to succeed and force turnovers.
Loser: OT Yasir Durant
With Trent Brown with calf strain, the Patriots had several questions as to who would play the right tackle this week. With Justin Herron struggling last week in relief, Durant only got the green light for his second career start. In his first six shots of Sunday’s game, he allowed a sack and two quarterback hits before being quickly relieved by Herron. It’s clear that the only hole the Patriots have on offense Brown is missing and the inability to find a solid, reliable swing tackle in his absence. The Patriots offense has worsened since Brown left the field at the start of Week 1.
Winner: K Nick Folk
With much uncertainty over the past few weeks about the position of the kicks, Folk said after Sunday’s game that he had just tried to “control what he can control”. Folk was 4-for-4 with a length of 49 yards in Sunday’s win and was huge for the Patriots as their offense still seeks consistency. Folk broke the franchise record with 32 straight kicks in the third quarter after hitting (ironically) a 32-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 13-3 lead. Ever since Folk arrived in New England he has been one of the most consistent players on the team and continually helps the Patriots score points on the board.
Winner: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley
Since the return of Dont’a Hightower and the addition of talent to the linebacker corps, Bentley has flourished more in his traditional role as a middle linebacker. Bentley led the Patriots with nine tackles Sunday and had a big third and a goal on the Patriots two-yard line early in the game. Bentley has been a key cog in the New England defense midfield for the past two weeks, primarily being one of the team’s best defensemen while continuing to improve his coverage.
Winner: RB James White
As we’ve seen for many years now, whenever offense needs a spark or a big play, the # 28 always seems to do it. As the Patriots struggled to find an offensive pace early in the game, White turned a screen pass into a big twenty-six yard gain deep into the Jets’ territory. A few plays later, White worked his way into the end zone on a block for the Patriots’ first score of the day and set them up 10-0 at the start of the second quarter. White’s leadership ability stood out for rookie quarterback Mac Jones as he spoke after the game calling White “the man” and whenever he needed help he always leaned on. on White due to his knowledge of the offense. With the Patriots barely two weeks into their new era of football with Mac Jones at center, James White’s work beyond the scoring box has really helped reignite that Patriots’ offense over the past two weeks.
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