Hard truths: the Patriots offensive finds its identity against the Jets

There are years when patriots can smile with the suggestion of spending more time running football. They are not one of them and they know it better than anyone.

So, when they faced the Jets on Sunday, they were so determined to see if the Jets – who have allowed the Bears 179 yards and 212 at the Bills in recent weeks – have done something to improve their defense against the race. .

They did not have it.

New England rushed 36 yards with 215 yards and 38 yards were scrapped by penalty. Sony Michel was 133, including 41 in the fourth quarter after returning from a back injury suffered after leaning back as an armchair in the third quarter. James White had 73 assists in nine races and Cordarelle Patterson had five for 10 yards, a key conversion on the fourth run. and a malicious twist of the genitals of an opponent.

PATRIOTS 27, JETS 13

The fact that the Patriots needed to manage football effectively not only on Sunday but also for the rest of the regular season was so obvious that even a sports journalist could see it. In the matches in which Michel was in good health and the offensive line remained intact in front of him, the offensive was able to benefit from A) his production outside shotgun and behind a rear, B) the impact he has on the game, and C) more security for Tom Brady since the defenses just can not be sold to take it.

Sunday was that kind of day.

Out of the game with six games to play and a passing attack that will not magically improve over previous seasons, the Patriots had all the elements in place to (finally) begin to develop the offensive personality that they have. they do not have it. t up here.

Shaq Mason was back from his calf injury, Rob Gronkowski had returned after three missed games in the last four games and the rest of the offensive line was in good health.

So they ran. On the first record of the Patriots, they ran it three times in a row to get a first try. It may not be a coincidence that the next piece was a 36 yard run for Julian Edelman.

PATRIOTS 27, JETS 13

At half-time, the Patriots had an almost perfect balance in attack – 16 points, 17 shots. By the end of the game, they had thrown it 36 ​​times and thrown 31 times.

It is not because the current game failed that the discs were blocked. This was usually because of penalties and / or inefficiency of the red zone.

What is the other layer of offensive history of the Patriots on Sunday.

Their first training ended when Brady (20 of 31, 283 and 2 touchdowns) was slow to send it to Gronk (7 targets, 3 catches, 56 yards and a 34-yard touchdown).

Their second training ended with a touchdown, but they only came to fruition after an unsuccessful attempt to get to Julian Edelman. A flag was launched for offensive pass interference, the Jets took the trouble and Brady found Gronk in the third and 12th of the Jets 34.

The third disc was cruising and Brady was ripping through the passes until a cut block called David Andrews put them in third and 18th.

(A brief word on the penalties.) There were a lot of them (11 vs. 105), some were ordinary footballers, but the cut block, for example – although correct – was the result of Andrews catching his block. and hitting the legs of a Jets defenseman White's OPI was questionable enough, as was Trent Brown's previous shot, which was a bit too tight.)

PATRIOTS 27, JETS 13

The fourth training was brought back to normal with a shot on goal when they entered the red zone and Brady pitched twice to Gronk in the end zone. On the first, a second and -4 among the 16, Brady saw Gronk with Adams closely and tried to lob him. Gronk was fired and had to break the pass. On the second point, Brady again hit Gronk with Adams and missed an easy shot at Gordon at the back, which would have been an easy conversion. They settled for a goal in the field.

That continued in the second half, when the Patriots' first order was blocked at Jets 9 after Brady thrown three times left on White, White, and Gronk and the Pats had to settle for a placement.

The difficulty the Pats have in finding shots in the middle of the field continues to be a problem, especially compared to previous seasons.

But there are more benefits than disadvantages to what the team uncovered on Sunday. Brady, when he is comfortable in the pocket, will distribute. Josh Gordon caught the five assists (5 of 70), including a brilliant recovery in the fourth over the training that chilled the game. Edelman captured four of the five assists for which he was sent for 84 and one touchdown. Chris Hogan had two catches for 47, and Philip Dorsett had two for 10. In casting off Sunday, Brady was for 14-for-16. And there were lasers inside.

What the Patriots did to the Jets is what they will try to do the rest of the year. Stay in balance. Protect Brady. Distribute.

It will not be as easy as Sunday because they will see more and more mistakes that will make them pay to set goals instead of touchdowns. And the defense of the race posted by the Jets was not discouraging.

But it was a good start to the end.

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