Patriots

Sunday’s win ended New England’s six-game losing streak.

By Chad Finn, The Boston Globe

October 28, 2024 | 07:53

Welcome to the Unconventional Review, an instant reaction to highlights, stats and storylines from the Patriots’ most recent game. . .

In a broad and passionate sense, there really is no such thing as a big win for the Patriots this season. It’s OK to admit that, I think, because it confirms a clear-eyed assessment of the state of affairs.

The Patriots are in early stages of a rebuildwith a beginner trainer. A playoff berth is unrealistic, and their priority is to develop the players on the roster who have a chance to contribute once they are legitimately competitive again. The best thing for them is probably to have the highest possible draft pick in April.

But in an emotional sense? And in a we-needed-needed-that sense? And in the it’s-always-worth-taunting-the-Jets sense?

Oh, yes. It was a big win.

The Patriots hit joke-of-the-league Jets25-22, when Jacoby Brissett — in for Drake Maye, who left with a head injury with nine minutes left in the second quarter — led a 12-play, 70-yard winning driveculminating in Rhamondre Stevenson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds remaining.

Brissett — who fired a spectacular 34-yard touchdown pass to Kayshon Boutte during the game-winning drive — was one of many Patriots who deserve credit for their resilience in hanging on and snapping a six-game losing streak.

Coach Jerod Mayo — who was in a maelstrom of controversy after called his team soft last week — must also feel some degree of validation, if not outright vindication, given that his team responded well to his words.

A big win? For those who played and practiced the game, absolutely. And perhaps that in itself has some future benefit. For us, it was as fun to watch as it was unexpected.

Some additional thoughts, upon immediate review. . .

Three players worth watching

Players Suggested in the Unconventional Preview: Breece Hall, Kyle Dugger, Davante Adams.

Christian Ellis: The Patriots have been desperate for a linebacker (or two … or three) to emerge as sturdy and reliable then Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a season-ending pectoral injury against the Seahawks in Week 2. Against the Jets, that player was Elliss, who is in his second season with the Patriots after being claimed off waivers by the Eagles last December.

Elliss stuffed the stat sheet against the Jets, finishing with a team-leading nine tackles for a Patriots defense that held the Jets to 112 yards on 28 carries. (The Patriots had allowed at least 176 rushing yards to each of their last three opponents, so counts as progress.) Elliss, a four-year veteran, already has a career high in tackles this year, with 31.

But Elliss may have been even more effective against the Jets’ passing game. He finished with a sack — which he collected on a third-and-8 play from the Patriots’ 18 early in the fourth, one play before Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein hooked a 44-yard field goal attempt — as well as a pass defensed and two quarterback hits. It was the first solo shutout of his career, after sharing one with Marte Mapu in the loss to the Texans.

His only mistake: He picked up an apparent pass interference late in the first quarter when he didn’t look for the ball and ran through Breece Hall on a deep throw down the left sideline. One play later, Rodgers hit Tyler Conklin for the Jets’ first touchdown.

Rhamondre Stevenson: His stats have been somewhere short of spectacular – the Patriots’ lead running back finished with 48 yards on 20 carries, which is 2 yards more than Maye ran for in a little more than a quarter of action.

But those totals don’t matter, because Stevenson certainly came through when the Patriots needed him most.

He scored the game-winning touchdown, charging in from 1st-and-fourth-and-goal with 25 seconds left, the ultimate score-now-or-lose play.

And it was his second touchdown of the day. His punctuated the Patriots’ first possession of the second half, which started with a one dazzling 62-yard punt return by Marcus Jones (assisted by a JaMycal Hasty block) that put the Patriots at the Jets’ 26-yard line.

Stevenson made a nice catch on that drive to pick up 14 yards on second-and-15, then on the next play from the Jets 3, Jets cornerback Isaiah Oliver trucked in to help give the Patriots a 14-13 lead.

Garrett Wilson: Tip wanted to go with a third Patriot here, Hunter Henry, who showed his usual reliable self for both Patriots quarterbacks, finishing with five catches on six targets for 45 yards.

But we’re going with Wilson, the Jet who came through time and time again. His five catches for 113 yards included receptions of 30, 27, 26 and 22 yards. The Jets scored on three of the drives where Wilson contributed a catch of 22 yards or more, including on their go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.

Davante Adams is the bigger name and a well-established friend of Aaron’s, but Wilson looked like the Jets’ No. 1 receiver Sunday.

The game’s complaint

Question: Is it a bad sign when a wide receiver — in this case, Kayshon Boutte — drops a pass early in the fourth quarter, and the broadcast on CBS immediately shows a montage of several other drops by New England receivers on the same play?

Is that a bad sign? Okay, glad we agree.

Boutte dropped a couple of passes, a rusty Kendrick Bourne dropped another and Tyquan Thornton was the one to get the Ballad of Stonehands going when a deep throw by Maye late in the first quarter bounced off his chest, forearms and hands before landing safely on the turf.

Thornton and especially Boutte (who caught that 34-yard dart from Brissett on the game-winning drive) later redeemed themselves. But this might be the most unreliable receiving group the Patriots have had since Tom Brady got caught trying to save Doug Gabriel and Reche Caldwell in 2006.

Three notes scribbled in the margin

Predicted final score: Jets 30, Patriots 17

Final score: Patriots 25, Jets 22

One of the pleasant surprises with Maye is his judgement. He’s willing to throw the ball away when there’s no play to make, which isn’t exactly something most inexperienced young quarterbacks have. He also has a great feel for when to run. But he probably has to learn to slide a little earlier. . . As determined as The Patriots’ run defense was to prove it’s not softI don’t understand why the Jets didn’t run more. Hall had back-to-back drives of 9 and 16 yards on their second possession, but he had just 16 carries over the rest of the game. . . Had to laugh when, midway through the third quarter, color analyst Adam Archuleta noted to play-by-play partner Spero Dedes that “we’ve made a lot of plays with Brissett.” No knock on Brissett, but he hasn’t exactly been on teams reminiscent of the 2007 Patriots in recent years.