New England Patriots Leftover Thoughts From Loss To Jets
By Cyrus Geller
I don’t care how meaningless the game is (even though the Patriots could have clinched the one seed on Sunday), I HATE when we lose to the Jets. Other than the Yankees, there isn’t a team I hate more on this earth, and it always stings to lose to Gang Green. Even though the Pats were without a plethora of their key players, the Jets won this game straight up. It wasn’t the coin toss, it was the Jets outplaying the Patriots, and really taking advantage of the fact that New England was playing with their practice squad.
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With that said, the Patriots are still in fine shape. If they beat the Dolphins on Sunday, they will still have the one seed, and more importantly, they will be getting a ton of key players back for the playoffs. Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Josh Kline, Patrick Chung, Devin McCourty, and a healthy Dont’a Hightower. The Pats should rest key players against Miami, they will still likely get the win, and roll into the playoffs healthy and with home field advantage.
The Patriots did not look good for the majority of the game against New York, and if it weren’t for Tavon Wilson tripping over Leonard Johnson in overtime, they probably would have still beaten the Jets. Tom Brady was without his top two receivers and his two best offensive lineman, and he still managed to drive the Pats right down the field in the fourth quarter to tie the game against one of the best defenses in football. Once Julian Edelman, Josh Kline, Danny Amendola, and hopefully Sebastian Vollmer return, this offense will start to click once again.
Even if the offensive line is shoddy, with Edelman and Amendola back, that will allow Brady to get the quick passing game going again, which is how New England is so dynamic through the air. Edelman is impossible to cover in the slot 1-on-1, so when Rob Gronkowski is doubled, Brady can always rely on Edelman underneath. If that isn’t working, he has Amendola usually working easy matchups, and James White out of the backfield. Getting healthy is the biggest key for the Patriots, and they will be ready for the playoffs.
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On the other side of the ball, New England’s defense was without two of the best safeties in the league in Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, and their overall best player Dont’a Hightower was extremely hobbled with a knee injury. With all of that going against them, they did a very nice job against the Jets for the majority of this game, right up until overtime, when another injury ultimately did them in. Rookie Jordan Richards had to leave the game for a play, forcing Tavon Wilson into action, and it was his miscue that led to the 48-yard Quincy Enunwa reception that put them in Patriots territory. When McCourty and Chung return, and Hightower gets fully healthy, this defense will be elite once again.
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Rest up this week, beat the pathetic Dolphins, roll to the playoffs healthy with home field advantage locked up.