INDIANAPOLIS — New England Patriots rookie defensive tackle Dominique Easley picked a good time to break out and show why he was worth the No. 29 overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
The first-round selection disrupted quarterback Andrew Luck and helped stuff the run in the Patriots’ 42-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night at Lucas Oil Stadium. He doubled his season total in pressures and put a good lick on Luck near the end of the first half.
Easley gave the New England media a scare when he appeared to re-injure his knee during practice over the bye week then subsequently missed the Patriots’ next two practices. Easley didn’t look banged up Sunday, however, in his best game as a pro.
Check out NESN.com’s three takeaways from the Patriots’ win over the Colts:
DONT’A HIGHTOWER MAKES THE MOST OF HIS PASS-RUSH SNAPS
It won’t happen because he doesn’t have the stats or high profile to back it up, but Patriots linebacker Dont’a Hightower has been playing at a Pro Bowl level this season thanks to his versatility and overall play. He’s been stellar against the run and as a pass rusher, and he’s more than serviceable in coverage, excelling at limiting big plays.
Hightower recorded five pressures Sunday night against the Colts in just 13 pass-rush snaps. Hightower essentially has taken over injured captain Jerod Mayo’s role and put a new spin on it.
Check out this week’s pass-rush charting stats:
Rob Ninkovich: one sack, two QB hits, two hurries
Dont’a Hightower: two QB hits, three hurries
Dominique Easley: one QB hit, three hurries
Akeem Ayers: three hurries
Jonathan Casillas: one QB hit
Jamie Collins: one hurry
Vince Wilfork: one hurry
Check out the Patriots’ season-long pass-rush charting stats:
Ninkovich: five sacks, 10 QB hits, 23 hurries, 37 pressures
Chandler Jones: 4.5 sacks, eight QB hits, 15 hurries, 28 pressures
Hightower: 3.5 sacks, seven QB hits, 16 hurries, 27 pressures
Ayers: two sacks, QB hit, nine hurries, 12 pressures
Wilfork: .5 sack, two QB hits, eight hurries, 11 pressures
Collins: four QB hits, five hurries, nine pressures
Chris Jones: 1.5 sacks, two QB hits, six hurries, eight pressures
Easley: .5 sack, one QB hit, six hurries, eight pressures
Jerod Mayo: one sack, one QB hit, four hurries, six pressures
Joe Vellano: one sack, two hurries, three pressures
Casey Walker: one sack, two hurries, three pressures
Zach Moore: .5 sack, two hurries, three pressures
Patrick Chung: one QB hit, two hurries, three pressures
Deontae Skinner: one sack, one hurry, two pressures
Logan Ryan: one QB hit, one hurry, two pressures
Tavon Wilson: two hurries, two pressures
Kyle Arrington: one sack, one pressure
Sealver Siliga: one QB hit, one pressure
Casillas: one QB hit, one pressure
Alfonzo Dennard: one hurry, one pressure
T.Y. HILTON A NON-FACTOR THANKS TO PATS SECONDARY
Darrelle Revis earned his “Island” moniker Sunday, helping to shut down Colts wideouts Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton. Revis allowed just one reception for 5 yards on six targets Sunday.
He initially was in coverage against Wayne on a 46-yard completion, but the Patriots appeared to be in a Cover 3 zone scheme, and Wayne didn’t get picked up downfield by safety Devin McCourty or cornerback Logan Ryan.
Cornerback Brandon Browner had a tough time covering Colts tight end Coby Fleener, who went off for 144 yards on seven catches.
Check out this week’s pass-coverage charting stats:
Brandon Browner: eight receptions on 10 targets, 151 yards
Logan Ryan: 4-7, 74 yards, two pass breakups
Dont’a Hightower: 3-4, 39 yards, one pass breakup
Kyle Arrington: 2-6, 24 yards, one pass breakup
Jamie Collins: 3-3, 10 yards
Darrelle Revis: 1-6, 5 yards, two pass breakups
Jonathan Casillas: 1-1, 1 yard, TD
Devin McCourty: one interception
Check out the Patriots’ pass-coverage charting stats for the season:
Revis: 26-51, 351 yards, one TD, two INTs, four pass breakups
Ryan: 20-31, 275 yards, 2 TDs, one INT, five pass breakups
Browner: 14-23, 252 yards, one TD, one INT, one pass breakup
Alfonzo Dennard: 14-21, 192 yards, two TDs
Arrington: 12-27, 160 yards, one TD, two pass breakups
Hightower: 21-29, 148 yards, two pass breakups
Malcolm Butler: 10-19, 145 yards, one TD, one pass breakup
Collins: 16-31, 138 yards, one interception, one TD, one pass breakup
Jerod Mayo: 12-16, 127 yards, one TD
Patrick Chung: 10-20, 110 yards, two TDs, four pass breakups
McCourty: 7-14, 93 yards, two TDs, 2 INTs, two pass breakups
Tavon Wilson: 4-7, 80 yards, two pass breakups
Deontae Skinner: 5-5, 72 yards
Rob Ninkovich: 6-9, 53 yards, one INT
Dominique Easley: 2-3, 25 yards, one interception
Chandler Jones: 2-3, 23 yards, two pass breakups
Akeem Ayers: 1-2, 6 yards
Nate Ebner: 1-3, 3 yards
Casillas: 1-1, one yard, one TD
Duron Harmon: 0-1
Chris White: 0-1
Vince Wilfork: one interception
TALE OF TWO HALVES FOR TOM BRADY
It’s still unclear who that guy was wearing a No. 12 jersey for the Patriots in the first half against the Colts, but he sure didn’t play like Tom Brady. Brady was 10-for-19 passing for 84 yards and two interceptions in the first two quarters. He was making bone-headed errors and was misfiring on easy throws.
Fortunately, the real Tom Brady stood up in the second half, and he went nine for 11 with two touchdowns and 173 yards.
Brady had 11 total incompletions, and seven were his fault because of inaccurate throws or poor decisions (like his two interceptions).
Wide receivers Julian Edelman and Brian Tyms each had one drop. Tyms had to dive for his target while Brady’s pass was behind Edelman. Each should have been caught, however.
The offensive line was to blame for two incompletions, as well. Brady was hit while throwing to fullback James Develin, and he threw the ball away while under pressure in the second quarter.
Photo via Brace Hemmelgarn/USA TODAY Sports Images
