Once upon a time, New England Patriots fans had a hearty laugh when Patrick Chung signed a one-year contract as a free agent this offseason.
They’re not laughing anymore after the Patriots’ 43-21 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Chung had a breakout game and was targeted 10 times by Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, allowing just four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown with three pass breakups — very respectable numbers against a team that passed for 438 yards.
Chung’s greater impact this season has been against the run, where Pro Football Focus rated him as its top AFC safety. Chung has played most of the season in the box, at times in a hybrid-linebacker role. Chung, at 5-foot-11, 212 pounds, fills rushing lanes like an undersized linebacker with the coverage skills (at least this season) of a slot cornerback. (If only someone, anyone had said in April that Chung would be a good fit the second time around. Welp. Oh well.)
Chung wasn’t the only dominant Patriot on Sunday. Check out this week’s film review:
QUARTERBACK
Tom Brady continued his reign of dominance on the NFL when he completed 33 of 53 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns with one interception.
Brady said two weeks ago that he wanted to improve his mobility and ability to extend plays. Broncos edge rushers Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware pressured Brady often, and the Patriots QB was able to make an impressive throw on the run to receiver Julian Edelman with 1:11 remaining in the second quarter after center Bryan Stork and left tackle Nate Solder surrendered pressure.
Edelman, positioned at the top of the screen, essentially had to run a playground route after Brady left the pocket.
RUNNING BACKS
Jonas Gray admitted Tuesday in the Patriots’ locker room that there weren’t many rushing lanes to run through against the Broncos, and the first-year running back wasn’t lying. Gray only picked up 33 yards on 12 carries, but he did a nice job falling forward.
Shane Vereen had a drop, and Brady missed the third-down back on two swing passes.
The Patriots must improve their run game moving forward.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Edelman was his usual consistent self, though he did drop a touchdown pass on a diving attempt. He made a fantastic shoestring catch on a Brady throw that had to be fit through a tight window near the end of the first quarter.
Danny Amendola was able to get open on another scramble play by Brady. Amendola hasn’t broken out yet, but his two-catch, 35-yard performance was his most productive of the season.
Brandon LaFell had an oddly inconsistent game. He dropped two passes (including a touchdown) and slipped and fell on two routes, but his ability to curl off his route at the last second to tail away from a defender has been impressive in nine games with the Patriots. He beat Aqib Talib while positioned at the top of the screen below.
TIGHT ENDS
Rob Gronkowski is incredible. He’s fully recovered from offseason ACL surgery and is receiving well-deserved MVP consideration. Gronk draws double and triple teams, allowing his teammates to get open while dominating with 100-yard games.
Watch how much attention Gronk drew on this 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Vereen.
Of course, Gronkowski’s most impressive play came in the fourth quarter, when he made a one-handed grab while being hit by Broncos safety T.J. Ward. It wasn’t even a great pass from Brady, who threw flat-footed into double coverage down the middle of the field to his big tight end.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Patriots’ offensive line had a difficult matchup against a disruptive Broncos defensive line. Patriots right tackle Sebastian Vollmer had a tough time against Miller’s spin move. Patriots left tackle Nate Solder and right guard Ryan Wendell were strong in pass protection, but the entire offensive line couldn’t open up rushing lanes for the Patriots’ running backs.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Vince Wilfork, Dominique Easley and Casey Walker all did a nice job holding their ground against the run, allowing just 2.5 yards per carry.
Wilfork and Easley were able to hold blockers, allowing edge rusher Akeem Ayers to sack Peyton Manning on a fourth-down stunt, forcing a turnover on downs.
EDGE RUSHERS
Ayers and Rob Ninkovich started at defensive end, though they dropped back in coverage on 16 and 13 snaps, respectively. Ayers recorded the Patriots’ lone sack, and he looked adept in coverage. Ninkovich intercepted Manning at the beginning of the second quarter when he and linebacker Dont’a Hightower dropped, allowing Ayers and linebacker Jamie Collins to pass rush.
Since Ninkovich, Ayers, Collins and Hightower all can rush the passer, drop back in coverage and defend the run, they were used interchangeably by Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
LINEBACKERS
Hightower and Collins played very well in the middle of the field. Collins was effective as a pass rusher, pressuring Manning three times. Hightower recorded four hurries against the Broncos. They were able to play with a sense of abandon against the run because the Patriots’ defensive line clogged up space up front.
Collins allowed four catches on five targets for 17 yards in coverage. Hightower allowed one catch on three targets for 9 yards.
Hightower, not typically known for his downfield coverage, worked down the field flawlessly from middle linebacker while covering tight end Jacob Tamme. Hightower and cornerback Darrelle Revis nearly knocked one another out trying to pick off Manning, however.
CORNERBACKS
Revis and Brandon Browner each allowed more than 60 yards through the air, but they did a tremendous job against a team led by one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks, who was playing from behind without the threat of a rushing attack.
Browner, lined up in a hybrid-linebacker role, shows his physicality by knocking wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders to the turf while staying within the rules on the play below. Browner wasn’t flagged for illegal contact because he hit Sanders within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
Browner lined up against Tamme, Sanders, wideout Demaryius Thomas and tight end Julius Thomas, showing off his versatility. Revis was strong against Sanders and Demaryius.
Kyle Arrington helped shut down Wes Welker with ease. Arrington played a lot of zone coverage, allowing linebackers to pick up Welker over the middle of the field.
Rookie Malcolm Butler had varied success against Sanders, allowing six catches on 10 targets for 82 yards. Butler also had two pass breakups and celebrated every incompletion with the exuberance of a contestant on “The Price Is Right” who was just told to “come on down.”
SAFETIES
Chung allowed an 18-yard touchdown to Julius Thomas, but his coverage was strong on the play. Manning’s pass to the taller tight end was just slightly better.
Chung prevented two touchdowns and forced a turnover on downs with perfect coverage on Tamme early in the fourth quarter while the Broncos still were threatening. Chung likely would have stopped running back Ronnie Hillman from scoring the Broncos’ first touchdown, but he was being held by Tamme on the outside run.
Devin McCourty allowed the Patriots’ first 40-plus-yard reception to Demaryius Thomas after Revis passed off the tall Broncos receiver in zone coverage.
Photo via Steven Senne/Associated Press