FOXBORO, Mass. — There’s a reason the New England Patriots score more points per game than any other team in the NFL.
The Patriots now are averaging 35.6 points per game after a 36-7 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night and have failed to score 30 points only once this season. That was in their 28-21 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the season opener.
And a big reason for that is all the weapons quarterback Tom Brady has at his disposal.
“It’s a real good feeling because any given play, you don’t know who’s getting the ball,” wide receiver Brandon LaFell said after the game. “So everybody’s out there running, getting open, don’t know who’s getting the ball and you stay competing. Because once one guy makes a play, you’re like, ‘Man, the next play’s got to be mine. I’ve got to go out there and make a bigger play than this guy made.’ So everybody’s competing, everybody’s having fun and we’re winning.”
You can see that competition every week on the box score. While tight end Rob Gronkowski is a mainstay on the stat sheet, it’s otherwise rare to see one guy dominating the game every week. Wide receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola have had their days, as have running backs LeGarrette Blount and Dion Lewis. And Brady’s options are only growing with LaFell back from a foot injury and readjusting to games.
“It felt a little better (Thursday) but still not fully back to myself yet,” LaFell said. “I feel like the more time we get to practice — it was a short week, next week we have a long week — the more time (the Patriots have) to practice, more time to get my timing better with Tom and go out there and hopefully play a better game next week.”
LaFell was much improved Thursday after catching just two passes and dropping three on eight targets in Week 7 against the New York Jets, so if he can become a reliable set of hands for Brady going forward, then the Patriots will continue to cause trouble for opposing defenses.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
