Credit the New England Patriots with two defensive rebounds after their 17-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
The Patriots’ defense not only avenged their poor performance in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, but they also made adjustments Sunday and didn’t allow any points in the final 47 minutes of their win over the Eagles. The Eagles scored on two of their first three drives, then the Patriots put the clamps on, only allowing 255 yards all game.
Here are our top takeaways from Sunday’s game. All stats via Pro Football Focus.
PASS COVERAGE
S Terrence Brooks: six catches on eight targets, 64 yards, PBU
S Duron Harmon: 2-2, 33 yards
CB Jonathan Jones: 3-4, 31 yards, TD
LB Dont’a Hightower: 1-2, 25 yards
CB Jason McCourty: 1-3, 19 yards
CB JC Jackson: 2-5, 17 yards
CB Stephon Gilmore: 3-of-8, 14 yards, PBU
S Devin McCourty: 2-3, 11 yards, PBU
LB Jamie Collins: 0-2, PBU
LB Kyle Van Noy: 0-1
— Brooks had a tough matchup filling in for injured safety Patrick Chung by covering tight end Zach Ertz. Brooks let up five catches on five targets for 54 yards to Ertz. Brooks played the 2016 season with the Eagles and was on the field for just three defensive snaps. He played 35 snaps in Sunday’s game alone. He’s up to 213 snaps on the season.
— Gilmore also covered Ertz at times, including late in the game. He allowed just one 4-yard catch to Ertz on three targets.
— Jackson continues to be perhaps the Patriots’ most underrated player. He played 50 snaps Sunday. Those 17 yards were the most he’s allowed in a game since Week 3. They were the first catches he’s let up since Week 5. He’s on another level this season with an 18.9 passer rating allowed. He was in coverage on the Eagles’ opportunity to tie up the game late in the fourth quarter when Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz targeted receiver Nelson Agholor in the end zone. Agholor misjudged the throw, but he still had a chance to catch the ball. Jackson knocked Agholor’s arm and knocked the ball loose for a fourth-down incompletion.
PASS RUSH
LB Kyle Van Noy: sack, QB hit, four hurries
LB Dont’a Hightower: sack, QB hit, four hurries
LB John Simon: three hurries
DT Adam Butler: sack, hurry
LB Chase Winovich: QB hit, hurry
S Terrence Brooks: QB hit, hurry
DT Danny Shelton: sack
LB Elandon Roberts: sack
DT Lawrence Guy: hurry
LB Jamie Collins: hurry
S Duron Harmon: hurry
— Van Noy and Hightower led the team with 48 and 33 pass-rush snaps, respectively.
— Butler now has 5.5 sacks on the season. His previous career-high was three sacks last season.
— Shelton now has three sacks, which is a career-high.
— Van Noy has tied a career-high with 5.5 sacks.
TACKLING/RUN DEFENSE
DT Danny Shelton: five stops, missed tackle
DT Lawrence Guy: three stops, missed tackle
LB Kyle Van Noy: two stops
S Terrence Brooks: two stops
S Devin McCourty: two stops
LB Elandon Roberts: two stops
DT Adam Butler: stop
CB JC Jackson: stop
LB Dont’a Hightower: stop, missed tackle
LB John Simon: stop, missed tackle
LB Jamie Collins: three missed tackles
— One of Guy’s three stops was a tackle for loss.
— The Patriots wound up doing a pretty decent job stopping the run. Running backs Miles Sanders and Boston Scott carried the ball 18 times for 64 yards. Wentz also contributed with three carries for 17 yards.
PASSING ATTACK
Quarterback Tom Brady went 26-of-47 for 216 yards, while wide receiver Julian Edelman was 1-of-1 for 15 yards with a touchdown.
Of Brady’s 21 incompletions, two were dropped and three were thrown away. Brady was 3-of-12 for 22 yards while under pressure. He also was sacked.
Brady went 0-of-5 on deep passes.
Edelman and running back Sony Michel dropped passes. Edelman’s came in the end zone. Michel’s almost led to an interception. Edelman led the Patriots with five catches on 10 targets for 53 yards. Rookie N’Keal Harry caught three passes on four targets for 18 yards.
Mohamed Sanu caught 10 passes for 81 yards and played ever snap last week. He caught two passes for 4 yards and played 41 of 74 possible snaps Sunday. Sanu appeared to briefly get banged up on a 14-yard punt return.
Tight end Ben Watson significantly outpaced Matt LaCosse in snaps. Watson caught three passes for 52 yards on 59 snaps while LaCosse caught two passes for 3 yards on 21 snaps.
RUSHING GAME
RB James White: 5 yards after contact per attempt
RB Rex Burkheaed: 3.4 yards after contact per attempt, 1 forced missed tackle
RB Sony Michel: 3.1 yards after contact per attempt, two forced missed tackles
WR Mohamed Sanu: two yards after contact per attempt
— Patriots running backs had 20 carries for 67 yards, which isn’t great. They did a better job of forcing missed tackles and running after contact, however.
— The Patriots used linebacker Elandon Roberts as a fullback on seven offensive plays. Guard Jermaine Eluemunor played as an eligible tackle on five plays.
— Patriots left tackle Isaiah Wynn is eligible to return next week. He should help create some more room to run moving forward.
PASS PROTECTION
LT Marshall Newhouse: two QB hits, hurry
LG Joe Thuney: hurry
C Ted Karras: three hurries
RG Shaq Mason: clean
RT Marcus Cannon: QB hit, hurry
QB Tom Brady: hurry
TE Ben Watson: clean
RB Rex Burkhead: clean
RB Sony Michel: clean
RB James White: clean
FB/LB Elandon Roberts: clean
— Wynn should help elevate the blind-side protection spot, as well, in his return.
— Mason had one of his best games of the season. It would be a plus if he starts playing at a higher level, as well.
— Brady took a sack, but it came when Nathan Gerry was a free blitzer.
For more grades, advanced statistics and more at Pro Football Focus, go to ProFootballFocus.com.
