The New England offense hadn’t been able to stay on the field, rarely giving the defense time off of it. All of this was highlighted against the Lions on Sunday Night Football. There were three active wide receivers, Rex Burkhead left with an injury, and Sony Michel was still getting comfortable. However, now with Julian Edelman coming off suspension, and Josh Gordon making the most of his snaps, the Patriots’ woes may be over.
Offense
Exaggerated in the game against the Lions, the offense for New England struggled early this year. Tom Brady was without his most trusted target through the first four weeks as he served a suspension. Against the Lions, the Patriots had three active wide receivers.
However, against the Dolphins, things seemed to turn around in a 38-7 win. Josh Gordon, acquired in a trade with Cleveland, contributed a few first downs and some run-blocking for a touchdown. Cordarelle Patterson caught a touchdown, and aside from two Tom Brady interceptions, the offense seemed to be back on track. And, after being the workhorse for much of the day, Sony Michel rushed for his first NFL touchdown.
Defense
With the offense sustaining drives and scoring, the pressure was off the defense. Able to catch their breath, Patriots defenders looked a lot sharper than the previous two games. The return of Trey Flowers and Patrick Chung from concussions also gave the pass rush and defensive backs a much-needed boost.
Players were tackling, bringing pressure, and just all over the Dolphins. Kyle Van Noy recovered a poor snap that resulted in a fumble in the middle of the second quarter, setting up a one-play touchdown drive. Undrafted rookie JC Jackson recorded an interception, as it looked like Ryan Tannehill might lead a second-half scoring drive. The defensive unit posted a shutout for much of the game, not allowing a Dolphins score until garbage time.
So, Are We Past That?
If the Patriots can keep the momentum going against the Colts, their woes may be over. Should Tom Brady get some chemistry with Josh Gordon, the offense could be dangerous for the rest of the NFL.
Sitting at 2-2 is not uncommon for New England and is not typically indicative of a poor performance. Could this be the end of the Patriots’ woes and the beginning of the march to ring number six?