Patriots won the one-on-one against Saints – Sports – The Boston Globe

The good and the bad…

The Patriots entered the game tied for the league lead with 18 drops, and had four more, plus a fifth by Danny Amendola that was wiped out by a penalty. Aaron Dobson had two drops, including a crucial one on fourth down late in the fourth quarter. 

Mankins was excellent in run blocking, and it seemed like every time Ridley or Brandon Bolden had a nice gain, there was Mankins pulling through the hole and making the key block. Mankins had the key block on a 14-yard run by Ridley, a 12-yard run for Bolden, a 19-yard run by Ridley, and then on Ridley’s first touchdown. Ridley had 20 of the Patriots’ 35 carries and clearly has the best burst of the running back group.