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Pats Posits: Patriots Win a Weird One in Chicago

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The Patriots needed to stop a Hail Mary at the one-yard line to hang on to a 38-31 win over the Chicago Bears after one of the most bizarre games in recent memory. Boiled down to its essence this was a game of good — two impressive interceptions and two special teams touchdowns — and bad — multiple long Mitch Trubisky runs and multiple penalties/giveaway.

The Bears were better than the Patriots on third down. They were better in the red zone. They had fewer penalties. They had more yards. But what they didn’t have in the end were more points and that’s why the Patriots are now 5-2 as they approach the midway point of the season.

Perhaps the biggest headline was the injury to Sony Michel, whom I’ve been harping on as perhaps the key piece of the offense. Michel’s leg was twisted around as he fumbled early in the game and had to be carted off. Of everything we take from this game, that injury might be the only significant piece that affects the Pats long term.

Overall this is the third disappointing performance on the road of 2018 but it was the first win, so that has to count for something. What else can we read into for the big picture beside the potential Michel injury? Here are the Posits.

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Pats Posits: Balanced Pats Show They Can Play with Anyone

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The Patriots outlasted the Chiefs on Sunday, delivering the shootout everyone thought they saw coming with a 43-40 win. Not to toot my own horn but I feel like my gameplan was especially accurate this week, right down to the final prediction. I’ve got a good bead on the team this year and while you never want to give up 40 points, I still believe this is one of the most solid Patriots teams in recent seasons.

This is a new NFL, and all that really matters is surviving against an offense as good as the Chiefs, just as the Chiefs must’ve felt the same way about the Patriots. Defenses can’t dominate anymore. It just comes down to getting red zone stops and making the plays that matter at the end. That’s what the Patriots did last night and they continue to show great mental toughness as all Belichick teams tend to do.

The offense continues to make strides behind Sony Michel‘s running and the development of Josh Gordon. The defense had three bad plays but otherwise did everything you can ask from a defense facing such a diverse and explosive offense. The special teams were great as far as field goals go and terrible at kickoffs.

So yeah, it wasn’t all rainbows but the corrections are extremely specific and fixable. This Patriots team executed the gameplan nearly perfectly for 90 percent of the game, but even just those few plays where they messed up were enough to take the contest down to the final possession. If this team stays intact for the next few months they’re going to be right there in the hunt at the end per usual.

More on everything from the first epic regular season win of 2018 in the Posits…

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Film Review: Patriots vs Colts

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The Patriots rolled to a second impressive win in a row, beating the Colts with their second 38 burger in a row. With Julian Edelman back, Josh Gordon immediately working his way in and Sony Michel‘s continued improvement, the chatter about a lack of weapons has quieted down. Which could only mean one thing, it’s time to complain again about the defense.

After watching the All-22 I continue to really like what I’m seeing from the Patriots defense and despite some holes in the win over the Colts, they are playing as simple and fast as I can remember them. The tackling is locked down. The edge is being set. The extra yardage and busted coverages are slowly disappearing. It all looks impressive and was on good display for most of Thursday night.

The Patriots should have earned a ton of confidence after the last two wins have wiped out the bad taste of back-to-back road losses. Still, there will always be questions about the defense because this league is designed for offenses to succeed. The question is whether or not the defense makes the key plays down the stretch and that will most likely be the case against the Chiefs this weekend.

Here’s a bunch on what else stood out from the film review.

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Pats Posits: Full Speed Ahead

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The Patriots put together another impressive performance, winning their third game of the season with a 38-24 trouncing of the Colts on Thursday night. Tom Brady threw his 500th touchdown pass, a 2007 Moss-esque connection with Josh Gordon that saw the receiver outleap three nearby defenders. Meanwhile Julian Edelman returned to his first game action since Super Bowl 51 and the defense had three takeaways, leaving everyone to rest assured that the Patriots are still very much the Patriots.

Sony Michel took some monster strides as well, rushing for 98 yards and a touchdown that featured an impressive stiff arm. James White caught a team-leading 10 balls as everything seemed to finally be coming into focus for the Pats offense. It wasn’t all perfect, games on Thursday nights never are, but there was enough carryover from the bounce back Dolphins win to feel like the 3-2 Pats are starting to establish a true identity.

More on it all in a bleary-eyed Posits as I get ready to head out to shoot episode two of Foxboro & Friends.

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Patriots Gameplan: Week 5 vs Colts

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This post is sponsored by Goldberg and Wiegand.

Just like that there’s another game for the Pats, a Thursday night meeting with the Colts who we haven’t seen since Week 6 of 2015. The Patriots-Colts rivlary certainly needed a little cool down period after a decade of Brady-Manning then Deflategate. Two seasons have passed and it’s a good time to renew those old bad feelings.

The Patriots once again staved off their annual demise in September and bounced back with a dominant win over the Dolphins that reassured everyone that the New England Football Machine roars onward. Teams truly have to prove it every season and that’s why the Patriots continue to be the class of the NFL.  Some teams may play perfect and catch them early in the season and get lucky, but like the house in Vegas, it’s just a matter of time before the Patriots start winning again.

The return of Julian Edelman and the hopefully-continued development of Josh Gordon are what we’re all watching fro tonight. Those two players could put the Patriots back in the conversation about the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. Meanwhile, the defense has two lights out games, and two stinkers. On a short week, things won’t be any easier on them, at least they’re at home.

What do the Pats need to do to get the win before an extended off-week at 3-2? Here’s the gameplan.

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Pats Posits: Order Restored

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And just like that the New England Patriots reminded everyone what they seem to forget every single year no matter what — that a well-coached football team can quickly go from looking terrible to dominant when everyone is playing on the same page. The Patriots didn’t suddenly go out and grab a bunch of new more talented players, they just all did their job and the result was a confidence-restoring win over the Dolphins.

The defense didn’t allow a drive over five plays long and forced two turnovers. The offense got Sony Michel going and the positive effects trickled down through the rest of their game, as they converted 10 of 15 third downs and put up a season-high 38 points. It was a total team effort and was beautiful to watch.

Yes, it feels like order has been restored to our lives. The Patriots are not done and with the promise of Josh Gordon, who showed some flashes in 18 snaps with two catches both coming on third downs, along with the return of Julian Edelman, it’s hard to feel anything but good vibes now about this Patriots team and that’s a welcome relief after the last two weeks.

It’s a quick turnaround to face the Colts on Thursday night and there are still areas to improve, but at 2-2 the Pats are still very much in control of their season and showing signs of how high the bar should be set for this team despite what all the critics murdered them for over the past two weeks.

More on that and everything else in the Posits…

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Patriots Gameplan: Week 4 vs Miami Dolphins

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The 1-2 Patriots return to the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium after a two-game road losing streak to face the 3-0 Dolphins. The Pats last left Foxboro looking like a team mostly rejuvenated, especially on defense, but after losses in Jacksonville and Detroit the tide has turned against them. Usually, we should remain even-keeled about what happens in September but a 1-3 start would put the Pats in uncharted territory and behind the eight ball in the division for the first time in forever.

It’s been a long week of buildup as 2017 continues to get drudged up and every former Patriot free agent is now seen as the one who got away and has set the Patriots on course for demise. Still, football is a weird game. You can say the Pats lack talent, but that’s always kind of been the case. They’ve built their dynasty by believing in the system and everyone doing their job. And everyone has not been doing their job.

That’s where we can find hope. That with simply better one-on-one play and tackling things can turn around quickly and a team that looks like it might be falling apart can return to playing winning football.

The Dolphins have a huge opportunity. The Pats are on the ropes and a win for Miami would put them firmly in the driver’s seat in the division, especially since they haven’t won at Gillette since 2008’s wildcat game. They’ve won five times against the Pats in Miami since then which would make the rematch in December all the more exciting no matter what happens between now and then.

Miami has played good football and deserves their 3-0 record, but the Pats have a way of busting out their best football when their backs are against the wall. It’s hard to remember a time when they were more backed into a corner than right now and I’m sure we’ve all been itching to see them get back on the field.

What do the Pats have to do to turn their season around and avoid a disastrous start? Here’s the gameplan.

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