- If the Patriots continue to provide Drake Maye the level of pass-protection they did in Sunday’s 45-17 win over Maxx Crosby and the Raiders, watch out. That was my biggest takeaway from a win few saw coming so decisively against one of the NFL’s surprising teams. In the first half, Maye was pressured just twice in 17 dropbacks, according to ESPN Research. Maye said he had so much time on his first TD pass, he could have had a ham sandwich while surveying his options. And coach Mike Vrabel said in retrospect he would have given the OL a collective game ball immediately after the game. This coming after Maye had been pressured a career-high 21 times by the Bills the week prior.
- On a day they entered with three healthy cornerbacks (both starters out) and four healthy wide receivers (minus No. 1 option A.J. Brown) — and also had to turn to their backup left tackle and No. 3 running back early in the second quarter — the Patriots still won by 28 points. A tip of the helmet to the coaching staff, personnel staff and players themselves for building the depth Vrabel had been concerned about back in preseason. They were short-handed but undaunted.
- Teams can designate up to eight players to return from injured reserve or the non-football injury list, and the Patriots will have to be judicious with how they use those spots. They’ve already accounted for two of them with OT Marcus Bryant and ST Brenden Schooler, and two more will decisively be reserved for WRs A.J. Brown (possibly as early as today, per Vrabel) and Mack Hollins. So that leaves four more, and if OT Will Campbell and RB TreVeyon Henderson land on IR, they would account for two of them. With P Bryce Baringer, LB Khalil Jacobs, C/G Greg Van Roten, FB Reggie Gilliam and S Dell Pettus among others currently on IR, and with future planning in mind, this has become a real jigsaw puzzle for the Patriots to strategize and manage.
- The Patriots had 14 total penalties (12 accepted) for 116 yards. The intentional grounding call on Drake Maye and DPI call on safety Kevin Byard III were questionable, but that total is still way too high (3 on special teams, 4 offensive holding) and highlights what led one reporter to mention to Mike Vrabel in his post-game press conference that he didn’t seem happy. Vrabel, while noting penalties don’t always correlate to wins/losses, insisted he was happy while vowing to get it cleaned up.
- End of second quarters had been an issue through four games, and this was the Patriots’ best work of the season in that area. The situation — leading by 7, ball on their own 39 with 1:52 remaining, and the Raiders with two timeouts. Patience and intelligence from RB Rhamondre Stevenson (top performer overall even if stats don’t necessarily show it) got it started and then the old Drake Maye-to-Hunter Henry connection showed up as New England executed the patented double score (TD end of 2Q/TD start of 3Q) and never looked back. In a week across the NFL when situational football wasn’t at peak levels (e.g. Eagles, Commanders etc.), this was rock-solid work by the Patriots.
- A nice formula is emerging for the New England defense the last two weeks – playing better fundamentally against the run (Raiders averaged 2.1 YPC) and then feasting in obvious passing situations. Could maybe quibble with the initial game-plan against TE Brock Bowers (that’s a tough ask for CB Marcus Jones), but part of that was due to having their hand forced with injuries and playing the risk-reward game with sending extra rushers. Coordinator Zak Kuhr has the D flying around.
- Not-so-silver linings: WR Romeo Doubs not coming up with results in contested-catch situations…TE Tanner Arkin struggling to hold blocks on multiple plays as he received an opportunity with FB Reggie Gilliam on IR…DT Cory Durden late to align on a 5-yard run (1Q/9:43)…Leaving CB Marcus Jones (5-8, 188) isolated in a 1-on-1 situation with TE Brock Bowers (6-3, 237) on a 13-yard TD pass (could S Kevin Byard III have provided more help?)…A mix-up in pass protection to allow a free rusher on the play Drake Maye was penalized for intentional grounding…RB Corey Kiner’s fumble as a result of a fundamental breakdown by not having two hands on the football in traffic, and later not transferring the ball to his right hand when running free along the right sideline…Punt coverage to allow an 18-yard return and set the Raiders up at midfield (3Q/9:59).
- Silver linings: A fourth straight opening-drive quick stop from the defense, which is making it a habit of starting fast…Drake Maye taking a big hit on 10-yard scramble and brushing it off on the next play (a 6-yard pass to Pop Douglas on fourth-and-2) as if he wasn’t affected by the contact at all…Pop Douglas, totaling 2 TDs, with a precise and crisp route to convert that fourth down…Practice-squad elevation Elliott Davison, a collegiate safety at University of Texas-San Antonio, making the game’s opening tackle on special teams and filling in at cornerback late and not looking out of place… CB Charles Woods and Davison with PBUs on effective blitz calls that hurried QB Kirk Cousins, and Woods’ toughness in tackling TE Brock Bowers for a loss of 3 yards…RB TreVeyon Henderson as a lead-blocker on Rhamondre Stevenson’s 5-yard TD run…Sure-handed TE Hunter Henry calmly fielding an onside kick attempt in the fourth quarter…WR Efton Chism III seizing his opportunity and continuing to deliver, which included a designed lateral play to help convert on third-and-11 and then blocking his tail off on the next play (an 11-yard run)…OLB Dre’Mont Jones twice holding his edge – first to create pressure and then on a tackle for an 11-yard loss — as “excellent awareness/recognition” was written down twice in film review…CB Kindle Vildor receiving a game ball for his PBU on TE Brock Bowers, later a forced fumble after Bowers made a catch, and overall work in seizing an opportunity – a theme of the week for the team…WR Kyle Williams getting up off the mat with some big plays down the field to become the Patriots’ fourth different leading receiver (in yardage) in five games…OLB Elijah Ponder’s pass rush to produce his second sack of the first half on the final play, as well as on third-and-13 to get a stop (3Q/8:41)…TE Eli Raridon’s smooth stride and acceleration when running parallel to the line of scrimmage, leaving linebackers behind…DT Leonard Taylor III going right through highly-paid C Tyler Linderbaum for a sack (4Q/13:42).
- The Patriots (3-2) host the Jets (2-3) on Sunday in their last 1 p.m. ET game until late December/Week 16 (barring a flex). A few things stand out about the Jets – they are one of three teams that hasn’t thrown an interception this season, and No. 2 overall pick David Bailey is coming off a 3-sack/8-pressure game and making an early statement as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. The Jets’ wins have come against the Titans and Browns, while their losses are to the Packers, Lions and Bears. This is a step up in weight class for them.