FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- With Tom Brady at quarterback, anything is possible.
Brady willed the Patriots to a 30-23 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday, with the coaching staff putting the football in his hands as he was playing behind a patchwork offensive line. His pass-catchers didn’t help him, with multiple drops.
It took more than Brady’s arm, as the Patriots also needed his legs. His 11-yard run on a third-and-10 play in the second quarter was one of the day’s highlights, and it set up his own 1-yard leaping sneak on fourth down. Brady often got the ball out quickly, which was part of the plan because of the Jets’ impressive defense and also the short-handed nature of the Patriots’ offense.
This was the type of day it was for the Patriots -- a struggle in which they needed everything they had.
The Jets led 20-16 early in the fourth quarter before Brady led the strong finishing kick, as he often has during his career.
One statistic that highlights how it was all on Brady: The Patriots attempted 54 passes and totaled nine rushes. (Brady had four of them.)
What it means: The Patriots improve to 6-0, and the Jets fall to 4-2. This creates some separation for New England in the AFC East, and there’s a chance to create even more with a quick turnaround and the Dolphins (3-3) coming to town for a Thursday night game this week.
One reason to get excited: Receiver Danny Amendola (8 catches, 86 yards, TD) delivered one of the best games in his three years with the team. Usually playing third fiddle to Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman in the passing attack, he became a go-to guy down the stretch and delivered on a drop-filled day for Patriots pass-catchers. Not that Gronkowski was held in check (he had 11 catches), but Amendola was the player who rose up most in the clutch.
One reason to be concerned: Third-down struggles on defense (credit to the Jets’ offense as well) were notable, as the Jets easily won the time-of-possession battle. The cornerback spot was an issue at times, with the top trio of Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan and Justin Coleman all having some problems, yet it’s not like receivers Eric Decker and Brandon Marshall are junior-varsity-caliber players. Some more consistent pass rush would have helped.
What were they thinking? It’s a challenging balance to integrate a player in the sixth game of the season who has practiced only three days after being on the physically unable to perform list, but the Patriots decided that they would take the plunge with receiver Brandon LaFell by having him on the field for 30 of 32 offensive snaps. LaFell’s multiple drops hurt the offense, leading to a natural second guess as to whether the Patriots should have reduced that number and turned to Aaron Dobson more often. The Patriots’ high total of drops was a big part of this game.
Fantasy watch: With running back Dion Lewis inactive because of an abdomen injury, the Patriots turned to James White as the top “passing back,” and he was charted on the field for 44 of 68 snaps. LeGarrette Blount played just eight snaps. While the Patriots wanted to maintain some form of balance, they essentially used the short passing game as an extension of the running game. They also ran 16 plays without a running back on the field.
Defense does enough: The Patriots’ priority was to limit the Jets’ running game, and it was mission accomplished in that area. A stout front seven held its ground. But the primary issues were a lack of consistent pass rush on third down and coverage that sometimes wasn’t tight enough. In the end, the defense did enough, even if it wasn’t always pretty.
Don't overlook special teams: As it often is in the AFC East, special teams and field position were critical. The Patriots fared well in this area. The Jets' average starting field position in the first half was their own 17-yard line, which reflected the team's work in this area.
Ouch: The Patriots entered the game with just 18 healthy offensive players, with the especially thin areas at running back (just two active) and offensive line (just six). They were fortunate not to lose anyone during the game, as this was as thin as a Bill Belichick-coached team has ever been on offense. The defense also didn’t have any notable injuries.
Postgame scene with Belichick: Belichick stayed on the field after the game, seeking out both cornerback Darrelle Revis and former Patriots assistant coach Pepper Johnson. He shared an embrace with each of them afterward before walking off. I haven't seen Belichick hang around like that after a game in recent contests. A lot of respect there from Belichick, for both Revis and Johnson.