Team Grades: Patriots Play Nearly Flawless Offensive Game Against Jaguars
By Gregory Hunt
Going into Week Three of the 2015 NFL season, very few people thought the Jacksonville Jaguars would go into Gillette Stadium Sunday afternoon and beat the New England Patriots, but not too many people thought the Patriots would pass the half-century mark in points, either. Until they ran out the clock at the end of the game, the Patriots scored on every offensive possession on their way to a 51-17 victory. New England now enters its bye week in first place in the AFC East with a 3-0 record, one-half game in front of the 2-1 Buffalo Bills and New York Jets.
Offense: A
New England played a nearly perfect game on offense, scoring seven touchdowns and three field goals on its first 10 possessions. Quarterback Tom Brady completed 33-of-42 passes for 358 yards and two touchdowns, including one to newly-acquired wide receiver Keshawn Martin in his first game as a Patriot. Brady's other touchdown pass was to wide receiver Danny Amendola on a play that made Brady the fourth quarterback in NFL history to complete 400 touchdown passes. Brady was sacked twice, but he was otherwise well-protected by his offensive line.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman led the team in receptions with eight, and tight end Rob Gronkowski caught four passes for 101 yards. It was also a productive day for New England running backs Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount. Lewis caught five passes and had a rushing touchdown, while Blount caught one pass and had three rushing touchdowns. Altogether, New England ran the ball 32 times for 125 yards, both of which were season highs for the Patriots.
Defense: A-
For the first time this season, the Patriots held an opponent to fewer than 20 points, and seven of those points came during garbage time late in the 4th quarter after New England had already put up 51 points. New England was solid against the run, giving up only 2.8 yards per rush. Linebacker Jamie Collins and defensive end Jabaal Sheard each had a quarterback sack, and safety Devin McCourty made his first interception of the season. Jacksonville quarterback Blake Bortles completed only 51.5 percent of his passes. The only significant mistake made by the Patriots defense was in giving up a 59-yard touchdown reception to Jacksonville wide receiver Allen Hurns in the third quarter.
Special Teams: A-
Thanks to the efficiency of the New England offense, punter Ryan Allen was not called upon to make a punt for the first time in his NFL career. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski didn't get his usual depth on his kickoffs, but he was a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including a pair from 46 yards. He also made all six of his extra points to set the NFL record for consecutive extra points made with 425. New England's return game wasn't particularly notable, but special teams demon Matthew Slater made an excellent tackle to keep Jacksonville from converting a fake punt in the third quarter.
Coaching: A
New England's game plan appeared flawless. On offense, the Patriots displayed a balance between the passing game and the running game that hadn't been seen all season. On defense, New England was able to get good pressure on the quarterback without blitzing frequently. The team also played a very disciplined game in committing only four penalties for 30 yards.
The Patriots have a bye week for Week Four, but New England will return to action on October 11 when they travel to Arlington, Texas to meet the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys will be playing without quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant, who are both sitting out with injuries, although Dallas is still finding ways to win games without them.
Gregory Hunt is a Boston native and a life-long fan of the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics. He’s also particularly fond of lacrosse, IndyCar racing and women’s college basketball. He currently works for Examiner.com where he serves as the Senior Manager of Content and Media Access. He also writes for Examiner.com as the New England Patriots Examiner. His work can be found on
