Perry's Report Card: Pats lock down Murray, survive another Cam dud
Cam Newton and the offense were far from effective in Sunday's win over the Cardinals, but the defense and special teams came to play. Phil Perry's Report Card runs the full gamut for Week 12.
It's hard for the Patriots to live like this offensively. They are such a run-focused offense with so few down-the-field threats that teams are comfortable stacking the box to guard against run plays, unconcerned with getting hit with an explosive gain over their heads. On top of that, when defenses choose to blitz, Cam Newton has had issues this season.
Load up the front. Blitz. Play the run on the way to the quarterback. Rinse. Repeat.
It worked for the Cardinals on Sunday, limiting gains on the ground and helping force Cam Newton into an early interception they converted into points. It burned them late, though, with Josh McDaniels dialing up the perfect keeper call for Newton against the perfect (for New England) blitz call from Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Newton got a first down on a third-and-long play, picked up additional yardage from a penalty, and suddenly he had his team in field-goal range.
It took a Cardinals missed kick. It took a Cardinals personal foul penalty. It wasn't pretty offensively, and neither are the grades on that side of the ball.
Let's get to them ...
Cam Newton appeared to apologize to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as soon as Nick Folk split the uprights to win the game. Not a typical reaction to a game-winning play, and yet it made sense.
Just minutes earlier, Newton missed Damiere Byrd badly along the sideline and was picked off. The Cardinals were into field-goal range quickly and had an opportunity to go ahead ... but missed the go-ahead field goal. The pick was reminiscent of Newton's late-game fumble in Buffalo that cost the Patriots the game, and it was his second of the day. The first came on his first pass attempt. Facing down a Cardinals blitz, Newton hesitated to get rid of the football, was hit as he threw, and he handed Arizona possession deep in New England territory.
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Newton was just 9-for-18 on the day for 84 yards for just 4.7 yards per attempt, he was sacked three times, and his two picks helped him to a meager 23.6 quarterback rating. Even some of his completions were poorly-placed -- one crosser to Jakobi Meyers was thrown behind, one screen to James White was thrown high and threw off the timing of the play -- leading to one of the ugliest performances he's had in 2020.
James White stepped up in the absence of Rex Burkhead, getting into the end zone twice -- not as a receiver but as a low red-zone runner. Goes to show how much trust the Patriots coaching staff has in their "sub" back to use him in critical situations. He took an option pitch around the right end for the team's first touchdown of the day, and later he took a crack-toss carry around the left end for his second score.
The average yards per carry (against a defense that had allowed 4.5 per carry leading up to the game) was not good for this unit (3.4 yards per carry), but they showed up in pass protection and did enough in big spots on the ground. On White's second touchdown, fellow back Damien Harris (14 carries, 47 yards) was among the blockers leading the way
N'Keal Harry was in and out of the game. When he was in, he did not appear to impact the game in a positive way for the Patriots. His end-around carry went for a loss of two yards. He appeared to have a moment of miscommunication with Cam Newton early on that led to a misfire. He was called for a hold. He dropped a slant. He did not have a catch.
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Jakobi Meyers, meanwhile, was called for a false start, but he had the best statistical contribution to this group, reeling in five for 52 yards. Damiere Byrd chipped in with 33 yards receiving. This unit occasionally made good down-field blocks, but there wasn't enough to raise their grade beyond where it is here.
There's very little happening here with this group. Jakob Johnson was used extensively and helped the run game pick up whatever yardage it was able to muster -- but there wasn't much there. Neither Ryan Izzo nor Johnson was targeted in the passing game. On the ground, this group averaged just 3.7 yard per attempt.
The Patriots got enough out of fill-in tackles Jermaine Eluemunor and Justin Herron to win the game, though the running-game production was meager. The Cardinals blitzed early and often and this unit had most of Arizona's pressures solved.
There was a free blitzer who helped force Newton's first pick, but it was unclear whether that was an unchecked defender for whom the quarterback was responsible, or if that was the responsibility of running back James White.
Newton was sacked three times, but two appeared to be coverage sacks when Newton could've let the ball rip more quickly in order to protect himself.
This group is dependent on precision and with the team's playoff hopes hanging by a thread, there's pressure for them to remain precise. And they did in the game's final seconds, with a good snap, hold and kick by Nick Folk for the game-winner.
They were precise for most of Sunday, in fact. Jake Bailey blasted a 59-yard punt and had another downed at the three-yard line. Donte Moncreif came through as the team's new kick returner and helped set up the Patriots for their first touchdown with an explosive return.
One apparent mistake, with Anfernee Jennings being called for a blindside block, wiped out a Gunner Olszewski punt return for a touchdown and cost the Patriots four points since they came away from the subsequent drive with a field goal. Bill Belichick wasn't happy with the call. Not one bit. Jennings' shoulders were facing the sideline when he made the hit, but perhaps the officials flagged him for subtly moving back toward his own goal line on the play.
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Even without Carl Davis (injured reserve) and Byron Cowart (inactive), this group performed. Lawrence Guy and Akeem Spence were at the scene for the two biggest defensive plays of the afternoon: a fourth-and-one stop at the goal line at the end of the first half and a batted pass that resulted in a pick.
Adam Butler was a monster. He had a pair of quarterback hits in the first half alone, then he went off in the second half. Butler stuffed a second-down run for a loss that helped lead to a Cardinals punt, and he got his right mitt on a Kyler Murray pass that ended up in the hands of Adrian Phillips for a key interception. Later he came through with a third-down sack that led to another punt, and he was in on a third-and-one stop in the game's final moments right before the Cardinals missed a potential game-winning kick.
Huge game from Butler after missing the Texans matchup due to injury. The Patriots needed it.
This group held its own against an uber-athletic quarterback and one of the league's most productive running games.
The play of the day? A fourth-and-goal stop from inside the one-yard line by captain Ja'Whaun Bentley right before the end of the first half. The second-most important play of the day from this group? A third-and-one stop just before the Cardinals missed their game-winning field-goal attempt wide right. Bentley was on the scene for that play, too.
Was this the Pats' best defensive effort of the season?
Josh Uche and Chase Winovich both made plays behind the line of scrimmage to bother Kyler Murray on Sunday afternoon. One play in particular saw Uche pressure Murray and chase him toward Winovich who ended up with a sack, which led to a second-quarter punt. Winovich also jumped up to take away a quick-hitting throw by Murray when the Patriots played Cover 0 without a safety. Winovich knew the ball had to come out quickly and he anticipated Murray pulling the trigger quickly. Murray had to double-clutch, his pass was batted by Adam Butler, and the play resulted in a turnover.
