Despite the final score, the New England Patriots Monday night matchup against the Buffalo Bills was a nail-biter for the first three quarters. The offense had a tough time finishing drives and it was an all-around ugly affair. The Patriots entered the fourth quarter leading by six before a James White touchdown gave them a 12-point lead. Buffalo got the ball back with just under 10 minutes to play to try and close the gap. That wouldn’t happen, as Devin McCourty ensured the Patriots would leave Buffalo victorious with an 84-yard pick-six. This serves as the dagger with New England going on to win by a final score of 25-6.
🗣 HOUSE CALL 🗣
Devin McCourty takes an INT back 85 YARDS! #NEvsBUF
📺: ESPN #GoPats https://t.co/cO8BbMW4OA
— NFL (@NFL) October 30, 2018
Devin McCourty Pick-Six Sends Patriots to Victory
Nobody needed a big game more than Devin McCourty. The longtime Patriots safety had a strong Week Seven against the Chicago Bears but struggled in the two weeks before that. McCourty looked lost in coverage and appeared to have lost a step.
McCourty put those fears to rest on Monday Night Football. With the Patriots leading 18-6, Bills quarterback Derek Anderson looked over the middle trying to find tight end Charles Clay in the seam. McCourty undercut the route, timing his break perfectly and intercepting the pass in stride. With a full head of steam, nobody could stop McCourty from bringing it 85 yards to make it a 25-6 game.
McCourty’s pick-six broke a 40-game streak in which the Patriots defense failed to reach the endzone. The Patriots last defensive touchdown came all the way back in 2015 when Jamie Collins recovered a fumble in a Week 16 matchup against the New York Jets.
The last pick-six the Patriots recorded came all the way back in Week 16 of 2013. Holding a 20-0 lead, the Patriots defense took the field with just over a minute to play. Not wanting to risk injury to starting quarterback Joe Flacco, the Baltimore Ravens sent Tyrod Taylor out for the final series. Safety Tavon Wilson intercepted the then-backup quarterback, bringing the interception all the way back to the house.
James White, Julian Edelman Are The Offense
The year of James White continues. The Patriots offense, by and large, struggled to move the ball with any consistency against a stout Buffalo defense. While Tom Brady finished his night with 324 passing yards, he didn’t have a passing touchdown. Most of his yardage was accumulated thanks to a Bills offense that simply couldn’t stay on the field, allowing Brady more opportunities to throw the ball.
The exceptions to this were running back James White and wide receiver Julian Edelman. There’s no overstating how important Edelman’s return from suspension has been to this football team. Brady’s trusty security blanket finished his night with nine receptions for 104 yards on 10 targets.
The true offensive star of the night, however, was James White. White continued his season-long dominance, finishing with 10 receptions for 79 yards. Additionally, White added 15 yards and New England’s lone offensive touchdown on the ground.
Rob Gronkowski, Chris Hogan, and Josh Gordon all had their moments, but this offense runs through White and Edelman. Should something happen to either player, this Patriots offense would be in serious trouble. However, as long as these two are healthy, the Patriots have the tools to outscore anyone on any given Sunday.
A Position Change For Cordarrelle Patterson
With rookie phenomenon Sony Michel suffering a knee injury, most assumed that Kenjon Barner would be next in line for snaps. However, Bill Belichick decided to turn backfield duties over to wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson is primarily a gadget player and boasts enviable speed and acceleration, so the move actually makes perfect sense if you think about it.
While his 3.8 yards per carry were underwhelming, Patterson finished his night with the team lead in rushing yards (38) and attempts (10). The run blocking, by and large, was atrocious, so Patterson didn’t have much room to work with on most of his carries. That said, when he actually had room to work with, he looked up to the task.
Cordarrelle Patterson will never usurp Sony Michel when both players are healthy. That said, Patterson was given the chance to prove himself against a strong Bills defense and was up for the task. Kenjon Barner will probably remain as emergency depth while Patterson serves as a jack-of-all-trades in the Patriots offense.
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