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Reviewing the first half of the Patriots season – Patriots – Boston.com

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After nine weeks of the NFL season, more than halfway through the year, the Patriots finally get to rest up with a bye in Week 10.

It’s a good time for the Patriots to rest because of injuries to key players, but it’s also because the following seven weeks will be the team’s most treacherous stretch of games, including the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. With so much to digest, including injuries, faux injuries, and renewed expectations, a review of the team’s first half of the season is necessary.

It’s not all good. But it’s not all bad either. Check it out.

Read the whole story: Reviewing the first half of the Patriots season – Patriots – Boston.com.

5 takeaways from the Patriots-Steelers game

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FOXBOROUGH — After dropping more than 600 yards on the Pittsburgh Steelers before heading into the bye week, the Patriots can rest easy knowing that the improvements they’ve sought and the crisp execution they’ve hoped to attain are very much within the team’s grasp.

Next up, consistency.

Here’s my five takeaways from the Patriots’ 55-31 win over the Steelers:

1. Tom Brady — Brady once again showed himself to be resilient. Somehow, some way he makes all those silly worries about hand injuries and shoulder soreness go away with a dominant performance. Throwing for 432 yards and four touchdowns, he erased a couple of key worries by displaying good velocity on his throws and connecting with his receivers on deep passes, including an 81-yard bomb to Aaron Dobson and a 57-yard throw to Danny Amendola. Somehow, some way everything came together as three Patriots had more than 100-yard receiving days.

“When Gronk [Rob Gronkowski] plays like that and can produce like that and Danny [Amendola] does that and Aaron [Dobson] does that and the backs do that and the line blocks, it’s a good way to play football,” Brady said. “There were a lot of guys that played really well and that’s what it’s going to take, I think, as the season goes. We have to keep getting better. It’s been a process for us, but at the bye week, 7-2 is not bad. Hopefully our best football is ahead of us.”

The one person he didn’t mention was himself. When he does what he did, showing off the accuracy that has been the hallmark of his career, it doesn’t matter who his receivers are. The Patriots are dominant with that Tom Brady at the helm.

2. It matters who runs the ball and why — Stevan Ridley was the featured running back for the Patriots Sunday and that’s a good thing. As much as Bill Belichick says he appreciates the hard running from both Ridley and LeGarrette Blount, it’s Ridley who moves the chains and makes things happen. With a season-high 115 yards rushing and two touchdowns, it makes you wonder what the fascination is with Blount, particularly when the big back is featured more than the explosive one.

On Sunday, it made more sense than ever to feed Ridley the ball given Pittsburgh has the 29th-ranked rushing defense. Belichick was asked about Ridley, who had a season-high 26 carries, but also asked about the decision to run the ball more.

“No, we made a conscious effort to win,” he said. “That’s what we try to do every week is win. That’s what we’re here for, is to win. We’re not here to produce stats or do any of that stuff. We’re here to win. That’s what our job is, to win.”

Again, it should be noted that it is no secret that the Steelers’ run defense stinks. The Patriots compiled 197 yards, another season-high, on what was an obvious weakness for Pittsburgh. So when Belichick says the team “made a conscious effort to win,” it only makes sense when you look at the rushing numbers.

Read the full post: 5 takeaways from the Patriots-Steelers game – Extra Points – Boston.com.

5 takeaways from the Patriots-Dolphins game

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FOXBOROUGH — After recording only 59 yards of total offense in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots scored 24 unanswered points while amassing 193 yards (252 total) to take the game, 27-17.

It was, in essence, a tale of two halves.

For the Patriots, the resurgent play can be pinpointed to some key defensive stops and turnovers, helping the team’s timid offense get a short field on three occasions, which led to touchdowns.

With that in mind, here’s five takeaways from the Patriots’ win over the Dolphins:

1. Player of the day: Logan Ryan — Ryan didn’t play the first half, but he sure made his presence felt in the second. He recorded five total tackles, two sacks, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble. His strip sack of Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill was pivotal play in the third quarter. Only three plays later, Brandon Bolden punched in a 2-yard touchdown.

“Any time that you’re number is called or your name is called on a certain play, you want to make sure you make it because you don’t get it all the time,” Ryan said. “The more you make plays, the more opportunities you get.”

Of course, Ryan’s day doesn’t come without regrets. He almost had a pick-six on a Tannehill throw to the flat.

“That’s one I’m going to dream about,” he said. “And have nightmares about.”

As long as Ryan continues to contribute like he did Sunday, he’ll see his opportunities increase.

2. Filling the vacuum on defense — In one respect, the Patriots scored 24 points in the second half. In another, they shut out the Dolphins. The Patriots forced three turnovers and recorded six sacks in the third and fourth quarters, making up for a first half in which the defense gave up 175 yards of offense, including 103 on the ground.

“We knew that obviously we had to step up after that first half,” said linebacker Dane Fletcher. “And we did as a whole team. And that’s what we needed. Special teams, offense, defense, we really came together. Played well and played a good, solid half together and started enjoying it.”

Fletcher, who saw an increased role Sunday with the loss of Jerod Mayo still affecting the team, managed to get in on the action himself. He finished with two tackles and a sack. It was his first sack of the year after returning from an ACL injury that wiped out his 2012 season.

“You know it’s nice to have a role on defense again and just play and get comfortable out there,” Fletcher said. “I felt, at least by the fourth quarter, I was really comfortable with things again. After taking some time off and just the game experience starts to come back to you. I started to feel better and just having a little fun with it. And then that’s when you play the best.”

Along with Jamie Collins (2 tackles), Dont’a Hightower (10 tackles, 1 sack), and Brandon Spikes (9 tackles), the linebacker group has had its ups and downs in the past two games without Mayo present. But as Fletcher noted, they’re each getting more and more comfortable. In a twist, it helps that the team’s defensive backs, Ryan and Marquice Cole, were able to make some game-changing plays.

Read the full post: 5 takeaways from the Patriots-Dolphins game – Extra Points – Boston.com.

Patriots passing game needs identity

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FOXBOROUGH — Things that are cause for alarm in New England football: Injuries to Tom Brady (see: Clayborn, Adrian) and the lack of viable receiving options (see: Welker, Wes).

That, we know.

Almost halfway through the season, the Patriots are still trying to find the magic antidote that will somehow resurrect the team’s dominant passing attacks of 2011 and 2012. Part of the team’s problem has been its young receivers, who have combined for 26 drops thus far, second most in the NFL.

But there is growing evidence that part of the problem has been Brady himself, who is on pace to complete one of the most inaccurate seasons in his 14-year career. He’s completing 66.9 percent of his passes that haven’t been dropped, thrown away, spiked, or batted down, according to the statistical website ProFootballFocus.com. Among the 23 quarterbacks in the league who have taken at least 75 percent of their team’s dropbacks, he ranks 22d when all of these factors are considered.

(Isn’t it nice to know that at least he’s better than Eli Manning here? Or is it? Never mind.)

Consider that last year, with the same adjustments taken into place, he was completing 74.8 percent of his passes. The same in 2011 (74.1). He led the league in 2010 with a mark of 77.9 percent completion percentage. Those were fond days when the offense was firing on all cylinders with then new tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Read the full story: Passing game needs identity – Extra Points – Boston.com.

5 takeaways from the second Patriots-Jets game

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If you take away the controversial penalty on Chris Jones on Nick Folk’s 56-yard field goal attempt in overtime, there was still so many reasons to be troubled by what occurred in the Patriots’ 30-27 loss to the New York Jets.

The penalty certainly gave the Jets new life, a second, easier field goal attempt after they were awarded 15 yards. But the Patriots put themselves in that situation before then. Let’s try to keep that in consideration as we look back at the game.

1. The penalty — It was the first time it was ever called. Let that sink in. The new penalty, just installed in 2013, calls for defensive players to withhold from pushing their teammates from behind into the offensive formation on field goal and extra point attempts. It was something that was clearly articulated to each team before the season. At that time of its announcement, Chris Jones was with the Houston Texans. So when he said he didn’t know, or at least was unaware of the rule, maybe it says more about the Texans than it does about the Patriots, who are well known for their preparation in all phases of the game. However, the 23-year old was gracious in taking responsibility for the error. He just didn’t know at the time. It’s safe to say this is the worst way to learn that lesson.

2. Gronk strong — It was a fantastic effort for the big tight end in his first game back. He caught eight passes for 114 yards. It would be too easy to zero in on the catches he didn’t make (like the one-handed grab in the fourth quarter), but that would be an injustice to what he was able to accomplish after more than nine months away. He was a weapon that needed containing. What’s more concerning is that he was probably too heavily relied upon. He was targeted 17 times. Only Julian Edelman, who had been targeted 18 times in the Patriots’ first meeting with the Jets, has seen more balls thrown his way in a game. The Patriots’ passing attack is at its best when the ball is spread around. It was most glaring on third down, where the Patriots were 1 of 12 on conversions. Edelman caught five passes, Aaron Dobson caught three, and Kenbrell Thompkins caught two. While you don’t want to go and put limits on how many targets any one player should have, some consideration should be put to how much the team’s winning formula (5-1 without Gronkowski) changes with just one player added to the mix.

Read all of my takeaways: 5 takeaways from the second Patriots-Jets game – Extra Points – Boston.com.

Controversial call on Patriots’ Chris Jones led to loss against Jets

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The Patriots lost to the New York Jets on a 42-yard field goal by Nick Folk in overtime, 30-27, but the crux of the loss comes down to a pivotal play just moments prior.
Defensive tackle Chris Jones was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for pushing a teammate in an attempt to block Folk’s 56-yard attempt with 7:17 left in the extra period.

It was a violation of one of the NFL’s new rules for 2013, governing play on extra points and field goal attempts, in an attempt to make sure the game is more safe for players in the trenches.

Rule 9, Section 1, Article 3 (b) 2 — “…players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation.”

Read the full story: Controversial call on Patriots’ Chris Jones led to loss against Jets – Extra Points – Boston.com.

What to watch for as the Patriots visit the Jets – Extra Points – Boston.com

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – As the Patriots get set to face their AFC East division rival, questions linger over the team’s depth at key positions.

Here’s what we’ll be watching as the Patriots face the New York Jets.

1. The Jerod Mayo replacement — Either Jamie Collins or Dane Fletcher, or possibly a combination of both, will replace Mayo’s snaps on defense. Collins certainly provides some athleticism while Fletcher has experience as a starter.

2. Rob Gronkowski’s impact — First, will he even play? Second, what will he be able to do? If Gronkowski is active, we’ll be watching his actions very closely because, of course, it will be his first game in more than nine months.

3. Offensive rhythm — The Patriots had a poor outing against the Jets their first time around, going 0 for 3 in the red zone and recording six three-and-outs. Tom Brady completed 49 percent of his throws. Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins were targeted 17 times in the game while catching only five passes, struggling to get on the same page as their quarterback. A lot has changed since then, both in terms of their growth and opportunities. It will be interesting to see that growth materialize itself against a tough opponent like the Jets.

via What to watch for as the Patriots visit the Jets – Extra Points – Boston.com.

What will Gronkowski’s impact be? – Extra Points – Boston.com

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Rob Gronkowski is expected to make his long-awaited return to the football field after being cleared by his medical advisers, according to his agent.

He’s listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. And if Bill Belichick is anything like the Patriots’ fervent fanbase, he can’t wait to unleash his prized offensive weapon.

The best way to understand what the Patriots have missed in the first six games of this season without Gronk is in considering how big of a difference he means to the team’s ability to score points. (Does anything else matter?) Gronk scored touchdowns so frequently, sometimes people fail to realize how miraculous he was. In 48 career games, including the playoffs, he has reached the end zone a little under a touchdown a game (0.85). Had he played in this first leg of the season, he would have at least five right now at that kind of pace.

But we don’t work in hypotheticals. After re-injuring his forearm on Jan. 3, Gronkowski has been Question No. 1 when it comes to the Patriots ever since. And we have projected his return date, and re-projected his return date, with ad naseum since the news of his back surgery first came to our attention in the spring. The projections have been wrong countless times. We know that now in hindsight, which is all the more reason why he has been cautious.

On Sunday, it will have been a little less than 41 weeks, or more than nine months, and precisely 290 days in between games for Gronk

Read the full post: What will Gronkowski’s impact be? – Extra Points – Boston.com.