Patriots Player Power Rankings: Jabaal Sheard showed up J.J. Watt
COMMENTARY
Brian Hoyer was a mess.
In the Patriots’ 27-6 win over the Texan, Hoyer lost the ball twice, completed 50 percent of his passes for 155 yards, fumbled twice, and was sacked six times. The pummeling led to a concussion, and he left the game.
While the Patriots defense — particularly its pass-rush — stalled the Texans’ attack, Tom Brady cooly led New England’s offense to a humble but efficient victory.
Here are the Patriots player power rankings from Week 14.
10. Leonard Johnson — Two pass deflections. Two priceless celebrations. What a hero.
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9. Rob Ninkovich — Bill O’Brien and the Texans tried to run the wildcat, and Ninkovich made them look foolish for it.
8. LeGarrette Blount — He was on pace to reach 100-plus yards for the first time since Week 8 against Washington, which was the last time he looked this powerful and quick.
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7. Jerod Mayo — He’s been the “next man up’’ with Dont’a Hightower still recovering from an MCL sprain, and has reinvigorated the run defense, which was in a sad state after Hightower’s departure. Still, the veteran linebacker hasn’t been able to replicate Hightower’s efficient interior blitzing. He was stoned at the line on a few blitzes.
6. Akiem Hicks — He saw limited snaps against the Texans (and all season) until Dominique Easley left with an injury, yet he managed five tackles and two sacks.
5. Patriots tackles — J.J. Watt had only one quarterback pressure, via NESN.com. Admittedly, Marcus Cannon and Sebastian Volmer got help with double and triple teams. But job done.
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4. Logan Ryan — On the first snap from scrimmage, it was Logan Ryan in coverage on DeAndre Hopkins, not Malcolm Butler. With help from safeties (particularly Devin McCourty), the Patriots’ 2013 third-round draft pick held Hopkins to a season-low three catches on a season-low six targets, via MassLive’s Kevin Duffy. Remember when Bill Belichick couldn’t draft corners?
3. Tom Brady — No turnovers, two touchdowns, and a clean win.
2. Rob Gronkowski — Gronk played 61 percent of snaps, but he managed to make a scene. This touchdown was absurd.
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1. Jabaal Sheard — J.J. Watt got the hype, but Sheard put up. Admittedly, he benefited from pass protection breakdowns, but he made the Texans’ mistakes count. He had two strip sacks, one of which the Patriots recovered in the fourth quarter, and put the game out of reach with a Brady-to-James White touchdown.
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