5 takeaways from the Patriots’ win over the Colts
New England got above .500 heading into the bye week.
The Patriots defeated the Colts 26-3 on Sunday, jumping above .500 (5-4) for the first time in the 2022 season.
It was yet another grind for Mac Jones and the offense, but nine sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown from the defense tipped the balance towards New England.
The Patriots now head into the bye week, with a vital AFC East matchup against the Jets waiting in Week 11.
Here are a few takeaways:
Mac Jones and the passing game are still searching for a statement game.
While it ended up mattering less in the full context of the game, the fact remains that Jones was held to an underwhelming performance for yet another week. He finished his day 20 of 30 for 147 yards passing with a touchdown.
Granted, it was not a game that required too much passing, but even from an efficiency standpoint, the offense was subpar. The Patriots barely held the advantage in time of possession, an indicator that despite the defense’s success, Jones was unable to take full advantage.
One small piece of progress is that Jones avoided any interceptions, a first for him this season.
Beyond Jones, his receivers also had days to forget. Both Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne fumbled after the catch. Meyers’s fumble was recovered by the Colts, while Bourne was fortunate that teammate J.J. Taylor was able to fall on the football. Eliminating any opportunities for giveaways on offense will be crucial after the bye week.
The defense did more than simply take care of business.
Granted, it was not Peyton Manning’s Colts that the Patriots were facing. It wasn’t even Andrew Luck’s Colts. Regardless, Bill Belichick’s defense energetically shut down the version of the Colts in front of them on Sunday.
Sam Ehlinger, making just his second NFL start for the Colts, spent much of the afternoon running around to simply avoid getting sacked. Unfortunately for Ehlinger and Indianapolis, it didn’t help that much.
In the end, the Patriots recorded an astounding nine sacks, and sealed the game with Jonathan Jones’s interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
It didn’t seem to matter what the down or distance was, New England had an answer for whatever the Colts tried to do. The visitors were constricted to just two yards per play and finished an incredible 0-14 on third downs (as well as 0-2 on fourth downs).
Matthew Judon and Jonathan Jones had standout performances.
Pass rusher Matthew Judon set the tone early for the Patriots against Ehlinger and the Colts. He sacked Ehlinger on Indianapolis’ first offensive play, and got him again on third down (only for it to be called back due to a rougher the passer call on New England defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale).
Judon, undeterred, continued to rampage his way into the Colts’ backfield on seemingly every play, helping to wreck whatever game plan Indianapolis coach Frank Reich was trying to execute.
In fact, Judon and teammate Josh Uche became the first Patriots teammates to each finish a game with three sacks since Andre Tippett and Don Blackmon did so in 1985.
Not to be outdone was the performance of cornerback Jonathan Jones. Jones, 29, added an exclamation point onto the win with his pick-six.
Earlier in the game, he’d also been instrumental in helping the Patriots get a touchdown. In classic New England fashion, Jones contributed on special teams to go along with his defensive effort, sneaking down to perfectly block a punt:
Both Judon and Jones provided much needed playmaking for the Patriots even as the offense sputtered.
The offensive line struggled.
While the Colts averaged a meager 3.5 yards per carry on Sunday, the Patriots somehow averaged a whole yard less (2.5), totaling 70 yards on 28 carries.
As talented as Rhamondre Stevenson is (his touchdown catch showcased yet another part of his game), the New England offensive line couldn’t generate enough on the ground on a consistent basis.
Jones was also sacked four times, a worrying indication of the pass protection. Rookie guard Cole Strange was benched for a period of the game, with Isaiah Wynn stepping in. Strange eventually returned, but this feels like a subplot worth watching over the next few games. Whatever Jones and the offense can potentially become, it won’t happen if the line underachieves.
Nick Folk was an unsung hero again.
As inconsistent as the Patriots offense has been (particularly at times in the red zone), Nick Folk has been a comforting site for New England fans on fourth down.
While field goals will always feel underwhelming as an outcome, Folk has quietly become a central part of the Patriots’ recent paths to victory.
For the second week in a row, the Patriots built a win on the foundation of defense and field goals. And while that’s probably not a repeatable formula against an opponent with a more talented offense, it’s worth noting Folk’s flawless performance.
Folk has attempted four or more field goals in three games this season. He’s a perfect 14-14 in those games, including 9-9 in the last two weeks.
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