FOXBORO — The Patriots are nonetheless alive. They nonetheless have one thing to play for heading to Buffalo for his or her Week 18 showdown.
And the rationale the playoffs stay a chance the ultimate week is easy sufficient.
Their protection offers them an opportunity in each sport. In Sunday’s make-or-break sport towards the Dolphins, who have been additionally on life assist for the postseason at the beginning of the day, the Patriots by some means managed to carry the Fins to simply three scores with primarily two fingers tied behind their backs.
They needed to defend Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, some of the explosive tandems within the league, with solely two cornerbacks from their energetic roster. They shut them down with Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, two guys (Quandre Mosely, Tae Hayes) they picked up off the road who joined the workforce in the course of the week, and a security corps that’s among the finest within the NFL.
They not solely saved the Dolphins offense in examine, however additionally they put factors on the board with Kyle Dugger’s pick-six within the third quarter because the Pats maintained a shot on the AFC’s closing Wild Card berth with a 23-21 win.
Translation?
If the protection continues to close groups down and rating factors each sport, the Patriots, who sit at 8-8 with one week to go, have hope for extra.
Now, the offense did have a say within the victory, piecing collectively one among its finest and most essential drives of the season to principally put the sport away within the fourth quarter. The closing 11-play drive, which began on the Patriots’ 11 with a 16-yard completion to Kendrick Bourne and ended with a one-yard landing to Jakobi Meyers, was the proper bookend to their opening drive, which additionally produced a landing.
What occurred in between these drives, nevertheless, wasn’t fairly.
But because of a protection that continues to point out resolve, that refuses to give up even whereas the offense goes three-and-out a lot of the sport, the Patriots aren’t lifeless.
Bill Belichick and his workers plotted and schemed their butts off to maintain Hill and Waddle in examine taking part in with a patchwork secondary. Playing a ton of zone, using 4 safeties and having Jonathan Jones do what he appears to do finest – restrict Hill – the protection was in a position to survive.
Hill (4 catches, 55 yards) and Waddle mixed for simply 107 yards. That was greater than a recipe for achievement within the do-or-die sport.
“We did a good job. We were able to control (Hill), not give up the big plays or what they like to do,” mentioned Jonathan Jones, who completed with a choose, two cross breakups and 4 tackles. “We kept him in front of us. I’m pretty sure the quarterback situation had a lot to do with it, but we came to play ball.”
Yes, it helped that the Dolphins have been with out beginning quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, after which needed to go together with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson after backup Teddy Bridgewater was compelled to depart within the fourth quarter, however that shouldn’t diminish what the Patriots have been in a position to accomplish with one half scheme, one half plan, and one half guts.
“I think it was a little bit of everything, but mostly the last part,” mentioned Bryant, alluding to the protection digging down deep to assist pull out the win. “The season, it was pretty much just a one-game season today. The fact we had to go out there undermanned, and just figure out how to get a (win), I’m glad we were able to do that.”
The Patriots confirmed a ton of resilience after back-to-back losses, to remain within the sport with the offense as soon as once more struggling.
Even quarterback Mac Jones acknowledged the significance of the protection protecting them viable from sport to sport, and permitting the offense to work via its difficulties.
“All of those guys play hard, they’re really well coached, they have a great scheme, just great players,” Jones mentioned of the protection. “We definitely want to be able to produce more offense, and it starts with me as the quarterback. I know we’ve been saying that a lot. But at the end of the day, we just gotta try to keep winning games, play with each other, and try and finish games strong and score more points so they don’t have to do that part for us.”
Jones (20-for-33, 203 yards, two TDs) as soon as once more melted beneath strain, however when he did have time, made a number of spectacular throws, most notably to Hunter Henry and Jakobi Meyers at key factors. He additionally led the signature drive ultimately, going 5-for-7 for 51 yards, with a cross interference on a deep throw to Meyers included.
Still, this sport was in regards to the protection. And what occurs in Buffalo can even be in regards to the protection, and making an attempt to include Josh Allen & Co., if the Bills play their starters and play to win if the highest seed isn’t wrapped up. The protection, which has now registered seven defensive touchdowns, a brand new franchise report, has been the go-to part all season, notably if the workforce wants a lift.
Dugger’s pick-six, his third defensive landing of the season, despatched a much-needed pick-me-up jolt into the stadium and sidelines. Nick Folk had simply kicked a discipline objective to attract the Pats inside 4 at 14-10 within the third quarter, then on Miami’s ensuing drive, Dugger jumped a route and took it 39 yards again with an excellent return to present the Patriots a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“It was a huge play. Defense stepped up huge right there,” mentioned Patriots heart David Andrews. “Really gave the whole stadium … the whole team, some juice.”
With the offense scoring simply 16 factors, it was as soon as once more very important for the protection to place factors on the board. It gave the workforce an opportunity, and saved the Patriots hopes alive.
“That’s our goal. We show up week in and week out to try to do the best we can,” mentioned Jonathan Jones. “We try to make plays, make impact plays, which we’ve done a lot from the front end to the back end this year to help us win.”
The unit actually got here to the rescue within the do-or-die sport towards the Dolphins. They’ll want much more towards the Bills, as they attempt to beat a workforce with an elite quarterback for the primary time this season.
Source: www.bostonherald.com