FOXBORO — The NFL’s highest-scoring offense soared into Foxboro like many earlier than it Sunday.
Chest out, assured and able to steamrolling opponents through run or go.
Four quarters later, the Lions left Gillette Stadium like most of their top-ranked predecessors: damaged by a Bill Belichick protection.
The Patriots put Detroit in a 29-0 chokehold Sunday, the crew’s first win in three weeks. Matt Judon tallied two sacks and triggered a scoop-and-score fumble within the second quarter to initially assist the Pats draw back. Backup rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe held up his finish of the cut price, going 17-of-21 for 188 yards, one landing and an interception in a spot begin.
The Patriots (2-3) supported Zappe by pounding away on the NFL’s softest run protection by Rhamondre Stevenson, who piled up a career-high 161 dashing yards. Stevenson crossed the 100-yard mark moments earlier than Zappe delivered his solely landing go, a 24-yarder to Jakobi Meyers late within the third quarter. The Pats completed with 176 dashing yards, regardless of shedding Damien Harris to a hamstring harm.
Defensively, the Patriots grew to become the primary protection in NFL historical past to close out an opponent with six or extra fourth-down makes an attempt. Detroit completed 0-of-6. Judon’s strain set the desk for a two-turnover efficiency, excluding the six Lions drives that failed on fourth down.
Kyle Dugger raced Judon’s strip sack of Jared Goff 59 yards again for a landing, the protection’s second rating in as many weeks. Rookie cornerback Jack Jones, who had a pick-six final week, snatched an interception within the first quarter. Jones’ decide marked the primary of a half-dozen Detroit journeys into Patriots territory that went scoreless.
The Pats protection set an instantaneous tone by stuffing Lions operating again Jamaal Williams on fourth-and-inches to halt the sport’s opening drive at midfield. Two performs later, Zappe discovered tight finish Hunter Henry striding on their own up the left seam for his first completion and a 23-yard achieve. But contained in the purple zone, Henry didn’t separate for a third-down goal and the ensuing incompletion ushered Nick Folk on for a 37-yard area aim.
After Jack Jones killed the Lions’ subsequent sequence, Folk booted one other area aim for a 6-0 lead early within the second quarter. Stevenson accounted for 49 of the drive’s 89 yards on a single run up the center that broke a number of tackles, an indication of dashing success to come back. But earlier than the offense knocked Detroit out, it hit a pace bump.
On second-and-long close to midfield, Zappe ripped a slant throw for butter-fingered Nelson Agholor, who knocked the ball into the air simply lengthy sufficient for Lions security DeShon Elliott to safe a diving interception. Elliott’s decide proved to be idiot’s gold, nonetheless. Because as an alternative of springing Detroit towards its first scoring drive of the sport, the Pats sprung a entice at their 45-yard line.
With beneath 4 minutes left till halftime, Goff took a fourth-down snap inside a pocket that crumbled nearly as quickly because it had fashioned. Judon reached Goff first for a strip sack off the precise edge, and the ball bounced left into Dugger’s arms. Moments later, Dugger prolonged the ball excessive over his head together with his proper arm, crossed the aim line and Gillette Stadium shook with a two-possession lead.
The Lions offense sputtered once more over a three-and-out, permitting Folk to kick a 44-yard area aim for a 16-0 lead because the half expired.
The third quarter produced extra of the identical, with Folk nailing a 37-yarder on the Pats’ opening possession and the Lions answering with one other turnover on downs. On the following sequence, Henry clung to a tricky third-down catch and moved the chains, and 5 performs later, Zappe noticed a gap in Detroit’s zone protection and zipped his landing to Meyers down the precise sideline.
The complete Patriots sideline got here to greet their rookie quarterback with a contagious pleasure usually reserved for a successful locker room. Because whereas 16-plus minutes remained on the clock, they knew what awaited them at Sunday’s finish: candy, candy victory.
Here had been one of the best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:
Best
OLB Matt Judon Three tackles, two sacks and a pressured fumble. Enough mentioned.
WR Jakobi Meyers He led the crew in catches (7) and receiving yards (111). No different Patriots wideout had greater than two catches or seven yards.
Okay Nick Folk The veteran went 5-of-5 on area objectives and prolonged his NFL report of most consecutive makes inside of fifty yards to 64 straight.
QB Bailey Zappe Considering the interception wasn’t his fault, the rookie was close to flawless.
Worst
WR Nelson Agholor He despatched his solely goal into Detroit arms and left early with a hamstring harm.
WR Kendrick Bourne He took two pre-snap penalties within the first half alone and completed with a single catch for one yard.
Source: www.bostonherald.com