Despite trailing by only one point heading into halftime, the New England Patriots‘ offense was far from putting it all together.
They scored just three points in two drives that got inside the Los Angeles Chargers’ five-yard line. Four total trips inside the Chargers’ 30-yard line after the opening touchdown drive yielded six total points. Penalties erased a number of big plays, specifically Damien Harris runs.
This couldn’t continue if they wanted to steal a victory on the road. The defense was mostly holding up its end of the bargain after 30 minutes. The offense needed to finally get on the same page to put a bow on this one.
Two Adrian Phillips interceptions got the Patriots 10 points. After his pick-six early in the fourth quarter, the defense forced another three-and-out from the Chargers. It was up to Mac Jones and Co. to put this one out of reach. Leading 24-17 with just over nine minutes remaining, the offense ate nearly seven minutes off the clock on a drive that ended with a field goal.
It was near flawless execution from start to finish.
Fourteen plays, 54 yards, six minutes and 56 seconds, three points. The Chargers had no timeouts left when they got the ball back with just over two minutes remaining. They would score a touchdown and attempt an onside kick, but the Patriots recovered and ended the evening.
What made this drive so special, though? Everyone seemingly executed their assignments perfectly AND played heads-up football. Each ball carrier/pass catcher made sure to stay in bounds to keep the clock burning. Jakobi Meyers and Damien Harris did it multiple times, which either ate more time or forced LA to use timeouts.
Jones’ poise under pressure was undeniable, too. He hung in the pocket and delivered multiple spot-on throws to put more pressure on the Chargers and keep the drive alive.
Admittedly, the defense deserves most of the credit here. They forced two turnovers, were responsible for arguably the most important points of the game, and held one of the league’s best offenses in check. That stuff is run of the mill for a typical Bill Belichick-coached team, though.
What was more notable was the offense putting all the mistakes and issues in the rearview to keep the Chargers on the ropes before delivering the final blow. No penalties. No dropped passes. No blown assignments. No ill-advised throws.
That’s a colossal leap for an offense trying to discover its true identity with so many new players following a two-decade reign atop the NFL with Tom Brady leading the charge. Don’t forget this drive as one of the imprints that signaled what’s to come in the Mac Jones era.
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November 01, 2021 at 06:39AM
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Patriots’ final drive to seal win over Chargers showed incredible maturation - Musket Fire
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