Here are some rough thoughts and observations (a.k.a. NickNacks) I had while watching the first half of Sunday’s game between the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars in London:
– Drake Maye is impressive.** He brings a spark to the offense that previous quarterbacks lacked, making third-and-long situations feel manageable for the first time in a while.
– Maye’s mobility is a game changer.** He demonstrated his ability to evade pressure on the first drive, creating significant plays both as a runner and an off-schedule passer.
– A surprising development:** The Patriots scored a touchdown on their opening drive, which is a first for them this season.
– Unexpected first touchdown scorer:** I didn’t predict JaMycal Hasty would score the Patriots’ first touchdown, but it came from a clever play where Maye handled pressure and checked down to Hasty, who then made a defender miss and scored.
– Maye anticipates pressure:** He mentioned to NFL Network that he expects the Jaguars to bring the heat due to both his rookie status and the ongoing issues with the offensive line.
– **Interesting stat from Matt Vautour:** The Patriots not only scored on their first drive for the first time this year, but they also gained 68 yards, surpassing their total of 45 yards from the previous six opening drives combined.
– **Strong start for the Patriots:** They jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but then things fell apart as Brian Thomas began to excel and the Jaguars’ running game picked up momentum.
– **Rough day for the Patriots’ run defense:** Tank Bigsby was dominating, exposing weaknesses in New England’s linebackers. The absence of Ja‘Whaun Bentley is really felt in the middle of the defense.
– **Tough moment for Christian Gonzalez:** The second-year cornerback has been solid this season, but rookie Brian Thomas Jr. managed to beat him for a spectacular 58-yard catch.
– **Turning point in the first half:** The Patriots suffered a blow when they allowed a punt return touchdown. Parker Washington found a gap and went untouched for a 96-yard score.
– **Creative play design:** The Patriots’ offense utilized motion effectively to get Pop Douglas the ball in space during the first drive, showcasing the second-year receiver’s skills.
– Ja‘Lynn Polk continues to struggle with drops.** After a challenging game last week, he couldn’t hold onto a contested catch along the sidelines. Drops are becoming a concern for him.
– Another near-miss for Polk:** He had a pass slip through his hands in the second quarter, but it wasn’t entirely his fault as Andre Cisco made a great play to break it up.
– Kendrick Bourne also had a drop.** He let a pass slip on third down in the red zone, forcing the Patriots to settle for a field goal. It’ll be interesting to see if this missed touchdown opportunity affects the game.
– The Patriots rolled out their seventh different offensive line combination this year.** However, it didn’t last long as rookie right guard Layden Robinson suffered an ankle injury and was replaced by Sidy Sow.
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