A dominating running game, sound defense and back-breaking special teams plays: This is the New England Patriots at their best in the post-Tom Brady era.
Sure, the 2020 Patriots don’t really pass the ball well and have just clawed their way back up to .500. But for one Sunday afternoon, New England cruised to a dominant win against a bad team.
We’ve seen this movie dozens of times in the Bill Belichick era. Now, we’ve seen it a fully revamped version with Cam Newton at the helm.
If the 2020 Patriots have their way, Newton doesn’t really need to pass the ball for 300 yards. Heck, against the Chargers, he didn’t even need to pass for 100 before the team had gone up 35-0.
Instead of a prolific passing attack like years past, this team is built on the foundation of an underrated offensive line, a bruising running back in Damien Harris and complementary football in all phases of the game.
This team is a Bill Belichick cliché given life. On Sunday, it beat a sloppy Chargers team to a pulp.
Here’s what we learned from the blowout win.
1. The Patriots have finally figured out this whole “first-quarter” thing
After a disastrous opening last week against the Arizona Cardinals, the Patriots took the opening kickoff and proceed to methodically and physical power their way down the field to an opening touchdown.
It’s the third time in the last four games that the Patriots have scored a touchdown on their opening drive. This comes after failing to score an offensive touchdown in their first seven games of the season.
This week, the Patriots’ opening salvo came in the form of a deliberate 13-play drive that lasted for over seven minutes. New England stuck primarily to the running game, using a creative and effective blend of runs from Cam Newton and Damien Harris, finishing with a pair of Newton runs to punch it in.
The defense started out with some issues, letting the Chargers drive the bulk of the field. But thanks to a clutch one-handed sack from Deatrich Wise, Los Angeles was held to a field goal, which Michael Badgley ended up missing.
A 7-0 lead after one quarter isn’t perfect. But it is the second time the Patriots have had a lead after 15 minutes all season.
2. Cam Newton brought back the flying QB sneak - and introduces a new celebration
When you’re inches out of the end zone, all you need to do is poke the ball over the line for six points. That’s just how Newton opened Sunday’s scoring.
We’ve seen Tom Brady pull a similar move over the years (winding up with Ray Lewis’ helmet in his back at one point because of it).
We also saw a new addition to Newton’s celebration repertoire as the quarterback mimed a euro step move from basketball before flipping the ball at the CBS TV camera.
3. The defense finally looks like 2019 again - especially against the pass
A year after boasting the stingiest pass defense in the NFL, the Patriots have looked particularly porous against opposing passers this season. But against a hot young quarterback in Justin Herbert, Bill Belichick’s defense put a lid on things against the run and pass.
After some early struggles on the edges, the Patriots’ front seven stiffened up against the run and also got in Herbert’s face all day.
On the back end, the Patriots have taken huge strides in pass defense. A week after making Kyler Murray look just OK, the New England secondary made Herbert look silly, smothering receivers and making big plays on the ball.
Once again, J.C. Jackson came up with a big play, recording another interception, bringing him to a league-high seven on the season.
4. One week later, Gunner Olszewski got that punt return touchdown -- and more
Last week, it looked like Olszewski had his first NFL touchdown as he broke away from the Cardinals on a long return. However, a controversial “blindside block” call took it off the board.
Fortunately for the former Division II cornerback out of Bemidji State, he didn’t have to wait long for redemption to hit paydirt for real, taking the Chargers’ first punt back 70 yards for the score.
That wasn’t even the end of Olszewski’s big plays on the day.
He piled on the punt returns in the fourth quarter with a 61-yard return while the Patriots were up 35-0. Then after Jarrett Stidham had come in for garbage time minutes, Olszewski broke open down the seam en route to a 38-yard score to make it a 45-0 game.
5. The Patriots special teams are on fire right now
It’s starting to feel like 2019 again with the Patriots’ special teams play.
On Sunday, it wasn’t just a key return touchdown that provided an early spark, the field goal block unit got involved as well. It was Cody Davis who came up with the block and Devin McCourty pulling away for the touchdown as time expired before halftime.
The Patriots aren’t the most dynamic team in the NFL right now. They have issues. But if they can keep getting splash plays on special teams like this, that can help flip field position and change momentum in games.
Often times, it’s not flashy. But they’re the sort of plays that this team could have really used in some of those one-score losses earlier this season.
6. Donte Moncrief has been a quietly solid signing
Moncrief arrived in New England with little fanfare a little over a month ago, landing on the practice squad. Quietly, he’s carved himself out a solid role as a special teamer and depth receiver -- so much so that the Patriots wound up cutting trade acquisition Isaiah Ford to bring him onto the 53-man roster.
Last week against the Cardinals, Moncrief gave the Patriots a season-long 53-yard kickoff return, providing a much-needed spark to that unit.
On Sunday, he provided some key blocking on Olszewski’s punt return touchdown and also ran for a first down on a jet sweep in the first half.
Moncrief hasn’t turned into the No. 1 receiver that many fans want the Patriots to get. But he is the sort of midseason signing that the Patriots excel at, providing depth and timely plays to round out the roster.
7. Sony Michel is finally back
The 2018 first-round pick finally worked his way back into the Patriots offense after a prolonged absence. Michel was sent to injured reserve earlier this season and wound up losing his job to Harris. However, it looks like he’s starting to work his way into the rotation, especially with Rex Burkhead done for the year.
Michel logged his first carry since Week 3, taking it 10 yards for a first down in the second quarter. Michel also had a solid play in the passing game, taking a fourth-quarter reception for 23 yards.
It wasn’t Michel’s most prolific game, but was a step in the right direction as he tries to prove he’s still provides value to the team.
8. N’Keal Harry showed signs of life as well
Speaking of recent first-round picks who have been trying to rebuild their stock, we had a N’Keal Harry sighting in the end zone Sunday.
Like Michel, Harry looks to have lost his spot to someone of a less spectacular draft pedigree (UDFA Jakobi Meyers) while missing time with an injury. Harry has been slow to get going again in the Patriots offense, but did make some plays Sunday.
The most notable play from Harry was his second-half touchdown in the red zone. Matched up against veteran cornerback Chris Harris, Harry drove into the end zone and then boxed out Harris, outmuscling him to gain position before snatching a pass out of the air for a score.
It wasn’t the biggest performance of the day, but it was a step in the right direction for the 2019 first-round pick.
9. The Patriots anime club had a big day
In addition to being a big part of the team’s defensive line, Adam Butler and Deatrich Wise are two of the main members of the Patriots anime club.
Both linemen had solid performances in Sunday’s win. Wise had a hot start, recording a one-handed sack of Herbert on the first drive. Meanwhile, Butler was a menace all day along the interior of the defensive line.
The two channeled their mutual love for the anime “Dragon Ball Z” with a coordinated handshake that finished with a “Kame Hame Ha” (the signature move of Goku, the hero of DBZ).
10. The Patriots are using Damien Harris in new (and creative ways)
The second-year running back has been one of the Patriots’ most effective and consistent players on offense. However, the offense’s formula of using him (lining up him in I-formation and handing it off) was starting to get a little stale and predictable.
That changed Sunday in Los Angeles as the Patriots started moving and morphing the offense to get better use of Harris’ talents.
Harris open things up with a 15-yard reception out of the backfield. That’s a big step forward for him. If the Patriots can present more of a passing threat when he’s in the game, Harris could face fewer eight-man boxes on the other side of the ball.
Besides that, the Patriots also worked in some plays where Harris lined up in the wildcat to receive the direct snap and flipped the ball out to him on some pitches and options.
It wasn’t anything groundbreaking. But these plays do represent new looks and steps forward for the Patriots offense to build on.
It’s not the sort of thing that will stand out in a blowout win. But it could help build the foundation for the final stretch run in 2020.
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Where has this Patriots team been all year? 10 things we learned from blowout vs. Chargers - MassLive.com
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