Not quite done with the full Bedard's Breakdown from the Patriots' 37-16 victory over the Bills, but I wanted to get the charts and some thoughts up before going on Felger & Mazz (minus Felger & Mazz) this afternoon.
Overall, that was a really strange game and I'm not sure what my main takeaway is from it. Sometimes going through this exercise brings my thoughts more together.
Here are a few observations:
- I don't think there was any question that this was the best offensive line performance as both the pressure and run stuff percentages were in the teens:
- Maybe that's my main takeaway from this game. There was a ton of really good work done in the run game, and that goes for everybody, the line to the tight ends and receivers.
- A few videos to illustrate that:
- But then, I'm a bit perplexed as to why Tom Brady didn't play better in this game. Some passes just came out of his hand funny. On others, he was late or missed open receivers. He has not been playing his best ball of late.
- It doesn't help that he is very limited in the weapon department. The Patriots, outside of Rob Gronkowski, have a lot of trouble with man coverage.
- I'm mildly concerned with that, but part of me also feels that Josh McDaniels has dumbed down the gameplans in some of these games, especially this one.
- Trey and Marquis Flowers were terrific in this game. Marquis took a little while to get going, but his work as a spy against Tyrod Taylor was excellent.
- The defense didn't play all that well until the second half.
- Stephon Gilmore had another communication issue.
- Patrick Chung probably had his best game of the season, and that's saying something. He's played at a mostly high level this season.
- Stephon Gilmore and Malcolm Butler struggled. They are perplexing.