Another week, another physical statement from Stephon Gilmore

FOXBOROUGH -- For the record, it was textbook. Head up, knees bent, shoulders lead the contact, drive your legs, and finish the tackle.

Stephon Gilmore again sent a loud, clear and emphatic message here on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, well after this “battle” with the Jets had been decided.

On New York’s 47th and final offensive play, fittingly on this day a 4th-and-13, Gilmore flat-out flattened Robbie Anderson on a 4-yard gain, with such tenacity. The Jets’ No. 1 receiver got up, fired the ball to the sideline in disgust. His helmet soon followed. It was the latest post, no social medium needed, by Gilmore, notifying the rest of the NFL that his 2018 All-Pro selection has not sparked complacency or satisfaction.

He’s back again.

“The goal is to play every snap the best you can. It’s not over till it’s over,” said Gilmore. “That’s what we have to do.”

With the score 30-14 and the Jets doing nothing, Gilmore’s performance also fits perfect with Bill Belichick’s recent “We play 60 minutes” agenda. This was not the first time, either. Look back on the film early against Pittsburgh on the Sunday night opening weekend. Gilmore, at one point, stormed into the mix like a walk-on trying to prove a point in some college program. He blew up the run, taking a pulling guard. He got dirty, pretty much like all his mates on the Patriots defense.

“We’re just trying to get better each and every day,” said Gilmore. “It’s about trying to come in and work every day no matter what happened last week or the day before.”

The Gilmore-Anderson matchup was the microcosm of Sunday’s game, a Roy Jones Jr.-like 12-round whitewash.

Anderson, a rock-solid four-year pro, caught three balls on five targets for 11 yards.

He had the look of a boy whose puppy was stolen in the locker-room afterward.

“I think the world knows what I’m capable of and I know what I am capable of,” said Anderson. “My intent here isn’t to lose. I am here to win. I work day in and day out to to the best of my ability to contribute for us to win. I know what I am capable of and I know what I am here to do so it is frustrating.”

And why shouldn’t the man be this depressed? He fell to 0-7 in his career against the Patriots and now has 15 catches for 169 yards against New England.

“He’s a fast guy. I try to get physical with him, play as hard as I can,” Gilmore said. 

“It takes practice and playing hard.”

Without Sam Darnold at quarterback, Anderson, like the Jets, is lost. You wonder if the mono-laden QB will make a difference. With Gilmore across the way, don’t expect things to happen differently anytime soon. The Patriots have not allowed a touchdown with the defense so far. Gilmore is playing a complete game to spark it.

“It’s not easy. It takes a lot of hard work every week, preparing each week and trusting each other,” said Gilmore. “Different weeks bring different challenges. So it starts during the week and we just keep preparing and try to play our best on Sunday.”