Tom Brady's succinct postgame press conference was one indication.
The last nine drives, where eight ended with a punt or an interception, were another.
No, the Patriots Offensive Mystery Tour of 2019 did not hit on all cylinders against the Jets on Monday night despite the 33-0 final score.
There were still way too many runs that went for 1-yard or less outside of short-yardage (15). Brady was still clocked too many times behind a leaky offensive line (six — no sacks) even though the pressure he was under appeared worse than it actually was (12 pressures in 45 dropbacks equals the medium pressure percentage of 26.7 percent).
So, yes, much work is needed to be done.
But there were enough signs against the Jets to show you that some progress, with the 11-day layoff, had been made, and that there is some hope with this unit, even though it would help immensely if they received reinforcements with N'Keal Harry, Isaiah Wynn and, perhaps, a speed element to add to the mix at the trade deadline.
But, for now, the Patriots have what they have. It is enough for them to accomplish their goal this season of another Lombardi Trophy, if this group can start to stack success and continue on an upward trajectory.
What worked for this group?
Well, most of it was seen on the opening drive.
Just the sight of this offense opening up with two tight ends that are healthy and capable of blocking — Ben Watson and Eric Tomlinson — was a sight for sore eyes. Marcus Cannon blocking down, Joe Thuney pulling and Tomlinson blocking for a 6-yard gain by Sony Michel was progress all by itself.
On the second play, an offense that had been so neutered on the edge due to a lack of blocking and speed that it was basically trying to operate in the rectangle of the tackle box, found width to their attack when Julian Edelman went around the end for 9 yards thanks to a nice cut block from Marshall Newhouse (to say Newhouse and Cannon have struggled with that block to this point would be a massive understatement). This type of play might seem gadgetey and innocuous, but by the Patriots just showing they can press the edge of the defense — and they'd use fake jet motion five times in this game for this purpose — spreads the defense out and opens up some bigger creases for the running and passing game later on.
On the third play, Brady completed a 6-yard out to Edelman, further stretching the defense and also demonstrating to the Jets that Brady will stand in against pressure.
The fourth play saw Tomlinson line up as the lead-blocking fullback on a 5-yard run that would have gone for more had Newhouse sustained his block. Watson was blocking on the second level as well as a big crease opened.
Brady then hit Watson in the face on a crossing route — hey, no team is perfect — but Brady then hit young Jakobi Meyers on back-to-back passes to pick up the first down. The third-down catch by Meyers was especially productive because the undrafted rookie saw the Jets playing zone, he found the soft spot and sat there. That hasn't always happened before this game. We can move Meyers off the milk carton now. He's fully in Brady's good graces.
Tomlinson missed a wham block on Steve McClendon to start the next set of downs, but the former Jet did just get here — and that New York front is no joke.
On third-and-10, Meyers did a good enough job blocking to give Edelman a chance to pick up the first down, and the offensive heartbeat did the rest to extend the drive.
After a failed double-team by Cannon and Shaq Mason — a season-long issue — and a short completion, Brady stood in against pressure thanks to a shoddy block by Mason and delivered a third-down conversion to Watson.
Three plays later, the Patriots scored running the ball without needing Brady to sneak it in when, off fake jet motion again, the Patriots executed a counter toss to Michel that saw Newhouse and Watson make blocks as Michel went in untouched.
That drive alone saw:
- Six different Patriots touch the football.
- Meyers read the defense right and convert a third down.
- The Patriots actually able to run inside — with nice blocks on the second level — and outside, and make the defense defend the entire width of the field.
- Brady deliver multiple times against pressure.
- The Patriots convert four third downs, including two of 7 yards or more.
- Watson catch a third-down pass.
- Have just two plays of no gain or worse out of 16 plays. That's 12.5 percent. New England had those types of failed plays 32.4 percent of the time against the Giants.