Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ win over the Cardinals in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:
HEADLINES
A win is a win: Not sure how it happened — the Patriots had just 179 yards of offense, Cam Newton threw two interceptions and completed just nine passes, the Patriots averaged 3.0 yards per rush outside of Newton — but the Patriots found a way to win their third game in four tries to stay in the AFC playoff race at 5-6.
Nick Folk sends it through the uprights. @Patriots win! #GoPats pic.twitter.com/WJX7Rdkgco
— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2020
Cardinals hand this game over to Patriots: Let's just start with the end of the game. The Cardinals had 4th and 1 and could have won the game with a conversion with 1:52 to play, but instead kicked a field goal that Zane Gonzalez missed. That gave the Patriots 8 more yards of field position. Then, with Newton unable to get out of his own way and the Patriots facing 3rd and 13, the Cardinals allowed Newton to pick up the first down, and Isaiah Simmons blasted him out of bounds on a controversial call. The Patriots then picked up 7 yards and kicked the game-winning field. Kingsbury also blew three points when he went for it on 4th and goal to finish the first half with a 10-7 lead, and it could have been 13-7 with the ball to start the second half.
Dumb play by Isaiah Simmons, cost his team a lot of yards. Huge hit on Cam, hit with helmet. pic.twitter.com/itPvRitEFj
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) November 29, 2020
TURNING POINT
It would have to be the Simmons penalty. At that point — the Patriots deathly afraid of letting Newton do anything — I was debating whether or not Belichick would put his offense on the field in OT should they win the toss. That penalty completely changed the game.
(Adam Richins for BSJ)SECOND GUESS
I want to know where this defense was last week against the Texans. The Patriots should be winners of four straight games, if the defense came to play at all last week. ACK.
THREE UP
DT Adam Butler: It's been a quiet year for the sub rusher overall, but he was outstanding in this game as he has a tip for an INT, a 9-yard sack, two other QB hits and two total tackles for a loss.
Special teams: Between Nick Folk's two field goals, including the game-winner (while Zane Gonzalez missed his attempt), Jake Bailey's 56.3-yard average, Donte Moncrief's 53-yard kickoff return and Gunner Olszewski's 58-yard return were all really big in this game.
DE Chase Winovich: Seemed like he did a nice job balancing pass rush and gap integrity in this one, and he as second on the team with five tackles and a sack.
THREE DOWN
QB Cam Newton: There's no other way to say it, he was terrible in this game: 9 of 18 for 84 yards and two INTs for a 23.6 rating.
WR N'Keal Harry: Had another costly penalty, a drop and missed a key block on a run that went for a heavy loss. This is starting to feel pointless.
DB Jason McCourty: Another huge penalty that would have gotten the Patriots off the field against an average TE ... again, what are we doing here?
INJURIES
I didn't see any.
TWO TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
The refs weren't good ... for both teams: I didn't like the Anfernee Jennings penalty, but it was correct by the rulebook. Then people are crying for tripping or this and that. Can we just stop with the whining about the officiating? None of the calls jobbed the Patriots or prevented them from cashing in. Even on the Jennings call, the Patriots had the ball first and goal at the 7 and just stunk. You missed four points because the offense failed, not the officiating. The Cardinals had as many or more calls to complain about. Let's call it a wash.
Patriots are still capable of letting a team lose the game: Sometimes I doubted whether the Patriots could still welcome an undisciplined team with a dumb coach buried in his offensive playsheet into Gillette Stadium and still come away with a victory. Well, Kliff Kingsbury again showed he's out of his element — he did this against the Bills as well — with several bad decisions in this game, and the Patriots were barely good enough to accept the gifted W. That's not insignificant with another dumb team and coach — Chargers and Anthony Lynn — coming up next for the Patriots as they continue their path ... back to the .500 mark.