Breaking down four sequences that led to the Patriots' win over the Giants, mostly through video analysis, including:
- The Giants' punter double-crossing his coverage team, leading to Marcus Jones' touchdown;
- Drake Maye reading the Giants like a book to Hunter Henry and then Kayshon Boutte for touchdown;
- Patriots' defense holding the Giants to the botched field goal ... and getting away with another coverage bust;
- Maye placing another perfect ball to Kyle Williams for a score, when the Giants likely screwed up their coverage.
4-7-NYG 40 (5:37) J.Gillan punts 54 yards to NE 6, Center-C.Kreiter. M.Jones for 94 yards, TOUCHDOWN
This was a complete screw up by Giants punter Jamie Gillan. The Giants had their coverage unit running down the left side of the field (Marcus Jones' right). Gillan kicked the ball to the right hash. I'm not special teams expert, but I'm pretty sure this ball is supposed to be on the left numbers, at worst the right hash. You can even seem the left-footed Gillan aiming in that direction but he screws it up.
At the same time, the Patriots called for a left return, meaning all their blockers were set up perfectly to spring Jones. Now, I don't know if coach Jeremy Springer knew from study that Gillan wasn't going to be accurate and this was more about coaching, but Gillan definitely double-crossed his coverage unit, which is why Jones was basically untouched.
What's amazing is he did the exact same thing on the next punt return, and hung his head immediately after kicking it, knowing he screwed up again.
1-10-NYG 39 (1:49) D.Maye pass deep right to H.Henry to NYG 3 for 36 yards (T.Nubin).
1-3-NYG 3 (1:04) T.Munford reported in as eligible. D.Maye pass short right to K.Boutte for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Patriots show a heavy package with three tight ends (including the fullback) on the field, and go play-action out of it. As always, it starts with protection. Austin Hooper and Jack Westover double-teamed Brian Burns (who dropped into coverage), and Ben Brown and Garrett Bradbury doubled Dexter Lawrence. It sure looks like Maye had a pretty good idea the Giants would default to Tampa 2/Cover 3, as he perfectly reads the coverage. He pump fakes ever so slightly to hold the flat coverage player responsible for TreVeyon Henderson and Hunter Henry, and then hits Henry in the hole.
From the 3-yard line, Maye takes a two-step drop and places an absolutely perfect ball for the touchdown.
1-10-NE 29 (8:22) (No Huddle) D.Singletary up the middle to NE 29 for no gain (J.Farmer).
2-10-NE 29 (7:41) (Shotgun) J.Dart pass short left to D.Singletary pushed ob at NE 24 for 5 yards (C.Gonzalez). PENALTY on NYG-J.Runyan, Ineligible Downfield Pass, 5 yards, enforced at NE 29 - No Play.
2-15-NE 34 (7:19) (Shotgun) J.Dart pass short left to W.Robinson to NE 29 for 5 yards (C.Gonzalez).
3-10-NE 29 (6:35) (Shotgun) J.Dart pass incomplete deep left to T.Johnson (J.Hawkins).
4-10-NE 29 (6:28) (Field Goal formation) J.Gillan right end to NE 42 for -13 yards (J.Pharms)
Nice little sequence for the defense here, which results in a huge swing swing when the Giants could have made it a one-score game after trailing 17-0.
On first down, Cory Durden (released by the Giants on 8/25) absolutely destroys center John Michael Schmitz and steps into the hole where there is a crease, and Josh Farmer cleans it up after beating Jon Runyan cleanly.
This was a designed read option run, either for Jaxson Dart or RB Devin Singletary. I have no idea who Dart was reading to keep this ball, but it should have been a give read the whole way since no one crashed on the fake. But credit Farmer for holding firm on the edge.
On second down after the penalty, Dart throws a little late in the flat, leading to another big hit, this time by Christian Gonzalez.
On third down, the Patriots, who had a three-way coverage bust on the first Giants' touchdown, had another bust between Gonzalez and Jaylinn Hawkins, as two players were open for possible touchdowns (Gonzalez thought they were switching, Hawkins played man coverage ... not sure who was right). Patriots get away with it when Dart underthrows TE Theo Johnson, allowing Hawkins to catch up.
And then, Younghoe Koo ... does something. His quotes on it:
(On the missed field goal and his leg getting stuck)
“The ball and the cold weather, and the ball kind of slipped out at the bottom, so it was moving and I just didn’t, you know, I wasn’t able to kick through the ball. The ball was moving when I was driving to it, so I just pulled up on it.”
(On his leg getting stuck and it happening before)
“No, no, I couldn’t, as I was driving to it, the ball was, the bottom of the ball was slipping out, so I just pulled up on it. Unfortunately, yeah, I think it was last year or something. The ball slipped out and it actually, like, hit the ground. So, there was the same visual, but Jamie [Gillan] did a good job of, like, catching it and putting it back, but at that point, it was just too late for me to drive through it.”
2-22-NYG 46 (4:19) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass short left to K.Boutte to NYG 33 for 13 yards (P.Adebo).
3-9-NYG 33 (3:35) (Shotgun) D.Maye pass deep left to K.Williams for 33 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
This is after the Ben Brown hold/tackle of Abdul Carter. Patriots need 22 yards in two plays, and Maye makes it look like 2nd and 2.
On second down, he reads the Giants being in Cover 4, and Kayshon Boutte reads it as well and cuts his route short, and the duo makes it look easy to make it third and manageable (for Maye).
On third down, the Giants show all-out blitz with no deep safety. Even if the Giants drop out of it (which they do), there's no way safety Jevon Holland is going to be help Paulson Adebo against Kyle Williams, not with the Patriots in a 3-by-1 set with three targets to Maye's left. That means it's Williams vs. Adebo. The cornerback is very slow to move after the snap, doesn't get a jam on Williams, who easily runs by him and Maye lays a perfect pass where Williams does not have to slow down and allow Adebo to catch up.
I do wonder if Adebo just flatly screwed up the coverage. The rest of the team is playing Cover 3.
Either way, this touchdown ices the game.