Jones' Day-After Takeaways: Patriots Prove They Can With Defense On The Road
BOSTON (CBS) - The day after every Patriots game, 98.5 The Sports Hub's Adam Jones shares some thoughts via Twitter after giving the game a second viewing.
Here are Jones' takeaways from New England's 23-14 win over the San Diego Chargers:
Collins gets first sack by firing up middle on 3rd-and-4 while Casillas drops into coverage, thwarting Chargers opening drive.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Early clue that Edelman was in store for a huge game: converts a 3rd-and-12 on 19-yard catch with Pats backed up deep in own territory.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Edelman finished with eight catches for 141 yards (career high) and a touchdown.
LaGarrette Blount rumbles for 9-yards to SD 1. Next two plays: batted ball in flat (intended for Develin) and a sack of Brady. Why?
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Nate Solder was abused by Melvin Ingram on that sack of Brady, the beginning of a very tough day for him.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Browner beaten by Floyd for 15-yard TD off double move in right corner of end zone, one play after tight coverage on Floyd in left corner.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Insult to injury on LaFell's second quarter fumble: think he would've been short of the first down. Needed to get to SD 46.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Another failed red zone trip for Pats: no-gain for Blount on 1st-and-Goal from SD 4, then two near Brady interceptions. 14-6 Chargers.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Bolden's punt block was a huge turning point. Four plays later Gronk is spiking it in the end zone and the Chargers are without a punter.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
On Gronk's TD: you could almost see Brady drooling when he spotted the mismatch on 5'9 Brandon Flowers.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Collins second sack came on perfectly timed blitz on 1st-and-20 right before 2:00 minute warning. Why didn't we see more of that against GB?
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Collins recorded nine tackles -- eight solo -- and two sacks on the night.
Totally forgot about that boneheaded underhand pass by Phillip Rivers to Donald Brown right before halftime.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Brady severely under threw Gronk -- who was open -- on his interception. Don't typically see Patriots leave points on board before halftime.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
After halftime, the Patriots wasted some choice field position, Jones noted.
Most frustrating aspect of four-straight 3-and-outs to start third quarter was field position: NE 19, NE 48, NE 44, NE 30. Major waste.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Brandon LaFell and Tom Brady failed to connect on a pair of back-shoulder attempts.
Hard to tell who was at fault on 3rd-and-14 near conversion in 3rd quarter. Brady threw behind LaFell, who could've done more to reel it in.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
As for the controversial penalty called on Brandon Browner, Jones found a similar hit from a few weeks back.
A buddy pointed out that Browner's unnecessary roughness was similar to hit on Emmanuel Sanders a few weeks ago: http://t.co/rQmCTNLJ7m.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
You don't have to like the call -- @RefereeJimD didn't, for example -- but that is a comparable example working against another team.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
To the Patriots credit, they put it behind them, as Akeem Ayers picked off Rivers five plays later.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Ayers dropped into coverage on INT, while Pats brought pressure up the middle from Collins and Casillas. Rivers never saw him.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
The Patriots finally started moving the ball in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but the drive did not end with a touchdown.
The Patriots didn't record a first down in the second half until the final play of the third quarter, a 9-yard catch by Gronk.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Brady and LaFell have had a lot of success on back shoulder throws recently, but couldn't connect on 3rd-and-3 early in fourth quarter.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Pats had to settle for 38-yard go-ahead field goal by Gostkowski, who bounced back nicely after late shank against Green Bay.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Finally, it was Julian Edelman who made the play of the game with a 69-yard catch-and-run.
Edelman's back-breaking TD was a great individual effort, stiff-arming Gilchrist and breaking out of a leg tackle by Flowers.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
(Something tells me we won't have to hear about how Edelman "pushed off" all week)
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Then, the defense took over.
Pats D flustered Rivers on three-straight plays -- Ayers pressure, Siliga/Jones sack and Easley/Nink flush pocket -- on ensuing drive.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
The spirit of Norv Turner lives on.
McCoy decides to punt down nine with 6:28 left. It's comforting to know that no matter who coaches San Diego, they can't manage the clock.
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Bottom line: Pats showed they can win with defense on the road, even when things don't go their way (Browner call, LaFell fumble, etc).
— Hockey Jones ???????????? (@adamjones985) December 8, 2014
Tune in to The Adam Jones Show weeknights on 98.5 The Sports Hub from 6-11pm!
MORE PATRIOTS COVERAGE FROM CBS BOSTON