Patriots-Jets Game Observations
A collection of thoughts from the TV copy:
- On the Patriots second drive, QB Tom Brady audibled to a running play when he saw S Eric Smith come down into the box instead of a linebacker. The blocks were good on the play, except for C Dan Connolly, who was beat and forced RB Stevan Ridley into the arms of defenders, for no gain.
- The touchdown run by QB Mark Sanchez was a nice offensive play call, which the split the Patriots out wide, and no linebackers or safeties were inside the hashmarks when Sanchez pulled it in to run.
- Jets TE Matthew Mulligan had an up and down performance in the first half, responsible for giving up two sacks, but also drawing the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on DL Vince Wilfork.
- In the Patriots first offensive series of the second half, on 3rd and 7, CB Darelle Revis was matched up on TE Rob Gronkowski, after spending the first half in coverage of WR Wes Welker. Brady targeted Rob on the play for an incompletion, but Welker looked open over the middle.
- On a 2nd and 11 inside the Jets red zone, Brady threw an incompletion aimed at Gronkowski, and Brady was remonstrating with Gronkowski after the play, about why he didn’t perform the correct wide receiver check - when a blitz comes, the route should be changed to a quick hitch, whereas Gronkowski kept running his original wheel route.
- LB Jerod Mayo submitted his ‘application’ for Patriots hit of the year with a big collison with RB Ladainian Tomlinson on a Jets fourth and long, stopping LT with a loud smack.
- I charted the Patriots with only three dropped passes in the game.
