Patriots-Chiefs Game Observations
A few observations from watching the TV copy:
- 3 good punt returners in this game, with Jeremy Horne, Javier Arenas and Julian Edelman. All had an average return of over 18 yards (league around 11 yards).
- Nice tackle by S Sterling Moore on RB Thomas Jones, saving a touchdown with 4.15 to go in the fourth quarter. Moore didn’t go for the big hit (and possibly whiff), but came towards Jones steadily and took his legs out, coming from the opposite side of the field.
- On the second sack of QB Tom Brady, WR Wes Welker looked open down the middle of the field if the pass rush held up one more second. TE Rob Gronkowski had cleared out the middle and Welker had got a step on the two men in coverage, and was open about 15 yards downfield, but Brady was swallowed up for a sack.
- On a unrelated note, QB Tyler Palko seemed to hate being on the field for longer than possible, or just being in one place at the same time - every shot of him was running somewhere, or moving around on the bench.
- Good game by LB Niko Koutouvides for the Patriots, making two special teams tackles and making a key block on PR Julian Edelman’s punt return touchdown. Koutouvides also recovered a fumble last week against the Jets, and has likely solified his place on the roster (after being cut in the preseason).
- On CB Antwaun Molden’s dropped interception chance in the fourth quarter, it looked like he took his eyes off the ball and therefore couldn’t secure the ball. I’m not sure if it would’ve counted anyway, as it looked like he had stepped out and hadn’t re-established in bounds.
- RB Shane Vereen’s 19 yard run late in the fourth quarter was amazingly the equal second longest Patriots run this season (tied with WR Wes Welker). The longest run was RB Stevan Ridley for 33 yards.
- I noted only 3 dropped passes in this game for the Patriots. I didn’t count an incompletion to Rob Gronkowski where the ball hit his hand, but his arm was fully outstretched behind him.
