What We Saw: Week 15

New England lost themselves the #1 overall seed with their debacle in Indy

Ben Brown
What We Saw 3 Years Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Chiefs @ Chargers
Patriots @ Colts
Cowboys @ Giants
Texans @ Jaguars
Titans @ Steelers
Jets @ Dolphins
Cardinals @ Lions
Panthers @ Bills
Bengals @ Broncos
Falcons @ 49ers
Packers @ Ravens
Saints @ Buccaneers

Patriots @ Colts

Final Score: Colts 27, Patriots 17

Writer: Chris Sanzo (@Doombot12_FF on Twitter)

 

If you are a fan of good defense and a strong running game, this one was for you. The Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots threw a slugfest to the fans and although it was not quite what we’ve come to expect from these two teams over the years, it delivered some highlight reel performances and decisions that likely led to a lot of people yelling at their televisions; fun all around.

The Patriots were experts at one thing in this game, shooting themselves in the foot. There were penalties and mistakes that extended drives for the Colts while crippling their own, a rare loss of emotions on defense, and poor special teams play that resulted in a blocked punt for a TD to give the Colts a commanding lead.

The other poor performance was from none other than Bill Belichick himself. If this sounds like the exact opposite of what we’ve come to expect from a Patriots game, you would be correct. When faced with a 4th down inside the ten, down 13 points with nine minutes remaining, Bill inexplicably decided to kick the field goal. Thankfully for them, they went from needing two scores to only needing… two scores. This would come back to haunt them as they would later put up a TD to get within three points, only to see Jonathan Taylor run away and clinch the game.

 

 

New England Patriots

 

Quarterback

 

Mac Jones: 26/45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 1 sack | 1 carry, 12 yards

 

To say that Mac Jones is just a game manager takes away from the full spectrum of what he’s been able to accomplish. While he isn’t going to look like Tom Brady, he isn’t going to look like Trent Dilfer either. Mac has a grasp of the offense that no other rookie has been able to prove thus far, and this play is a perfect example of what he’s done to help them win. Mac gets to the line, recognizes the blitz, shifts the protection, and throws away from the rush after a small shuffle in the pocket to give him a clean line to deliver a perfect throw to Jakobi Meyers, despite Meyers losing his footing. The cherry on top is that even though it’s just a throw to the sticks on a quick out with an inside release, he never locks eye contact until the end of the route when Meyers has made his cut. Mac was never going to be a guy with a high ceiling, but has given Pats fans reason to think the future is bright in New England.

 

 

 

Running Backs

 

Rhamondre Stevenson: 10 carries, 36 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 4 yards

Brandon Bolden: 4 carries, 3 yards | 5 targets, 3 receptions, 41 yards

 

This was supposed to be Rhamondre Stevenson‘s week to shine. And when he got his opportunities, he looked really good. This five-yard run, was one of the most impressive runs of the night. Stevenson is able to carve out a five-yard gain despite having to make the first person miss four yards behind the line of scrimmage right after taking the handoff. He forces four missed tackles on the way for good measure.

 

 

And then there were the mishaps…

 

 

To be fair to Rhamondre, the negative game script was really the only thing that kept him in check, though Bill was too quick to abandon the run. It seemed like Belichick was almost surprised they were able to keep their scoring down and never worked to re-establish the run game despite the passing game’s faults. Ultimately, it cut off what could have been a good night. Brandon Bolden was used exclusively in the passing game, picking up first downs and showing why he still has value in the offense, but is mostly irrelevant to fantasy players.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Kendrick Bourne: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 44 yards | 2 carries, 19 yards

Jakobi Meyers: 12 targets, 6 receptions, 44 yards | 1 carry, 9 yards

Nelson Agholor: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 34 yards

Hunter Henry: 8 targets, 6 receptions, 77 yards, 2 TD

Jonnu Smith: 3 targets, 1 reception, 3 yards | 1 carry, 2 yards

N’Keal Harry: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 52 yards

Gunner Olszewski: 1 target

 

There never seemed to be a fluid connection between Mac Jones and Jakobi Meyers. Jakobi had some big drops downfield that would have changed the flow of the game, but was also just plain missed as well. With his game faltering, the obvious wideout stepped up. That’s right, N’Keal Harry. When he released downfield, he was doing so into single coverage. Although Mac missed him as he was wide open on a flea-flicker for a walk-in TD, he was able to connect on a long throw downfield that set up the TD that brought them within three points. With his usage in this game, it seems that he may be their big-bodied deep threat. Given his lack of separating but great hands and size, he may be able to bully single coverage over the top.

 

 

I have to assume some fantasy managers slept well after seeing Hunter Henry lead the Patriots in yards, tie for the lead in catches, and score two TDs on two near perfect passes from Jones. The chemistry is real and Bill is figuring out how to use Henry more and more as the year goes on. Henry works well in the red zone, but he is getting more targets in the seam where he is able to get over linebackers and safeties with his size and athleticism. Most importantly, whether Mac is scrambling and needs an outlet or the offense needs a big play to pick them up, Jones is looking for and finding Henry. Jonnu Smith had yet another big play nullified on penalty, but he’s the 3rd wheel in the QB/TE relationship.

 

 

Indianapolis Colts

 

Quarterback

 

Carson Wentz: 5/12, 57 yards, TD, INT, 1 sack | 8 carries, 17 yards

 

This was Carson Wentz‘ worst game as a Colt and maybe of his career. Despite only throwing 12 times, he had at least three turnover worthy throws and never seemed to get comfortable. The pass blocking was at least average this time, so it’s unclear as to what the issue was. He had a couple really good runs picking up firsts when he had to scramble, but that’s not exactly what you want from your QB. Not to pile on, but even his passing TD was more like a “passing” TD as it was part of a trick play that just needed him to pitch the ball a foot in front and then watch as Nyheim Hines ran it in. Though he had a tough matchup this week against the 2nd stingiest defense for QBs in the Pats, he does not get a much easier matchup in the 5th harshest, the Cardinals. Thankfully, he does get a strong matchup against Las Vegas in what should be the fantasy football finals.

 

 

Running Backs

 

Jonathan Taylor:  29 carries, 170 yards, TD

Nyheim Hines: 2 targets, 1 reception, 8 yards, TD

 

Jonathan Taylor is a big strong man and he deserves the recognition he has received. While this is true, he also was far less effective than his stat line would have you believe against New England. As the game was running down, JT broke out a 67 yard TD and according to Next Gen Stats, recorded “the fastest speed by a ball-carrier this season at 22.13 mph.” Outside of that one run, he was 28 carries for 103 yards providing a 3.6 ypa and no TDs. The Patriots coming into this game were in the back half of the league in terms of fantasy points allowed so the game plan was most likely always going to be favorable to JT. Despite not seeing any targets from Wentz, he picked up some key pass blocks on the few opportunities presented to him. Hard to believe with such a strong line, that there was still room for improvement.

 

 

Nyheim Hines caught Carson’s lone “TD pass” on a pitch that was led by a blocking Jonathan Taylor, another feather in his hat. It was the best play Frank Reich has called in the red zone this year. Hines was otherwise minimally involved in the game plan, though he was active in pass pro and lined up as a wideout when they were down a man after Michael Pittman‘s ejection.

 

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Michael Pittman Jr: 5 targets, 1 receptions, 7 yards

Zach Pascal: 2 targets, 1 receptions, 23 yards

Ashton Dulin: 2 carries, 39 yards

T.Y. Hilton: 1 target, 1 reception, 19 yards

Jack Doyle: 1 target, 1 reception

Mo Allie-Cox: 1 target

 

In a game where your QB throws 12 times and completes only five passes, there isn’t going to be a whole lot to say. Michael Pittman spent most of the game getting bodied by defenders and the one time he managed to get open, Wentz overthrew him. His most impactful play of the night, was when he was questionably ejected from the game. In what should have been a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct, he was instead thrown out because a Patriots player was thrown out for utterly abusing him and after Kyle Van Noy delivered a massive cheap shot (he was not the Patriots player ejected). Thankfully for the Colts, they didn’t really need him and the group just did their best to block in the secondary tier for JT. Mo Allie-Cox did drop a TD after high-pointing a ball in the end zone, but it had no real effect on the game.

 

 

— Chris Sanzo (@Doombot12_FF on Twitter)

Series Navigation
Introduction
Chiefs @ Chargers
Patriots @ Colts
Cowboys @ Giants
Texans @ Jaguars
Titans @ Steelers
Jets @ Dolphins
Cardinals @ Lions
Panthers @ Bills
Bengals @ Broncos
Falcons @ 49ers
Packers @ Ravens
Saints @ Buccaneers

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