Packers vs. Patriots
Packers
Aaron Rodgers did not throw for 300 yards
Aaron Rodgers has only thrown for more than 300 games in now two of eight games. In Week Nine, Rodgers threw for only 259 yards and two touchdowns – but again without an interception. Rodgers only completed 55% of his passes and was inconsistent at best in reaching his receivers – with 20% of his passing yards coming from one 51 yard bomb to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Green Bay averaged only seven plays per drive over 10 offensive drives – despite a healthy run game.
It is Aaron Jones
Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams still saw a fairly even snap split, but Jones saw twice as many rushing attempts (14), rushing for 76 yards (with a longest run of only 13 yards). Jones was efficient and saw four goal line attempts/looks at the goal line before Jimmy Graham ultimately got the touchdown after a penalty set Green Bay back off the goal line. Jones saw increased looks at pivotal moments in Green Bay’s drives, culminating in a lost fumble in the waning moments of the third quarter that New England would eventually march down for the team’s go-ahead touchdown. The fumble was bad, but not bye-bye Ty Montgomery, bad.
Poor Choice of Sub-Title in the Preview
There are now only three with Geronimo Allison’s going down and needing core muscle surgery. Davante Adams is still the matchup-proof beast that will get fed by Aaron Rodgers, but Randall Cobb, Jimmy Graham, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are also due a fare amount of targets – each receiving six this week to varying degrees of success. Valdes-Scantling had a deep 51-yard pass that would go on to setup Green Bay’s first touchdown of the night. Valdes-Scantling is still owned in only 20% of leagues and should be a strong bet to produce in this high volume offense in the vein of DeSean Jackson in Tampa Bay.
-Brennen Gorman
Patriots
It was the quarterback matchup of the week Sunday at Gillette as the 3-3 Packers came limping in to face off against the five straight win Patriots. Both teams had a lot of question marks, so the matchup for a lot of local fans here in New England was still somewhat of a mystery. Who will run the ball? How many offensive lineman will make it through the week unscathed? Is Rob Gronkowski still among the living? While six straight wins, the most recent and the one discussed being against arguably the best current quarterback in the league, there still lay a lot of questions, and a lot of unresolved issues with the team ahead of us, so let’s dive in and see what we learned from this 31-17 win for the Patriots.
Quarterback matchup of the year slightly disappointing
Tom Brady finished the game just under 300 yards, a polar opposite to where I thought we would see him coming out after the injuries placed on his running game, and Sony Michel declared out just prior to kickoff. However, the game plan went less likely than I had expected, as Brady passed on just 35 of the 71 snaps, giving way to the rushing game on more than half of the play counts (and even giving way on one trick play to a flashy Julian Edelman pass from the backfield). Efficiency, thy was Brady’s name this week, as Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels game planned a strategy of outwitting Mike McCarthy rather than outplaying him, as they realized the weapons available to them were slightly limited in the Sunday matchup. Brady’s stat line was reasonable, but not one expected of an elite option in your draft or going into your lineup, finishing 22 for 35 with 294 yards and a touchdown. This game was a fun watch, but not at all like we would imagine it to be game scripted, and the more and more we look to run through the weekly matchups, if Brady isn’t playing with a fully healthy line, and healthy passing options, while having a running back that can keep the defense on their heels to give him more time, I think it may be best we temper our expectations on a week to week basis. More to come before this week’s game, as we see who’s healthy and who isn’t.
Cordarelle Patterson leads the backfield. Yes, you read that correctly.
Sony Michel is two weeks out from the injury near the goal line against the Bears that has put him on the shelf, but is recovering at a much quicker pace than any of us would have expected. The original hope was that we would have him back for a playoff run, but now on a week to week basis with the coaching staff, there was a possibility that he may end up making it out on the field for this game, but sadly was placed on the injury list just prior to the game. Hopefully, you all changed your lineups and got him in flex or bench prior to this one, I know I had to move him everywhere! So the running game for this one was, interesting to say the least. James White saw most of the early game run until he pulled up limping early on in the second half, wherein Cordarelle Patterson took over as the defacto running back of the day. Patterson took over and shined, looking like a running back from the get-go, showcasing speed, burst, and aggression you’d hope to see out of a standard starting back. Kenjon Barner again looked poised to see the field with White coming out with a slight limp, but it’s very clear unless he’s the last running back on the planet after a zombie outbreak, the Patriots are not intent on using him. Patterson finished his game rushing 11 times for 61 yards, and a touchdown, and almost fell upon a second rushing touchdown. For someone like myself, who has always thought Patterson had plenty of upside, and his speed could be the best in the league, this is an amazing story to see, and I wouldn’t be shocked if we see a mixture of Michel and Patterson sharing the carries when Michel is healthy and back in the rotation, to save him some wear and tear.
Passing game uses trickery to outplay the Packers
As mentioned in a prior line, Brady was not heavy on the passing game this week, despite the expectation that the team would be with Michel on the mend, and an offensive line that’s been shuffling in and out players at a rapid rate. Separating out the targets amongst six players, Brady has definitely found a kinship with Josh Gordon, the recipient of his lone touchdown pass and the clear winner when players like Rob Gronkowski are placed on the shelf for the week. Gordon feasted on a Ha-Ha Clinton Dix-less secondary, to the tune of 5 receptions on 10 targets, with 130 yards and a touchdown. He looked to be a foot taller than anyone he was running past, and has clearly found a home in New England. The clear target leader going forward other than James White, Gordon should be seen as a top 20 wide receiver for your lineups, and could even be a top ten wide receiver with bye weeks upon us. James White also saw his normal allotment of receptions, as he continues to be an amazing source of production and good will from Brady, to the tune of 6 receptions on 7 targets for 72 yards. There was also ol’ reliable Edelman, who caught 6 receptions on 10 targets for 71 yards, and we even got a Phillip Dorsett sighting, further muddying the fact that beyond your usual suspects here, do not pass White/Gronkowski/Gordon/Edelman when you’re looking for a receiver for your fantasy lineups. Going into week 10, the Patriots will face off against a team coached by former Patriots superstar Mike Vrabel, so look forward to a Game Preview coming up soon where we see what he could look to put out on the field against his former team!
-Matt Bevins
Lol good call on Barner, Mr Bevins…. for some reason I think it will take a zombie apocalypse for him to get some run… also, tired of the snickers I hear when some people talk about Patterson running the ball.. the guy has looked fabulous to me, and I would like to see him get 8- 12 carries every game here on out…