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Here’s our weekly look at the key plays in the Patriots’ game after reviewing the film.
Defending Julio
Wherever receiver Julio Jones went, the Patriots put a safety directly above him. It was usually Duron Harmon.
The Patriots bracketed Jones with a cornerback underneath and a safety trailing over the top.
So even when Jones caught the ball, like he did here for 16 yards, he had nowhere to run.
Strong run defense
The Patriots had much stronger run defense this time against the Falcons. Here linebacker Dont’a Hightower took on a double team . . .
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But he shook it off at the line of scrimmage and made the tackle.
Clogging the middle
Like in the Super Bowl, the Falcons flooded the middle of the field with defenders, forcing Brady to look outside.
Up the gut
The Patriots won the battle up front, creating several big holes up the middle for the running backs.
Blocking it out
Three Patriots defenders occupied four Falcons offensive linemen, allowing defensive end Cassius Marsh to squeeze free and block the 37-yard field goal.
KC (81) | NO (76) | HOU (65) | CAR (70) | TB (74) | NYJ (68) | ATL (74) | TOT (508) | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G Shaq Mason | 81 | 76 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 508 | 100.0% |
G Joe Thuney | 81 | 76 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 508 | 100.0% |
C David Andrews | 81 | 76 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 508 | 100.0% |
QB Tom Brady | 81 | 76 | 65 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 508 | 100.0% |
RT Marcus Cannon | 81 | 76 | 0 | 70 | 74 | 68 | 74 | 443 | 87.2% |
LT Nate Solder | 81 | 76 | 64 | 70 | 74 | 66 | 74 | 505 | 99.4% |
TE Rob Gronkowski | 78 | 46 | 64 | 70 | 0 | 63 | 71 | 392 | 77.2% |
WR Brandin Cooks | 67 | 65 | 58 | 64 | 72 | 66 | 70 | 462 | 90.9% |
WR Chris Hogan | 73 | 65 | 59 | 68 | 74 | 63 | 59 | 461 | 90.7% |
WR Danny Amendola | 32 | 0 | 32 | 36 | 55 | 29 | 38 | 222 | 43.7% |
RB Dion Lewis | 6 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 29 | 26 | 119 | 23.4% |
FB James Develin | 19 | 24 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 25 | 24 | 136 | 26.8% |
RB James White | 43 | 30 | 32 | 43 | 35 | 29 | 23 | 235 | 46.3% |
TE Dwayne Allen | 27 | 46 | 17 | 9 | 50 | 6 | 20 | 175 | 34.4% |
RB Mike Gillislee | 24 | 30 | 21 | 18 | 24 | 13 | 13 | 143 | 28.1% |
RB Rex Burkhead | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 31 | 6.1% |
WR Phillip Dorsett | 18 | 32 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 105 | 20.7% |
WR Matt Slater | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0.8% |
TE Jacob Hollister | 0 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 7.1% |
OT LaAdrian Waddle | 8 | 0 | 65 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 79 | 15.6% |
OT Cam Fleming | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1.4% |
KC (69) | NO (65) | HOU (71) | CAR (63) | TB (72) | NJY (76) | ATL (57) | TOT (473) | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S Devin McCourty | 68 | 65 | 71 | 63 | 72 | 76 | 57 | 472 | 99.8% |
CB Malcolm Butler | 69 | 49 | 71 | 63 | 71 | 73 | 57 | 453 | 95.8% |
CB Johnson Bademosi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 55 | 128 | 27.1% |
S Patrick Chung | 45 | 63 | 52 | 34 | 72 | 67 | 55 | 388 | 82.0% |
LB Kyle Van Noy | 69 | 65 | 71 | 63 | 66 | 65 | 52 | 451 | 95.3% |
S Duron Harmon | 63 | 52 | 50 | 55 | 63 | 50 | 50 | 383 | 81.0% |
DE Deatrich Wise | 18 | 28 | 34 | 25 | 29 | 59 | 45 | 238 | 50.3% |
DE Cassius Marsh | 24 | 31 | 31 | 18 | 50 | 39 | 44 | 237 | 50.1% |
DE Trey Flowers | 69 | 62 | 68 | 63 | 70 | 63 | 40 | 435 | 92.0% |
LB Donta Hightower | 35 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 62 | 69 | 34 | 237 | 50.1% |
DT Adam Butler | 21 | 45 | 46 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 28 | 186 | 39.3% |
DE Lawrence Guy | 26 | 30 | 51 | 46 | 41 | 41 | 26 | 261 | 55.2% |
DT Alan Branch | 42 | 6 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 22 | 23 | 126 | 26.6% |
CB Jonathan Jones | 3 | 27 | 42 | 18 | 28 | 20 | 19 | 157 | 33.2% |
LB David Harris | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 26 | 5.5% |
DT Malcom Brown | 49 | 34 | 46 | 48 | 42 | 44 | 16 | 279 | 59.0% |
S Jordan Richards | 42 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 35 | 6 | 114 | 24.1% |
LB Elandon Roberts | 9 | 36 | 57 | 33 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 181 | 38.3% |
CB Stephon Gilmore | 69 | 65 | 60 | 62 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 327 | 69.1% |
LB Marquis Flowers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 22 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 94 | 19.9% |
DE Geneo Grissom | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.6% |
CB Eric Rowe | 37 | 34 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 19.0% |
DE Harvey Langi | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1.3% |
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