Here’s our weekly look at the key plays in the Patriots’ game after reviewing the film.
Defending the Texans
With quarterback Deshaun Watson posing more of a threat with his feet than his arm, the Patriots spent most of the day with a five-man defensive line and a single-high safety.
But the Texans made the Patriots pay when they ran vertical routes. Here, safety Devin McCourty turns his attention to receiver DeAndre Hopkins, letting Bruce Ellington get open down the seam for the touchdown.
Low Watt-age
The Patriots didn’t take any chances with defensive end J.J. Watt, giving him a double team throughout the game.
How’d Chris Hogan get so open?
Receiver Chris Hogan ran an out route, drawing the free safety over toward the sideline.
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But Hogan ran a nifty double move, and when he cut back to the middle of the field, it was wide open.
Two is a crowd
On Hogan’s first touchdown, the Patriots had only two receivers out in the route.
And they also had only two receivers in the route on Brandin Cooks’s first touchdown.
Gronk decoy
Rob Gronkowski was often used as a blocker, like on Cooks’s first touchdown.
| Chiefs (81) | Saints (76) | Texans (65) | Total (222) | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G Shaq Mason | 81 | 76 | 65 | 222 | 100% |
| G Joe Thuney | 81 | 76 | 65 | 222 | 100% |
| C David Andrews | 81 | 76 | 65 | 222 | 100% |
| QB Tom Brady | 81 | 76 | 65 | 222 | 100% |
| OT LaAdrian Waddle | 8 | 0 | 65 | 73 | 33% |
| LT Nate Solder | 81 | 76 | 64 | 221 | 100% |
| TE Rob Gronkowski | 78 | 46 | 64 | 188 | 85% |
| WR Chris Hogan | 73 | 65 | 59 | 197 | 89% |
| WR Brandin Cooks | 67 | 65 | 58 | 190 | 86% |
| RB James White | 43 | 30 | 32 | 105 | 47% |
| WR Danny Amendola | 32 | 0 | 32 | 64 | 29% |
| RB Mike Gillislee | 24 | 30 | 21 | 75 | 34% |
| TE Dwayne Allen | 27 | 46 | 17 | 90 | 41% |
| FB James Develin | 19 | 24 | 15 | 58 | 26% |
| RB Dion Lewis | 6 | 14 | 12 | 32 | 14% |
| WR Phillip Dorsett | 18 | 32 | 7 | 57 | 26% |
| TE Jacob Hollister | 0 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 10% |
| OT Cam Fleming | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 3% |
| RT Marcus Cannon | 81 | 76 | 0 | 157 | 71% |
| RB Rex Burkhead | 10 | 8 | 0 | 18 | 8% |
| Chiefs (69) | Saints (65) | Texans (71) | Total (205) | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LB Kyle Van Noy | 69 | 65 | 71 | 205 | 100% |
| S Devin McCourty | 68 | 65 | 71 | 204 | 100% |
| CB Malcolm Butler | 69 | 49 | 71 | 189 | 92% |
| DE Trey Flowers | 69 | 62 | 68 | 199 | 97% |
| CB Stephon Gilmore | 69 | 65 | 60 | 194 | 95% |
| LB Elandon Roberts | 9 | 36 | 57 | 102 | 50% |
| S Patrick Chung | 45 | 63 | 52 | 160 | 78% |
| DE Lawrence Guy | 26 | 30 | 51 | 107 | 52% |
| S Duron Harmon | 63 | 52 | 50 | 165 | 80% |
| DT Malcom Brown | 49 | 34 | 46 | 129 | 63% |
| DT Adam Butler | 21 | 45 | 46 | 112 | 55% |
| CB Jonathan Jones | 3 | 27 | 42 | 72 | 35% |
| DE Deatrich Wise | 18 | 28 | 34 | 80 | 39% |
| DE Cassius Marsh | 24 | 31 | 31 | 86 | 42% |
| DT Alan Branch | 42 | 6 | 21 | 69 | 34% |
| LB David Harris | 2 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 3% |
| S Jordan Richards | 42 | 16 | 3 | 61 | 30% |
| LB Marquis Flowers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1% |
| CB Eric Rowe | 37 | 34 | 0 | 71 | 35% |
| LB Donta Hightower | 35 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 17% |
| DE Harvey Langi | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 3% |
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