NFL: Pats only tremble briefly – Brady writes history

The New England Patriots (3-2) have opened Week 5 with a home win: against a decimated team of the Indianapolis Colts (1-4), the New England Patriots won 38-24 and the Pats have now won two consecutive games after two consecutive bankruptcies. At least for a short time, however, it seemed as if the game could slip out of hand.

The conditions could hardly have been more different: On the one hand, Julian Edelman returned to the Patriots after being suspended, while Rob Gronkowski had got fit on time – for the first time since Week 12 in the 2016 season, the two were on the field together.

What about the colts? Among others, Marlon Mack, T.Y. Hilton, Darius Leonard, Quincy Wilson and Jack Doyle all failed, while Denzelle Good – who already represents the injured Joe Haeg on Right Tackle – was excused; Goods’ brother had been shot a few days before the game. Indy competed without his number one receiver, back, cornerback, right tackle and tight end and without Darius Leonard, who was so spectacular at the start of the season. And that’s exactly how the game seemed to develop quickly.

The Patriots marched promptly across the field, Brady passing all nine passes, number 9 of them to touchdown on Cordarrelle Patterson at Third and Goal: a clever play design in the Red Zone. So it went on, Brady (34/44, 341 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT) finished the next touchdown drive with a 1-yard sneak and at halftime it was already 24:3.

In the first half, Brady had more passing yards (176:133) and touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing vs. 1 passing, 1 INT) than in the entire match against Lions two weeks ago.

Especially early in the game the defensive personal problems of the Colts were seen. Brady, who was extremely aggressive on short pass play against the Colts’ 2 Deep Safety looks, was barely under any pressure in the first half, and according to NFL Next Gen Stats, 22 of Brady’s first 27 passes came to “open” (at least 3 yards separation) receivers – over the first four games he stood here at just under 50 percent.

Indianapolis had to start his drives deep in his own half on a regular basis until early in the second half: Finally Andrew Luck (38/59, 365 YDS, 3 TD, 2 INT) got a short field, after some good runs he found Eric Ebron, who beat McCourty to touchdown. After further injuries Indy was down to 40 healthy and ready players in his squad.

Luck, who has now thrown 120 (!) passes within four days, played another very good game. And even the initial worries about the extreme short-pass-heavy offense can be put on record for the time being: After Luck had only managed to pass six Air Yards once in the first three games, he was 8.1 and 8.2 respectively in the last two games.

The tight-end connection has now become an issue. The Patriots had problems with the tight ends of the colts, Eric Ebron not only caught nine passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns, he was also regularly the (successful) 3rd down receiver. Ebron has already set his personal season record for touchdowns. And it wasn’t limited to Ebron, Eric Swoope also caught a touchdown pass in the second half, in addition to a Big Play almost TD.

What was once a clear Patriots leadership suddenly became a one-score game – also because the third quarter was marked by curious turnovers.

Although you could see the offense New England could have with a full band, Sony Michel (18 ATT, 98 YDS, TD) had another good game. One also saw again the turnovers and carelessness so unusual for the Pats.

So at the end of this game there are two interceptions on Brady’s account, both of which were not even rudimentarily his fault: Once the ball slipped through the hands of Chris Hogan, a little later Gronkowski could not control the pass. Both times the Colts defense was on the spot. And Indianapolis also had a curious turnover when Wilkins had his ball stolen from McCourty.

But in the end it was only a one-score game for a short time after Swoope’s Touchdown, because Brady wrote history a little later.

From 34 yards he found – behind outstanding Protection – the recently signed Josh Gordon for the Touchdown, Gordon prevailed against two defenders. It was Bradys 500th career TD, a brand only Peyton Manning and Brett Favre had cracked before. Gordon is also the 71st player to have captured a touchdown from Brady – that’s a sole NFL record.

And because Indianapolis hadn’t finished with the curious turnovers yet, Pascal let the ball slide through the hands for the interception, the Pats then put the lid on it in the final quarter: Michel ended all comeback dreams in the first play after the 34-yard turnover.