Patriots offense comes up big on day Tom Brady does not

November 17th, 2014
by Dakota Antelman

Well removed from the Week Four loss that seemed to put their season in jeopardy, the Patriots practiced more of the same in their 42-20 win over the Colts Sunday.

The win served as New England’s third straight 40 point performance while Rob Gronkowski caught yet another touchdown pass extending his streak to three games.  

But at the same time, the game also featured some things that fans have not seen out of this team in over a month.

Tom Brady was intercepted twice and threw just for 253 yards. His most notable interception came on a short fade out play that resulted in his lofting a high arcing pass that was quickly picked off at mid field. The Colts would eventually score and send New England into the locker room at the half with a sour taste in their mouths.

 “It was like a no-look throw and those don’t ever end up good,” said Brady. “I thought I had a good look presnap. Gronk got through there, but I just put too much air on the ball and ended up lobbing it up right to Mike. Hopefully, there are no more of those this year.”

Brady threw for fewer yards than he had since that dreadful Week Four loss in Kansas City while his two interceptions nearly doubled his previous season total. But despite that the Patriots still found a way to win in a big way.

Rookie running back Jonas Gray ran for a franchise record four touchdowns in the game adding to a 199 yard all around performance. He rushed with both power and agility jumping through scrums of players and scoring each of his four touchdowns on short, easy runs up the middle of the field.

Gray took the ball on 38 total plays, which given that the Patriots got off only 75 plays, speaks to the omnipresence of the running back in Sunday’s game.

“I think you’ve got to be able to find different ways to win,” said Brady. “Depending on the matchup that you get you’ve got to devise a game plan that you think is going to work. Then once you get in there, see if it works, and if it is you stay with it.”

Operating off of previous observations, the team also elected to favor a red hot Gronkowski. The tight end averaged almost 18 yards per catch vs the Colts and assembled an impressive array of hard blocks and stiff arm plays.

Speaking about a third quarter block on Sergio Brown, Grokonwski said, "He was just yappin' at me the whole time. So I took him and threw him out of the club. I was the bouncer, picked him up and tossed him out of the club on that one touchdown. So that was perfect."

Gronkowski, like Gray, seemed to give the Colts more than they could handle. The same could also be said for the Patriots defense which seemed to put its trust in the capable hands of cornerback Darelle Revis.

Revis was all over the field Sunday but delivered his most debilitating blow during a second corner coverage play on wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Revis was able to go over Wayne’s head and tip a pass intended for him up and back towards a waiting Devin McCourty.

The interception seemed to energize the Patriots defense who stood tall especially in similar situations where the Colts were close to being in a position where they could score.  

“We’re sharks,” Revis said, via ESPNBoston.com. “We smell blood in the water. Each game like this is another step closer to our goal.”

In a game that could have gone very differently, the Patriots stayed vigilant and hungry. Such are traits the team will need in the coming weeks as they face the Lions at home and then travel to Green Bay for a Week Thirteen battle with the Packers.

But for the briefest of moments, the Patriots remain focused on yet another convincing win against a well ranked opponent.

 “It was a great win, great win on the road, against a damn good football team. [But] they all get bigger from here,” Brady said after the game.