Each week, we’ll break down the Patriots numbers in certain key areas of interest and track them to see how they progress over the course of the season.
We do apologize for the introductory graphic. This is normally Jae’s area of expertise, but he is in the process of moving to South Korea. Obviously, moves are difficult under the best of circumstances, and intercontinental moves more difficult still. Somehow, though, at least as we at FC understand it, Jae is currently trapped in the U.S. embassy, which we obviously think is awesome and deeply funny because we are bad people, but, that said, we hope you excuse the amateur nature of this week’s graphic. So, anyways:
Offense – Areas of Emphasis
Keeping Brady Upright: 1 sacks in 38 dropbacks – 2.6% sack rate.
League average: 5.6 % sack rate.
Patriots season average: 5.3%
Run the ball! Run v. pass percentage on 1st & 2nd down: 13 runs, 30 passes (not incl. kneel-downs) – 30.2%. The Jets have perhaps the best run defense in the NFL but an iffy secondary, and New England attacked them accordingly.
League-wide: 47.3% run percentage on 1st & 2nd down.
Patriots season average: 45.2%
RB Yards Per Carry: (not counting QB or WR runs) 14 carries for 55 yards, a 3.9 average.
League average: 4.1 YPC
Patriots season average: 3.9
Stay On the Field: (3rd/4th down success, not counting final drive): 6 of 13 – 46.2%
League average: 42.0%
Patriots season average: 40.4%
Trust Watch:
Brady’s passing success to receivers other than Julian Edelman & Rob Gronkowski.
19 targets for Edelman and Gronkowski, 17 to other (47.2% other).
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| S. Vereen | 5 | 71 | 14.2 | 2 | 49 | 8 |
| B. LaFell | 4 | 55 | 13.8 | 0 | 24 | 5 |
| D. Amendola | 1 | 19 | 19 | 1 | 19 | 3 |
| B. Bolden | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Team | 11 | 149 | 13.5 | 3 | 49 | 17 |
Quarterback rating: 132.1
Brady Deep Ball Watch: (throws longer than 15 yards) 5 of 9 for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also drew two defensive penalties – 140.0 QB rating.
Defense – Areas of Emphasis
Getting after the QB: 3 sacks in 37 dropbacks – 8.1% sack rate.
League average: 5.6 % sack rate.
Patriots season average: 7.8%
The run defense: RB YPC (not counting QB or WR runs) 35 carries for 175 yards, 5.0 YPC
League average: 4.1 YPC
Patriots season average: 4.5 YPC
Defending the WRs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| E. Decker | 4 | 65 | 16.3 | 0 | 24 | 7 |
| J. Kerley | 2 | 29 | 14.5 | 0 | 16 | 5 |
| D. Nelson | 1 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 2 |
| T. Graham | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Team | 7 | 105 | 15 | 0 | 24 | 15 |
Quarterback rating: 70.1.
Defending TEs:
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | TGTS | |
| J. Cumberland | 3 | 50 | 16.7 | 1 | 28 | 4 |
| J. Amaro | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| Team | 6 | 72 | 12 | 1 | 28 | 9 |
Quarterback rating: 128.0.
Get Off the field! (3rd/4th down success) The Jets converted 9 of 16 – 56.3%.
League average: 42.0%
Patriots season average: 45.1%
Miscellaneous
Injuries: None reported.
Penalties: 9 for 64 yards.
Total of 63 for 590 yards, most in the NFL in penalties and in total yards.
One positive statistic: Patriots receivers averaged 13.1 yards per reception, their highest total on the season.
One negative statistic: Geno Smith’s 7 carries for 37 yards doesn’t stand out, but four of the seven runs went for first downs, including three on third down.
The game in one statistic: Smith threw zero interceptions Thursday night, the first time he has done so all year. The second-year quarterback has been picked off in 18 of his 23 career games. The Patriots defense seemed to be waiting for the 24-year-old to make a mistake, but he took care of the football and gave the Jets a chance to win.
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