The Pats Scored 45 (!) Unanswered Points In A 45-7 Drubbing Of The Browns & A Fourth Straight Win

 

    The complete turnaround by the Patriots (6-4 overall, 2-4 home) over the last month has been nothing short of remarkable. This afternoon at Gillette Stadium, Cleveland (5-5 overall, 2-3 away) marched down the field on an impressive opening drive (11 plays, 84 yards, 4:55) and capped it off with a two-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield (11-of-21 for 73 yards, TD, INT) to tight end Austin Hooper. No sweat, Browns kicker Chase McLaughlin's extra point was the last point of the entire game for Cleveland as New England rattled off 45 consecutive points en route to a throughly impressive 45-7 victory. Pats rookie quarterback Mac Jones (19-of-23 for 198 yards, 3 TDs) had his best and most efficient game as a pro and New England's defense combiend for five sacks as they won their fourth game in a row. 

    Earlier this season, we wondered if Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was losing his fastball on the sidelines and now, if he keeps this up he has to be considered a front-runner for the NFL Coach of the Year (which would be his 4th, tying Don Shula for the most all-time). More importantly, his team has transformed itself from an afterthought to one of the hottest in the league that seems to get better every week not to mention a legitimate threat in the weak AFC. Tight end Hunter Henry caught two touchdown passes (giving him TD catches in 6 straight games and 8 overall in that time span) and rookie running back Rhamondre Stevenson (20 carries, 100 yards, 2 TDs; 14 yards receiving) returned from last week's concussion to record a solid performance. Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (4 catches, 98 yards, TD; 3 rushes, 43 yards) has also proven to be a valuable weapon for offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as he continues to open up what started out as a pretty basic playbook in 2021.   

    This being the Browns, they just had to fall apart in epic fashion. Mayfield hurt his knee which forced his backup Case Keenum to finish the game for him. The two teams' numbers on third down told the entire story as New England was seven-for-nine and Cleveland was one-for-11. Henry caught a third yard touchdown pass from Jones late in the first quarter and Nick Fok's point-after tied it at seven. After Patriots safety Kyle Dugger picked off Mayfield and returned the interception to Cleveland's five-yard line, it took one play for Stevenson to punch it in and give New England a lead that they would never relinquish. Folk's kick made it 14-7 and that quickly became 21-7 after Jones' strike through two defenders to Bourne for a leaping 23-yard touchdown catch. Folk's 38-yard field goal with 17 seconds left in the second quarter handed the Patriots a commanding 24-7 lead at halftime. 

    Stevenson added a two-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Folk's extra point made it 31-7 in favor of the home team. In the fourth quarter, Henry caught another three-yard touchdown from Jones and Folk hit another point after. Finally, wide receiver Jakobi Meyers ended the highlight reel filled day for the Pats with an 11-yard touchdown catch and run from backup quarterback Brian Hoyer-his first TD catch in the NFL after three long seasons. Folk's sixth point after gave New England its final margain of 45-7. 

    It will be a short week for the Pats as they will travel to Mercedes Benz Stadium for a Thursday Night Football (8:20, Fox) matchup with the Falcons (4-5 overall, 1-3 home). Atlanta had been playing alright until they got smoked 43-3 this afternoon in Dallas (7-2). Did I mention that they have another rookie head coach-the immortal Arthur Smith-for Belchick to beat up on? So yeah, as always anything can happen in the NFL (as proven every week in this crazy year) but you have to like the Patriots' chances to keep their win streak rolling.

Gronk's Torn ACL Overshadows Another Video-Game Like Comeback by the Patriots

As a sports fan, besides big losses, there are few things more depressing than a serious injury to a star player. Unfortunately, the Patriots will wake up tomorrow having to game-plan the rest of the season and playoffs without Rob Gronkowski who reportedly tore his ACL on a brutal hit by T.J. Ward (helmet to knee). Sure New England (10-3 overall, 7-0 home) rallied for another insane 27-26 comeback victory over Cleveland (4-9 overall, 1-5 away) at Gillette Stadium but forgive us if our minds were wandering a bit. Plus who ever believed the Browns would hand the Pats their first home loss of 2013 (7-0)?

You can't overstate Gronk's importance which is why the Pats had morphed into the top-scoring offense in the league again after he returned from arm/back surgeries. This will be the third straight postseason that he's been hurt which makes you wonder if the poor guy will ever have a fully healthy season (regular season and playoffs) in the NFL.

I said the same thing last week when the Texans gagged a game away to the Patriots but today was the epitome of a certain win that only a few miserable squads can successfully hand over to the opposition. The Browns were up 19-3 late in the third quarter on Josh Gordon's (7 catches, 151 yards; 34-yard run) 80-yard catch and run.

Shane Vereen (12 catches, 153 yards) took over on the next drive and earned his way to a six-yard touchdown run. Julian Edelman (6 catches, 64 yards) caught the two-point conversion as the momentum started to swing towards New England.

Stephen Gostkowski's 50-yard field goal cut it to 19-14 but Jordan Cameron (9 catches, 121 yards) appeared to put it away with a four-yard touchdown catch from Jason Campbell (29 of 44, 391 yards, 3 TDs) on a basic play action pass. Tom Brady (32 of 52, 418 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT) calmly drove down the field and threw a two-yard touchdown to Edelman who was drilled but hung on (and stayed in the game).

Gostkowski's onside kick was the play of the game though as Kyle Arrington recovered it at Cleveland's 39. Haha only the Browns. By that point, New England getting one last touchdown felt inevitable and so it went with Danny Amendola catching a one-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds left.

New England actually left too much time on the clock for Cleveland's horrible offense and Campbell sort of got them in field goal range. I don't think fans of Cleveland teams can actually feel any lower but the Browns tried to toy with their emotions a little more as Billy Cundiff of all people was dragged out for a 58-yard field goal attempt in the last seconds. Do I even have to tell you that it was short?

Gronk is having an MRI tomorrow but countless NFL reporters said his season is over after this game so I'll go with that until I hear otherwise. The Patriots can clinch the AFC East title with a win on Sunday (1, CBS) at Sun Life Stadium in Miami vs. the Dolphins (7-6 overall, 2nd in AFC East). They beat Miami 27-17 in Week 8 at Gillette Stadium but New England always struggles in Miami for whatever reason (the clubs?).

UPDATE 12/9: The news about Gronk couldn't be much worse as he also tore his MCL in his right knee along with the ACL and also suffered a concussion so he was put on IR. Yikes. The Patriots re-signed tight end D.J. Williams to take his place on the 53-man roster; this is the third season in a row that Grnonkowi's missed important games at the end of the season.

UPDATE 12/10: I can't really explain why but the Patriots-Ravens game in Week 16 was flexed from Sunday night to a 4:25 p.m. start. Bears-Eagles will take its place, I guess we should be content with more time to sleep after so many late-night games this season for New England.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

Week 14 Injury Report: Patriots vs. Browns

Aside from the fact that Bill Belichick was head coach of the Browns roughly 50 years ago, I can't think of a much more boring NFL team than Cleveland (4-8). It would have been fun if Brian Hoyer-New England's (9-3) former backup quarterback-was starting for the Browns on Sunday (1, CBS) but his season ended early with a torn ACL.

Today the injury reports for this sure to be instant classic were released. Right tackle Marcus Cannon (ankle) and wide receiver Aaron Dobson (foot) were both ruled out for the Patriots while quarterback Brandon Weeden (concussion) is out for the Browns hence why journeyman Jason Campbell was named the starter.

10 Patriots are questionable: Kyle Arrington (groin), Marquice Cole (shin), Alfonzo Dennard (knee), Steve Gregory (finger), Rob Gronkowski (back/forearm/hamstring), Michael Hoomanawanui (knee), Brandon Spikes (knee), Will Svitek (ankle), Aqib Talib (hip) and Kenbrell Thompkins (hip).

Three Browns are questionable: linebacker Tank Carder (shoulder), tight end MarQueis Gray (hamstring) and linebacker Craig Robertson (knee).

After so many close games this season, it would be nice if New England had a good old-fashioned season's beating to hand to the hapless Browns. We know Cleveland isn't going to win at Gillette Stadium with Campbell so there is no need to waste any of our time.

Check back here on Sunday for the rest of the inactives.

UPDATE 12/8: Patriots inactives are Steve Beauharnais, Jake Bequette, Brandon Bolden, Cannon, Dobson, Hoomanawanui and Thompkins. The Browns inactives are WR Josh Cooper, OL Reid Fragel, OL Garrett Gilkey, TE Keavon Milton, QB Alex Tanney, OL Martin Wallace and Weeden.

Tweet


Follow @RichSlate

What the hell happened in Cleveland?

There is a reason I always tell people that I never gamble on the NFL (besides Fantasy Football which is totally different) - it is impossible to predict!

How else could you explain the Cleveland Browns looking like the best team in football yesterday as they dismantled the Patriots 34-14 at Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Yes New England (6-2) was due for a letdown after playing great football for the past five games (all wins) but they would find a way to beat Cleveland (3-5), right?

Nope, the term trap game was an understatement as everything went the Browns' way while fullback Peyton Hillis (career-high 184 yards and two touchdowns) resembled Walter Payton and rookie quarterback Colt McCoy (174 yards passing, 16-yard rushing TD) looked polished in just his third NFL start.

Basically, the only Patriots that bothered to show up were rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez (5 catches, 48 yards, 2 TDs) and Danny Woodhead (54 yards rushing, 38 yards receiving).

This one-sided beating recalled the pasting the Ravens administered in the playoffs last season but come on, that was Baltimore not the Browns. Sure they won in New Orleans two weeks ago and then had a bye but did anybody that doesn't reside in the dog pound take Cleveland seriously?

Phil Dawson hit a 38-yard field goal on the Browns' opening drive. A miscommunication between Sammy Morris and Rob Gronkowski on the ensuing kickoff led to former Pat Ray Ventrone recovering deep in Pats territory. From there, Hillis capped off the short drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.

Hernandez got New England on the board in the second quarter with his first NFL touchdown, a 2-yard pass from Tom Brady (19 for 36, 224 yards, 2 touchdowns) that was actually intended for Gronkowski. It was tipped but Hernandez managed to make the athletic play and catch it in the back of the end zone.

Gronkowski (4 catches, 47 yards) had a miserable day befitting of a rookie, kind of like Hernandez against the Ravens earlier this season. Besides the kickoff mistake, he dropped a couple passes, had a penalty and worst of all, fumbled near the goal-line when New England was driving late in the first half (down 17-7).

Cleveland scored on a gimmick play to go up 17-7 later in the second quarter when wide receiver Chansi Stuckey took the handoff from Josh Cribbs and ran around the left side for an 11-yard score. It completely fooled the Patriots defense and summed up a day when they didn't know how to stop Eric Mangini's improving team.

McCoy's 16-yard touchdown run accounted for the only score in the third quarter and Dawson added another kick in the fourth quarter (37 yards) before the Patriots showed a little pulse with Hernandez's 1-yard touchdown catch.

However, that was short-lived as Hillis successfully ran out the clock and added more points with a humiliating 35-yard touchdown run.

As if the day couldn't get any worse, New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski left the game with a thigh injury, forcing Wes Welker to kick the second extra point. We'll see how serious Gostkowski's injury is moving forward.

Not that they deserved it at all but the Detroit Lions didn't do the Pats any favors as they choked against the New York Jets and lost in overtime. The Patriots and Jets are tied atop the AFC East at 6-2 while the Dolphins are 4-4 and the Bills are 0-8.

With next Sunday night's game at Pittsburgh and then hosting the Colts in two weeks, this was a game that New England had to have and they failed epically. The young defense will need to have a short memory if they're going to make any progress during the meat of the schedule.