The New England Patriots improved to 2-5 through a 29-25 victory over the Buffalo Bills, who fell to 4-3 on Sunday. They finally won after giving up 24 or more points in a game against a legitimate opponent with a winning record.
The game came down to a quarterback duel between Mac Jones and Josh Allen, and surprisingly, Jones got the better of Allen in the matchup.
Jones completed 83 percent of his passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns, with a passer rating of 126.7. He led his team to a victory with a touchdown to Mike Gesicki with :13 left on the clock.
So what changed?
The Patriots finally made changes we have been clamoring for since the spring. Mike Onwenu started and played right tackle, and the Patriots gave snaps to rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas over DeVante Parker.
Let’s get into some leftover notes from the game.
Vintage Mac resurfaces
Mac Jones had one of his best games. It’s almost as if quarterbacks need to have solid pockets and receivers who get open to succeed in the NFL.
Shocker.
Jones was nearly perfect, hitting 83 percent of his passes without a single turnover. He had time to throw, and his best two weapons, Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas, got the playing time everyone wanted.
Jones came out of college with his best skills being between the ears, and he was able to showcase that on Sunday.
If the offensive line protection holds, Jones can potentially turn this season around for himself and the offense. Maybe even enough for the Patriots to be buyers at the trade deadline in two weeks. (Jerry Jeudy, I’m looking at you.)
Jones has been one of the worst passers under pressure, but I think that stat is misleading.
It’s like saying, it’s harder to drive in the rain, but good drivers can drive safe in the rain. Meanwhile, Jones has been driving in a monsoon downhill, and people wonder why he has trouble steering the car.
The offensive line has been so bad that most quarterbacks outside of Patrick Mahomes wouldn’t be able to succeed. Jones is good under normal NFL pressure, and it showed this week. He just isn’t good when his offensive line plays four-on-five, which has felt like the case since the start of the season.
Dante Scarnecchia's timing was impeccable
Dante Scarnecchia was present this week to be enshrined into the Patriots Hall of Fame, and Mike Onwenu was finally asked to move to right tackle.
I think that coincidence is too uncanny, and one can only imagine a conversation between Scarnecchia and Belichick, where he scolded Belichick for not moving Onwenu to right tackle already.
No, there’s no report of a conversation between the two actually happening, but please allow me to put on my tinfoil hat for a moment.
It’s just strange that the entire unit suddenly played well when Scarnecchia was in the building. Onwenu being moved to right tackle was a change that helped them play their best game together so far this season.
Demario Douglas is the Patriots' best weapon
Demario Douglas finally got the playing time we asked for, and it is still not enough. He is the team’s best receiver, even over Kendrick Bourne. His route-running, hands, agility, release and speed mimic some of the game’s best.
I thoroughly believe Douglas could be blossoming into one of the game’s most electric receivers, but the only way for that to continue is to emphasize him as they have been, week in and week out.
He has impressed since rookie minicamp, and now, he’ll have a real chance to continue his breakout with a matchup against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8.
Defense has new life?
The Patriots defense came to play again, and Jabrill Peppers continued to step up as an emotional leader and playmaker. Peppers, Christian Barmore, J.C. Jackson and Ja’Whaun Bentley have all stepped up in the absence of Matthew Judon, Christian Gonzalez, Keion White and Josh Uche.
Anfernee Jennings started to open more eyes this week as a pass rusher. Jennings has been an above average run defender since cracking the lineup for the Patriots a few seasons ago, and he has started to showcase the pass rush ability he had in college, which is allowing him to blossom into the Kyle Van Noy role of this new-aged defense.
White being back next week, and possibly Uche, should only add to the defense’s confidence at the same time the Patriots offense is finally starting to click.
