Heading into the matchup, it was a pivotal point in the season for both teams in the AFC and NFC playoff picture. It was a difficult game to watch at the start because the offenses struggled to move the ball and penalties on both sides. Mac Jones then got rocked from his blind side by Brian Burns that led to a fumble and later threw an interception to former Patriot Stephon Gilmore. However, the Panthers failed to maximize their opportunities and had to settle for field goals. The Patriots’ offense caught fire by featuring the running backs in the run and passing game which the Panthers failed to stop. The Patriot defense continuously made play after play to overwhelm the Panthers to complete a big win in week 8. Here are my five takeaways from the game.
1. JC Jackson was stellar and will likely soon be rich-the spotlight was on JC this weekend with Gilmore on the next sideline. Bill Belichick decided that Jackson was good enough to be the top cornerback when he cut Stephon unceremoniously. Jackson was dominant in the game and picked off Darnold twice. The first was a game-changing 88-yard touchdown return. The second pick sealed the game leading to a touchback when the Panthers were driving in the red zone. Jackson will be a free agent in the off-season, and the Patriots will either have to place the franchise tag on him or hand him a big contract. Either way, JC will be getting a big payday very soon.
2. Jamie Collins is an underrated pickup-the two-time Patriot was signed for the third time by the team after his release by the Detroit Lions. Collins has always produced his best results in the Patriots system, and the signs are looking good in this stint. He is a freakish athlete, and it was on full display in his interception. Darnold tried to fire a pass to his receiver but Collins snagged the ball in midair at the line of scrimmage for the terrific interception. If Collins can make plays like this regularly, then he will be the pickup of the year.
3. Running Back trio shines-the game was ultimately decided because the Patriots ran the ball and stopped the run. The trio of Rhamondre Stevenson, Brandon Bolden, and Damien Harris totaled 33 carries and 156 yards. On the other hand, the Patriots restricted Christian McCaffery to 14 carries and 52 yards. The Patriot trio also made five catches for 75 yards. Their contributions were vital in the win because the Panthers’ secondary kept the Patriots’ wide receivers in check.
4. Mac Jones had a tough game but did enough-Jones rookie season has been solid thus far. Rookies usually have a hard time being consistently proficient week in and week out. Week 9 against this Panthers defense was a tough challenge for Jones facing this Panthers defense. Isaiah Wynn failed to make a big block against Burns that led to the sack. However, the interception throw was a bad read because he threw the ball well before the play developed. Jones was able to bounce back and made the big throws when his team needed it. He finished the game going 12 for 18 for 139 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. It was not his best game but he got the job done, and that is what matters.
5. Improvement in Red Zone Conversion-this team has struggled in games because of failure to convert in the red zones. However, in this game, the team converted 2 for 3 chances in the red zone. It led to two touchdowns and one field goal. Hunter Henry has become the biggest receiving threat in this area after catching five touchdowns in the last six games. Offensive Coordinator, Josh McDaniels, needs to utilize Jonnu Smith in the red zone to make the offense more difficult to stop.
The Patriots now head home in Week 10 to face the Cleveland Browns for a big playoff picture matchup in the AFC.