Game notebook Week 5: Snap counts, stat lines, and more

Snap Counts

Offense: 60 total snaps

Quarterbacks

Bailey Zappe: (60) 100%

Zappe earned every snap at quarterback on Sunday, completing 17/21 passes for 188 yards. If you take away Zappe’s interception, which bounced off WR Nelson Aghlor’s hands, his passer rating is 118.8. The rookie also averaged nine yards a completion which led all quarterbacks in week 5.

Running backs

Rhamondre Stevenson: (54) 90%

Damien Harris: (6) 10%

The second-year back, Rhamondre Stevenson, played a season-high 54 snaps, partly because Damien Harris exited the game due to a hamstring injury. After Harris left, Stevenson was the only healthy back on the roster, making the most of the opportunity. He had a career-best 161 yards on 25 carries.

Wide receivers

Jakobi Meyers: (48) 80%

Kendrick Bourne: (34) 57% DeVante Parker: (31) 52%

Tyquan Thornton: (25) 42%

Lil’Jordan Humphrey: (14) 23%

Jakobi Meyers returned from a two-week hiatus and led all Patriots receivers in snaps. DeVante Parker’s snaps continued to drop as he spent plenty of time on the bench. When Parker was not on the field, rookie Tyquan Thornton took his place. Thornton came back this week from the IR due to a collarbone injury. Kendrick Bourne played a season-high 34 snaps, but his production was limited, with one reception for one yard.

Tight ends

Hunter Henry: (59) 98%

Matt Sokol: (8) 13%

Hunter Henry nearly played the whole game due to Jonnu Smith’s absence. Henry had his biggest game yet; he registered four receptions for 54 yards. Matt Sokol was called up from the practice squad and had no receptions.

Offensive Line

Cole Strange: (60) 100%

Isaiah Wynn: (60) 100%

Michael Onwenu: (60) 100%

Trent Brown: (60) 100%

David Andrews: (60) 100%

Marcus Cannon: (12) 20%

The starting five offensive linemen played the whole game for the first time this season. That is an improvement from prior weeks, and they kept Bailey Zappe’s pocket clean the entire game. Veteran Marcus Cannon played 12 snaps as an eligible receiver helping in the run game.

Defense – 66 snaps

Defensive line

Deatrich Wise Jr: (58) 88%

Davon Godchaux: (40) 61%

Christian Barmore: (37) 56%

Daniel Ekuale: (18) 27%

Sam Roberts: (17) 26%

Carl Davis: (14) 21%

Deatrich Wise Jr. led the defensive line with 58 snaps for the fifth straight week. Since Lawrence Guy was inactive for a second consecutive game, sixth-round rookie Sam Roberts played 17 snaps in his debut. Christian Barmore had another productive game with three tackles and one solo tackle.

Linebackers

Jahlani Tavai: (52) 79%

Ja’Whaun Bently: (40) 61%

Matthew Judon: (36) 55%

Josh Uche: (25) 38%

Anfernee Jennings: (22) 33%

Raekwon McMillan: (21) 32%

Mack Wilson Sr.: (9) 14%

The biggest surprise here is Jahlani Tavai leading the group with 52 snaps. Tavai had a strong game with five total tackles and helped contribute to the Jared Goff interception. Ja’Whaun Bently and Mathew Judon followed with 40 and 38. Judon had an exceptional game with two sacks and a forced fumble. Mack Wilson Sr. saw minimal action and contributed to a questionable roughing of the passer call later in the game.

Defensive backs

Devin McCourty:(58) 88%

Jalen Mills: (46) 70%

Adrain Phillps: (44) 67%

Jonathan Jones: (40) 61%

Kyle Dugger: (38) 58%

Jack Jones: (38) 58%

Myles Bryant: (33) 50%

Jabrill Peppers: (25) 38%

Marcus Jones (15) 23%

Devin McCourty led the defensive backs in snaps with 58, which was only the first time he saw the bench this season. Kyle Dugger and Adrian Phillips played beside him for 44 and 38 snaps. Coming off an injury Jalen Mills bounced back as the CB1 with 46 snaps. The rookie Jack Jones saw a season-high 40 snaps. Not far behind him was Jonathan Jones with 38. Myles Bryant’s snaps continue to decrease as Marcus Jones sees the field more often and takes snaps away.

Did not play

QB Garrett Gilbert, OL Chasen Hines, OL James Ferentz

Inactive list

QB Mac Jones, RB Pierre Strong Jr., TE Jonnu Smith, DT Lawrence Guy Sr., LB DaMarcus Mitchell, CB Shaun Wade, S Joshuah Bledsoe

Noteworthy Stat lines

Stevenson rushes for over 160 yards for the first time in his career.

Rhamdore Stevenson had a career-high game in multiple categories, reaching 160 yards rushing for the first time in his NFL career.

Under Bill Belichick, quarterbacks drafted in the fourth round or higher are 5-0 in their NFL debut.

Zappe became the first rookie drafted in the fourth round or later to win his first career start in the first five weeks of a season since 2001, per ESPN stats and info. The last four quarterbacks to win their debut under Belichick were Jacoby Brissett (2016), Jimmy Garoppolo (2016), Matt Cassel (2008), and Tom Brady (2001). Non-first-round QBs for the rest of the NFL are 30-80 in that period.

The Patriots stopped the Lions on six fourth downs.

The Patriots defense forced the Lions to turn the ball over on six occasions on Sunday. That has never been done by New England before and was a huge factor in Sunday’s shutout.

The Patriots did not allow a sack for the second game in 2022

The offensive line had another clean game, not allowing a single sack for the second time this season. The last game where this occurred was in Pittsburgh in week two. Both of New England’s wins this season have come when the line does not allow a sack.

The Patriots win their 31st shutout game.

The Patriots achieved their 31st shutout in franchise history on Sunday and their 14th under Belichick. The last shutout at Gillette Stadium was on Sept. 22, 2016, against the Houston Texans.

The Patriots have not allowed an opposing running back to score a touchdown.

Thus far, the Patriots defense has not allowed an opposing running back to reach the end zone. New England has faced Chase Edmonds, Najee Harris, J.K. Dobbins, Aaron Jones, and Jamal Williams, who all did not score against New England. The furthest the Patriots have gone without allowing a running back to reach the end zone was eight games in 2019.

Belichick coached his 400th game with the Patriots.

Bill Belichick has reached 400 games coaching with New England. He is now fourth all-time in games coached with one team. He is behind George Halas (506 with Chicago), Tom Landry (454 with Dallas), and Don Shula (422 with Miami). He also won his 323rd game and only needs one more win to move into second place all-time.

Matthew Judon is the first Patriots player to have a sack in the season’s first five games.

Judon recorded two sacks on Sunday, making it his ninth career game with at least two sacks. Since joining the Patriots last year, he has achieved this two other times: September. 26, 2021, vs. New Orleans and Oct. 10, 2021, in Houston.

Where the Patriots lead in NFL

per Mark Daniels and ESPN.com

RB Damien Harris is tied for sixth in rushing TDs (3)

RB Rhamondre Stevenson is tied for tenth in yards per rush (5.5)

WR Nelson Agholor is tied for tenth in yards per reception (16.1)

WR Jakobi Meyers is sixth in receiving yards/game (87)

LB Matthew Judon is tied for first in the NFL in sacks (6).

He’s fourth in QB hits (11).

S Kyle Dugger and Marcus Jones have the tenth-longest kickoff return this season (37 yards)

CB Marcus Jones has the fifth-longest punt return (29). He’s also ninth in combined return yards.

CB Jonathan Jones is tied for fourth in forced fumbles (2)

CB Jack Jones is tied for seventh in interceptions (2)

K Nick Folk is tied for tenth in field goals made (9)