Six studs and one dud from week five

The New England Patriots got back in the win column with a decisive shutout win against the Detroit Lions. The Lions came to Foxborough with the number one scoring offense, but the Patriots defense made plays all day long, including six fourth-down stops.

Fourth-round rookie QB Bailey Zappe made his first NFL start and made it seem easy. He went 17/21 for 188 yards with a touchdown and interception.

The Patriots will head to Cleveland next week to face the 2-3 Browns but first, let’s look at the studs and the duds from week five.

Studs:

RB Rhamondre Stevenson

On Sunday, Stevenson had a huge game, running for a career-high 161 yards on 25 carries averaging 6.5 yards per carry. RB Damien Harris left the game early with a hamstring injury, and Stevenson had to finish the game as New England’s lone back. Stevenson’s most impressive play of the day was a 49-yard run in which he almost took it to the house but got tripped up.

Bill Belichick was very complimentary of Stevenson in his postgame press conference saying, “You have to give him a ton of credit. With Damien out, we only carried two backs for the game, and he put it all on his shoulders…He is a really good football player. A good football player. So glad we have him.”

LB Matthew Judon

Matthew Judon continued his dominance and extended his sack streak to five straight games. His sack total is now at six sacks this season, which is tied for first in the league. Furthermore, he had a strip sack in which S Kyle Dugger recovered the ball and ran 59-yards for the scoop and score.

Judon has continued to emphasize he needs to stay healthy and contribute in every game this season. If Judon continues his success, he will be in the conversation for DPOTY later in the season.

K Nick Folk

Nick Folk hit all five field goal attempts and one extra point on Sunday inside a windy Gillette Stadium. Folk has earned praise from Belichick, who said, “Nick is so consistent. You kind of start to take it for granted, and then you realize how difficult it was. Today, it was not an easy day to kick. The wind gusted, and it was blowing straight across the field really from our bench to their bench.”

QB Bailey Zappe

With both quarterbacks injured, Bailey Zappe started against the Detroit Lions. He threw 188 yards (17/21) in his first career start, one touchdown, one interception, and an 81 percent completion percentage.

Zappe was protected well by the offensive line throughout the game, which helped contribute to his success. Still, he also moved up in the pocket numerous times, including a 24-yard touchdown by Jakobi Meyers. Throughout the game, Zappe refrained from making big mistakes and kept the ball out of harm’s way.

This will complicate things when Brian Hoyer returns from the IR, as Bailey Zappe has proven he deserves the backup job. However, if Zappe gets reverted to the practice squad, any other NFL team can sign him, so it is very likely that Zappe will stay on the active roster.

WR Jakobi Meyers

WR Jakboi Meyers was back in the mix after missing the last two games due to a knee injury. Meyers led the Patriots in targets (8), receptions (7), receiving yards (111), and had his first 100-yard game of the season. Meyers continues to be a reliable receiver for New England.

Meyers helped move the sticks multiple times on third down and has been a bright spot for New England’s offense. After the game, he said, “It felt great, honestly, just being out there. I felt like I was smiling the whole game and enjoying it again.” During C David Andrews’ postgame conference, he talked highly about Meyers, saying, “Jakobi does a lot of great stuff for us, not just catching the football. I’ve got a lot of respect for how Jakobi blocks.”

Meyers’ contract expires after the season, and he will be one of the top free-agent wide receivers this season.

CB Jack Jones

CB Jack Jones had another stellar performance Sunday. He had another interception early in the first half. The Lions were in the RedZone when QB Jared Goff targeted TE T.J. Hockenson up the seam, but Jones came in and made a spectacular toe-tap catch. Jones continued to excel throughout the game, with three solo tackles and two passes defended.

There was lots of criticism with Belichick trading away pro-bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson, but Jack Jones has emerged as a great young cornerback for the future.

Dud:

Injuries

When you have injuries as your only concern, it’s a sign that the team is moving in the right direction. The Patriots left Sunday’s game with another significant player leaving. RB Damien Harris exited Sunday’s game after playing six snaps with a hamstring injury. With Mac Jones still injured, the Patriots focused more on running the ball but without starting back Damien Harris, the running back depth takes a hit.