The Patriots closed out their season with a 35-23 defeat to the Buffalo Bills. Here is who caught my eye as studs and duds.
Duds
DeVante Parker
DeVante Parker returned to the football field after missing the last three games with a concussion. Parker caught two touchdowns and six balls on seven targets for 79 yards. The Patriots traded for the wideout in the offseason, and while Parker was inconsistent at times and only played 12 games, he helped stretch the field for New England. Parker is under contract for 2023 in New England.
Matthew Judon
Although Matthew Judon failed to sack a quarterback in the final two games, Judon continued to apply pressure to Josh Allen. The Pro Bowler forced a fumble on Bills running back Devin Singletary and stressed opposing linemen all afternoon. Judon ended the season with 15 1/2 sacks as his stats regressed during the second half. However, the edge rusher continues to be a force for the Patriots.
Devin McCourty
Captain Devin McCourty made it worth it in what likely could be his last game. McCourty contrived both turnovers, as he caught an interception and had a fumble recovery. The captain also had a significant pass breakout in the endzone that took away six points from the Bills. If this was DMac’s last game, he gave it his all.
Duds
Special teams
What a disaster. The Patriots’ special teams put up another pitiful performance. Bills kick returner Nyheim Hines immediately returned a 96-yard kick for a touchdown, and later in the second half, he did it again, returning a 101-yard kick for a touchdown. Nick Folk has struggled on kickoffs, usually handled by Jake Bailey, who was placed on the injured reserve earlier in the season. Brenden Schooler would be inactive, and the struggles continued the entire game. The Patriots’ special teams unit often held the team back in 2022, and they will need to figure it out in 2023.
Myles Bryant
Myles Bryant had a down day as he had a crucial missed tackle on the opening kickoff and allowed five catches on five targets. The whole Patriots’ secondary was a mess against Josh Allen. In the second half, Myles Bryant was caught in coverage against John Brown, who scored a 42-yard touchdown to put the game seemingly out of reach.
Nelson Agholor
Nelson Agholor didn’t have an awful day, but you can put the blame on Agholor for Mac Jones’s first interception. Jones and the Patriots came out of the second half moving the ball downfield, but it ended when Mac Jones threw an interception to Tre’Davious White. It seemed like there was a miscommunication between him and Jones, and the receiver didn’t seem like he was expecting the ball. Agholor underperformed this season, and it will be interesting to see what the Patriots do with his contract.
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My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
