Three Studs and three duds from Patriots division win over the Jets

The Patriots beat the Jets by a score of 10-3 in a slow, exhausting effort. However, a win is a win, and they moved to 6-4 heading into a tough stretch. Here are three studs and three duds from Week 11.

Studs

Matthew Judon

Yet again, Matthew Judon had himself a game. Judon contributed significantly to the defense with five tackles and 1.5 sacks on Sunday. The pro bowler led the pass rush and was often in Zach Wilson’s face. Judon is proving he is the number one candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. With 12.5 sacks on the season, he tied a career-high and became the first Patriots player with 12.5 sacks in the first ten games of the season. Last season, Judon slowed down after the bye week and didn’t have a single sack in the following games. He wants it to be different this season, and with the Patriots playing tough offenses in the second half of the season, the pass rush will have to be dominant.

Defense

As a whole, the Patriots’ defense was phenomenal. The Jets had the same number of punts (9) as completions (9) and forced the Jets to average 2.8 inches per play in the second half. The run defense limited Zach Wilson’s ability to move around in the pocket and limited their running backs to 10 yards on nine attempts in the first half. New York ran the ball 23 times for 59 yards during the second half. Deatrich Wise’s career year continues as he picked up a sack and batted a pass on Sunday. Wise contributed to the constant pressure and was key in crucial down situations. New England will have a tall task on defense, playing the Vikings and Bills in the following two weeks.

Marcus Jones

There is no question that Marcus Jones was the player of the game. On 4th-and-3 with 26 seconds left, Jets’ punter Braden Mann bombed a punt directly in the middle of the field for Marcus Jones, who then demonstrated why he is an elite punt returner. Marcus Jones scored on a dynamic punt return with seconds remaining on the clock, clinching the victory for the Patriots. The rookie’s timing was perfect. The Patriots desperately needed a player to step up because of their struggling offense. Bill Belichick spoke about how the rookie has come a long way since the training.

Duds

Nick Folk

Nick Folk went 1/3 on field goals and earned himself a rare spot on the dud list. With the heavy winds and weather conditions being a factor, Folk could have cost New England the game. The Patriots were struggling offensively. Although they were moving the ball downfield, they couldn’t find the end zone. The veteran didn’t look like his usual self in warmups, which was a sign of what was coming. Folk needs a bounce-back performance against the Vikings on Thursday night.

Jonnu Smith

Jonnu Smith could have waltzed in for a touchdown but fumbled the ball away. In the first quarter, Jonnu Smith took the ball from Jones on a jet sweep, and then as he tried to transfer the ball to his off-hand, he fumbled the ball. The drive at the beginning of the game was crucial, and because of the mistake, the Patriots had to settle for a short field goal. The Nick Folk field goal would be the only offensive point for the Patriots the whole game. Smith redeemed himself, finishing the game with four receptions for 40 yards. However, fumbles can lose games in close situations where the offense struggles.

Play calling

The play calling for New England was atrocious on Sunday, which was an understatement. With the game tied at three late in the third quarter, the Patriots tried to go for it on fourth -down. New England needed three yards, and they lined up in the shotgun and handed the ball off to Stevenson on the outside, who was tackled a yard short. Before that, New England called for a third-and-seven run play, which gained four. Part of the problem is the lack of pre-snap motion and play action. On first down New England runs the ball at an alarming amount; maybe it’s because Patricia doesn’t trust Jones yet, but they have to change up the play calling.

Follow me on Twitter @Thepatriotsbeat

Subscribe to The Patriots beat here to receive all updated information about the New England Patriots.