The New England Patriots are back in the win column, and it took a lot of players that you might not have expected. The 29-26 upset against the Buffalo Bills was one of the team’s best wins in several seasons — and gets the Patriots right back into the conversation of being a solid football team.
“It gets us back in the race, and our guys worked extremely hard this week,” Mike Vrabel said postgame, “and we knew that it was going to be a battle.”
Here’s a snapshot at all the snaps the Patriots played on Sunday, and what we can learn from them.
Offensive Snaps:
OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (76, 100%), OG Ben Brown (76, 100%), OT Will Campbell (76, 100%), OT Morgan Moses (76, 100%), QB Drake Maye (76, 100%), C Jared Wilson (76, 100%), RB Rhamondre Stevenson (50, 66%), WR Romeo Doubs (49, 64%), TE Hunter Henry (49, 64%), TE Eli Raridon (44, 58%), WR DeMario Douglas (35, 46%), WR Efton Chism III (34, 45%), WR Mack Hollins (31, 41%), RB TreVeyon Henderson (28, 37%), OT Caleb Lomu (20, 26%), WR Kyle Williams (19, 25%), FB Reggie Gilliam (17, 22%), TE Cameron Latu (2, 3%), RB Corey Kiner (2, 3%)
The Patriots ran 76 offensive plays this week, the most all year (they ran 71 against the Seattle Seahawks in the season opener). They also used a lot of new formations to help try and get something going. Part of that was having rookie offensive tackle Caleb Lomu start the game as a jumbo tight end. He played 20 snaps, and took some of those from the backfield.
One thing that also jumps out? The discrepancy in snaps between Efton Chism III (34) and Kyle Williams (19). Both second-year receivers have started to trend in opposite directions, with the undrafted one soaring after his game-winning touchdown while the third rounder remains limited.
Defensive Snaps:
CB Marcus Jones (59, 100%), LB Christian Elliss (59, 100%), CB Carlton Davis (59, 100%), S Craig Woodson (59, 100%), S Kevin Byard (59, 100%), LB Robert Spillane (59, 100%), DT Milton Williams (46, 78%), EDGE Dre’Mont Jones (44, 75%), EDGE Elijah Ponder (41, 69%), CB Charles Woods (35, 59%), DT Cory Durden (34, 58%), EDGE Gabe Jacas (25, 42%), DT Leonard Taylor III (20, 34%), DT DaQuan Jones (18. 31%), DT Joshua Farmer (16, 27%), LB Darius Muasau (8, 14%), CB Kindle Vildor (8, 14%)
The Patriots didn’t run any three-safety looks against the Bills, opting to go more heavy on the front end. Part of that was to shut down all the explosive plays that Josh Allen could make at quarterback. Plus, getting Craig Woodson back after a one-game absence gave the Patriots their usual safety pair back together.
Robert Spillane — in his second year as a Patriots captain — continues to be an iron man. He’s played every single snap this season for New England’s defense, and Sunday was more of the same. Spillane finished with eight tackles and a forced fumble.
Special Teams Snaps:
LB Darius Musaua (23, 88%), LB Namdi Obiazor (23, 88%), S Mike Brown (23, 88%), TE Cameron Latu (22, 85%), LB Erick Hunter (19, 73%), CB Karon Prunty (18, 69%), EDGE Elijah Ponder (17, 65%), EDGE Jose Ramirez (15, 58%), EDGE Gabe Jacas (14, 54%), CB Jaylen Reed (13, 50%), CB Charles Woods (12, 46%), RB Corey Kiner (8, 31%), K Andy Borregales (8, 31%), LS Julian Ashby (7, 27%), P Mitch Wishnowsky (7, 27%), DT Cory Durden (7, 27%), WR Kyle William (6, 23%), CB Kindle Vildor (5, 19%), WR Efton Chism III (4, 15%), CB Marcus Jones (4, 15%), DT Milton Williams (4, 15%), DT DaQuan Jones (4, 15%), OT Caleb Lomu (3, 12%), OG Alijah Vera-Tucker (3, 12%), OG Ben Brown (3, 12%), OT Will Campbell (3, 12%), DT Leonard Taylor III (3, 12%), OT Walter Rouse (3, 12%), TE Eli Raridon (2, 8%), FB Reggie Gilliam (2, 8%), LB Christian Elliss (1, 4%)
The Patriots have consistently gotten a lot of special team snaps out of their linebacker pair of Darius Muasau (who started on defense) and Namdi Obiazor. But they’ve also gotten plenty out of safety Mike Brown, who was elevated for a second-straight week off the practice squad.
Erick Hunter, an undrafted linebacker, played 19 snaps — and some of those coming at gunner. He had four tackles in what was a really good game for the rookie.
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