Stars, studs and duds from the Patriots’ wild win over the Bills

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots got a chance to imitate Navy’s offense during their win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 13.

Belichick grew up around Navy football, famous for using a running-focused triple-option offense. And though the Patriots didn’t have the quarterback – a slow-of-foot Mac Jones – to run a triple option, New England could line up to run the football — again and again and again — against the Bills in Buffalo, with winds blowing up to 70 miles per hour and snow swirling around the stadium. In fact, the Patriots didn’t have much of a choice. They had to run the football. That’s how they won, 14-10.

Here are the stars, studs and duds from this week’s game.

Stars

Davon Godchaux, DT: When was the last time you’ve seen an interior defensive lineman log 10 tackles? If you can think of a time when that happened at any point in the NFL, your memory is much sharper than mine. Godchuax had those 10 tackles with a QB pressure to boot. He was dominant on the line of scrimmage in all the ways that appealed to Belichick when the coach paid the DT at $7.5 million per year for two years. That has Godchaux earning 28th-most per year in 2021. His contract wasn’t setting the market like the Patriots did with Matt Judon and tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Because of that, Godchaux has faced less scrutiny. But goodness, if this game didn’t justify the big deal. Godchaux had been playing better in recent weeks. It will be interesting to see if the run-stuffing nose tackle can continue to eat space in this way.

Michael Onwenu, TE: Calling Onwenu a “tight end” is a joke, of course. He is an offensive lineman. But he took zero snaps on the offensive line, instead spending every one of his snaps as an eligible receiver. He helped the Patriots by playing on the right and left. His presence was instrumental as New England ran a running play call G-Lead (which you can read more about here) that was Josh McDaniels’ favorite play call. He called over and over and over. Onwenu helped ensure that play kept working, even if after the Bills had seen it 10 times.

Trent Brown, OT: The big man was built for this kind of game. We talk all the time about rare athletes at running back, receiver, tight end and quarterback — those skill player that are freaks of nature, even by the NFL’s standards. Brown is absolutely one of those guys, at 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds. He’s a good pass protector, but his run blocking — and ability to move in space to get to blocks — is what makes him special.

Damien Harris, RB: If there was one play that exemplified the sick and twisted elements of this game, it was Harris limping his way to a 22-yard gain. That play was a testament to the incredible run blocking, with Harris pulling his hamstring and struggling to get downfield. (It’s the first running play in the video below — it’s also a G-Lead, the play-call I referenced earlier.) He finished with 10 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown. That run showed the grit required to execute this game plan. It must have hurt — a lot — playing in these conditions and fighting for every inch in the run game.

Lawrence Guy, DT: He wasn’t as productive as Godchaux, again more a testament to the insanity that was Godchaux. But make no mistake, Guy was excellent against the Bills, with four tackles and a hurry. He helped eat up that space in way where he looked like one of their best players again.

Studs

Adrian Phillips, S: If not for a missed tackle that gave up a 17-yard run from Devin Singletary, Phillips’ performance would’ve been truly elite. It was hugely impressive, with the safety spending all of his time (in coverage) stopping tight end Dawson Knox, who was clearly Josh Allen’s favorite target in the red zone this year. Phillips kept Knox in check, with just two catches on six targets. Phillips broke up a pass to Knox in the end zone on the Bills’ second-to-last play.

Bill Belichick, coach: He and Josh McDaniels had the gall to run the ball 46 times and pass it three times — with just one throw in the first half. Belichick and his son Steven had the nerve to run an all-out blitz on fourth-and-18 with the game on the line and Josh Allen throwing for the goal line. There were so many parts of this game that were done well by Belichick. The only exclusion: why the heck did he have N’Keal Harry back to return his first NFL punt in this winter storm?

Myles Bryant, DB: He committed a late hit penalty that was very questionable but also very costly. So it’s fitting that he’s a stud not a star. He did, however, make a game-saving pass-breakup. Allen fired the ball upwind to Gabriel Davis and though he was open — and the ball appeared to be on its way to being a touchdown — Bryant stepped off his man and blocked the pass. It was an excellent display of awareness.

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB: In this game, Stevenson was to Harris as Guy was to Godchaux. All four players played exceptionally well, but for whatever reason, Harris and Godchaux ended with the gaudy numbers, even if Guy and Stevenson were just as good doing the dirty work. Stevenson chewed away at the Bills’ run defense and protected the football with the utmost care. It was an exceptionally steady performance from the rookie.

Duds

Mac Jones, QB: He threw three times because it was clear the Patriots weren’t going to have much success throwing the ball. Jones had issues throwing simple passes to open receivers because of the weather. So if it was a challenge to get Jones 8-yard completions, then it only made sense for the Patriots to turn to their run game, which produced 4.8 yards per carry. There was no need to take the risk of throwing the ball. So the Patriots didn’t take it. This isn’t to say that Jones is doomed — or a bad player. It’s just to say that the Jacksonville native and Alabama alumnus doesn’t have great arm strength. And while he may learn how to play in adverse conditions and improve his arm strength, he’s not there yet. So the Patriots avoided him – because they could.

Dont’a Hightower, LB: You’d think this would be the kind of game where Hightower thrived, but he was the target in coverage, allowing five catches on five targets for 41 yards. He also missed a tackle. It was a tough game to find flawed performances, so while Hightower wasn’t a part of the problem, he also wasn’t really a part of the solution.

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