Detroit Lions vs. New England Patriots: Full Report Card Grades for New England
When elite offenses and defenses face off against each other, historical precedent has proven that defense typically prevails. However, in dismantling the Detroit Lions by a 34-9 score, the New England Patriots flipped the script, demonstrating a frightening ability to exploit defenses with virtually any game plan.
Early on, the Lions offense ran some clever man-coverage beating concepts to free Golden Tate loose of Darrelle Revis' grasp. Tate gained 41 yards on the first drive, as Matt Prater hit a 48-yard field goal en route to an early 3-0 lead.
Following four consecutive three-and-outs by both offenses, the Patriots turned to a pass-heavy up-tempo pace on offense and attacked Detroit's weakness on the perimeter. Tim Wright capped off a nine-play, 64-yard drive with a four-yard touchdown, his fifth of the season. After the Lions stalled out at the 1-yard line, the Pats struck back quickly with a big Danny Amendola kick return and touchdown run from LeGarrette Blount, putting them up 14-6.
The Patriots continued to utilize no-huddle to exploit Detroit's back seven in coverage, as Wright was once again uncovered on an eight-yard touchdown near the end of the second quarter. After a missed 53-yard field goal from Prater, a pair of big gains from Rob Gronkowski allowed Stephen Gostkowski to extend New England's lead to 24-6 at the intermission. The 24 points matched Detroit's previous season high for most points allowed in an entire game.
The Pats moved the ball once again to start the second half, but a red-zone interception from ex-Patriot James Ihedigbo stemmed New England's momentum. However, the Patriots bounced back with another long drive that resulted in a Gostkowski 43-yarder, extending their lead to 27-6.
The Lions had a few prolonged yet relatively fruitless fourth-quarter drives, which included a mind-numbingly unaware play from Stafford in sliding inches short of the first-down marker on 4th-and-10. Blount added on a second touchdown in his return, as the Patriots became the first team to wreak 30 points on Detroit's top-ranked scoring defense.
Read on for full positional grades and analysis from the Patriots' seventh consecutive win.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Tom Brady was erratic over the first two drives amid consistent interior pressure, but he bounced back significantly when the Patriots turned to the no-huddle, beginning on the third drive. Brady found success in consistently targeting Lions safeties and linebackers, particularly down the seams.
The performance was a display of how Brady can attack through a plethora of routes. On the afternoon, five receivers had at least five receptions for New England, as the offense was able to find holes in whatever split-safety zone the Lions turned to. By the end of the first half, Brady had already compiled 233 passing yards on 8.6 yards per attempt.
Though a red-zone interception in the third quarter stands out as the lone tarnishing play, Brady finished with 349 yards and two touchdowns on 38-for-53 passing, by far his most prolific day in terms of completions. The 38 completions were also just one short of his career high, set twice, in 2002 and 2009.
It's clear that Brady is sustaining his MVP level of play, a zone he has somehow sustained since Week 5. Until Brady eventually slumps out of that level, opposing defenses have very little hope of holding New England below 30 points, even when the Patrios become one-dimensional.
Grade: A-
Running Back
2 of 10
Shane Vereen received the vast majority of the snaps on Sunday, as the Patriots turned tot heir spread shotgun personnel to attack the Detroit defense. By ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss' count, Vereen played 62 out of 81 offensive snaps, with most of his breaks coming on the final drive.
Vereen finished with just 12 yards rushing on eight attempts, but he added in 48 yards on eight catches through the air. That he received as many touches as a receiver as he did rushing the ball illustrates the type of game plan the Patriots put forth on Sunday.
On a side note, it's becoming clear that Vereen is most effective as a receiver when split out wide. The Lions' mobile interior linebackers consistently sniffed out the screens out of the backfield, but they had issues when there was more misdirection off wheel or in-breaking routes. This isn't to suggest that the Patriots limit Vereen's usage but rather to show how the shifty receiving back can attack a defense through multiple methods.
Week 11 hero Jonas Gray did not receive a single snap, a turnaround that serves as perhaps the most classic example of New England's ability to rotate personnel. LeGarrette Blount did not receive many snaps due to the game plan, but he did pick up two touchdowns and 78 yards in 12 carries, including as a 33-yarder late in the fourth quarter to set up the game's final score.
Moving forward, look for Blount to receive the early-down snaps over Gray. It's clear that the bruising Blount fits well into the offensive scheme, and with Bill Belichick serving as one of the few authority figures he has trusted in his career, Blount has been a good soldier during his time in Foxborough.
Overall, the complexion surrounding New England's running game is the same as it was last week—this is a unit that will exploit smaller front sevens, but isn't quite talented enough to carve out yardage up the middle when their offensive line cannot consistently win. Perhaps Blount's arrival will change that, but we'll need to see if the Patriots alter their run calls at all with the return of No. 29.
Grade: B
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
The Patriots offensive game plan was night and day from last week, as New England essentially sacrificed the running game against arguably the league's best defensive line. On the afternoon, the Pats attempted 53 passes, compared to just 20 running plays, reflecting how the onus was on the receiving corps to produce.
Indeed, the receivers' ability to consistently find holes in the Detroit zone made the offense hum despite its one-dimensionality. The Patriots subsisted off a steady diet of stick, seam and slant routes, exploiting the middle of the field and beating the likes of Josh Bynes, Glover Quin and DeAndre Levy in coverage.
Tim Wright had his best game since Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals, notching five catches for 36 yards and two touchdowns and playing a season-high 60 snaps. Wright's ability to exploit linebackers and safeties with his rare size-speed combination gives the Patriots a mismatch to use in the red zone, as the second-year tight end continues to post a ridiculous scoring rate. After today's game, six of his 23 catches this season have resulted in scores.
Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman had plenty of success on the perimeter against the Lions corners, easily the weakest unit on the Detroit defense. The duo combined for 20 catches on 27 targets for 187 yards, as the Patriots made a conscientious effort to attack the likes of Rashean Mathis and Cassius Vaughn. However, LaFell exited late in the fourth quarter with a left shoulder injury after landing hard on the turf, an injury that obviously bears monitoring going forward.
Rob Gronkowski was quieter, accruing only 78 yards on five receptions. The Brady-to-Gronk connection was uncharacteristically inefficient, as Brady hit his All-Pro tight end on just half of his 10 targets. Nevertheless, his consecutive catches up the seam at the end of the second quarter set up a field goal shortly before half, an illustration of how Gronk remains the team's most deadly vertical weapon.
Grade: A
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
The offensive line struggled over the first two drives, as Detroit stuffed the run and got pressure on Brady to forced consecutive three-and-outs. However, the line subsequently tightened up, notching a particularly strong push on Blount's second-quarter touchdown run.
Things weren't perfect, as both Sebastian Vollmer and Nate Solder picked up penalties in the first half, while Ndamukong Suh was his typical destructive self on a fairly regular basis. However, the Lions failed to sack Brady, a massive accomplishment for the O-line considering that Detroit came in ranked ninth in sack percentage, per TeamRankings.com.
Left guard Dan Connolly left the game in the second half with an ankle injury, but the initial prognosis on him appears encouraging. For a player with an extensive concussion history, this lower-body injury is far from the worst-case scenario.
Overall, the most encouraging facet was that the Patriots did not need to limit their playbook, as they did earlier this season, against an elite front seven. New England did run its typical abundance of three-step drop passing concepts, but Brady consistently received enough protection to shuffle through his progressions and find the holes that would inevitably open up in the zone. If the line can handle Suh and Co., they should survive against any other front in the NFL.
Grade: A-
Defensive Line
5 of 10
The overall advanced metrics will still portray New England as a below-average run defense due to their early-season struggles. However, the defensive line has been a shutdown unit against the ground game over the past month, a recent trend that was once again on display against the Lions.
The Patriots held Joique Bell to 2.5 yards per carry, with the overall Detroit running game accruing 3.6 yards per attempt. In base personnel, the trio of Vince Wilfork, Alan Branch and Chris Jones consistently held their own in the interior, preventing the big back Bell from sniffing any daylight on his interior runs.
Akeem Ayers and Rob Ninkovich also chipped in more from a pass-rushing standpoint than they have, combining for consecutive sacks in the first quarter. The former has been a revelation since his trade acquisition, as his sack on Sunday was his third in just four games. If/when Chandler Jones returns, the Patriots will have a legitimate rotation at defensive end for the first time in years. Both also recorded numerous pressures stunting inside from their edge positions, a product of solid coaching (more on that later).
With the returns of Jones and Sealver Siliga down the stretch, the Patriots should be able to employ a more liberal substitution pattern that keeps this rotation fresh. For now, players like Wilfork and Ninkovich are supplying an admirable workhorse effort, while others, such as Ayers and Chris Jones, have provided above-average play in unexpected roles. This unit embodies the depth that Belichick strives to build.
Grade: A
Linebacker
6 of 10
Although Dont'a Hightower has had an underrated pass-rushing impact the whole season, Sunday may have been his best pass-rushing performance of the season. We'll see how the final numbers tally up later this week, but it would hardly be surprising if Hightower led the team in total pass pressures. Hightower overwhelmed Detroit's interior lines in the A-gap, flushing Stafford out of the pocket on numerous instances.
Jamie Collins was more of a mixed bag after his best game of the season last week. Collins' issues in coverage cropped up again, as he was in primary coverage on a Golden Tate 42-yard crossing route in the first quarter. He also had a holding penalty to negate a Ninkovich sack, as well as an offsides penalty on the very next play.
However, like Ninkovich, Collins did record fairly consistent pressure, as his blitz and hit on Collins forced a Stafford interception in the fourth quarter. Jonathan Casillas also warrants mentioning, as he became a consistent base package presence for the first time since his acquisition on Oct. 28. Casillas recorded four solo tackles, tied for the third-most on the team on Sunday.
Once again, the New England linebackers recorded high tackle totals, solid pressure and reasonable coverage. This type of all-around excellence has become a ho-hum expectation since Jerod Mayo's season-ending injury, a truly remarkable development.
Grade: A-
Secondary
7 of 10
The Patriots went with Darrelle Revis on Golden Tate and Brandon Browner-Devin McCourty bracket coverage on Calvin Johnson throughout the game. Though Tate shook loose from Revis at times, particularly on the first drive, the Pats' top cornerback was played one of his best games of the year, holding Tate to just a single catch during the game's final 44 minutes. Revis finished with a game-high four pass deflections, exhibiting a noticeable swagger that appeared infectious throughout the rest of the defense.
Perhaps the even more impressive performance came from Browner, who, along with McCourty, limited Megatron to a meager four catches for 58 yards. Browner was most impressive in staying tight to Johnson on deep vertical routes, which he failed to do against Coby Fleener last Sunday. When Browner is close, his physicality on the release and at the point of the catch makes him impossible to target, even for a physical phenomenon like Johnson.
Patrick Chung also had a strong game, highlighted by a third-and-goal pass breakup on Joseph Fauria from the 1-yard line. Chung's snaps diminished a bit, as the Pats employed a more true nickel package at times with Duron Harmon as a deep-half safety, but Chung continued to demonstrate his value in the box and covering tight ends.
Kyle Arrington was his usual steady self, holding up well during one sequence in which the Lions targeted him on five consecutive plays. Arrington left the game with a head/neck injury in the second half, and though he returned to play special teams, his defensive snaps went to Logan Ryan. Ryan has struggled with ball recognition skills this season, but had two impressive plays in that vein with a tight defense on Jeremy Ross in the end zone and the a fourth-quarter interception.
With an astounding 28 incompletions, Stafford's rhythm with his receivers was clearly off, and it did not help that his offensive line was in shambles. However, the secondary's blanket coverage and ability to work around man coverage-beating offensive route concepts has made this unit the steadiest one on the Patriots roster.
Grade: A+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Danny Amendola made his most impactful special teams play of the season, notching an 86-yard kick return that set the Patriots up for their second touchdown. Considering that the Lions had just come up short of the end zone on a sustained drive themselves, Amendola's kick return was the lightning strike that knocked the wind out of Detroit and decisively turned the momentum toward New England.
Ryan Allen also played a role in turning around a sluggish start, fielding a low snap from Danny Aiken and unleashing a booming 65-yard punt that flipped field position. The Lions went three-and-out and punt to the Patriots, who subsequently scored their first touchdown. Thus, Allen's punt was the first domino in New England's taking control of the game.
Stephen Gostkowski was his usual steady self, hitting 35- and 43-yarders while booming six of his seven kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. The lone negative for this unit was the continued persistence of penalties, the most damaging of which was a Patrick Chung hold that negated a 74-yard Julian Edelman punt return touchdown.
Penalties aside, everything else has been positive in the special teams realm for the Patriots. Today was another example of how the third phase can shift momentum, as New England continues to rack up hidden points from the least heralded unit.
Grade: A-
Coaching
9 of 10
Bill Belichick continues to construct an excellent defensive game plan, stymying a talented Lions offense to single digits with a dominating performance. The Patriots kept Matthew Stafford off balance the entire game, flummoxing Detroit's offensive line by mixing up their pressure schemes and consistently forcing the Lions quarterback out of the pocket.
New England's constant pressure was more impressive than the unimpressive two-sack bottom line would suggest. This has become a pattern with the Patriots, who have stifled several pocket passers over the past month by manufacturing pressure with well-timed blitzes and moving those quarterbacks off their spot.
Offensively, the Patriots did not have much choice in terms of sustaining run-pass balance, so give credit to Josh McDaniels for pushing the right buttons with his pass calls. New England kept pushing at the few weaknesses on the Detroit defense and parlayed those into significant points, as the uber-versatile personnel has the weapons to attack virtually any type of defense.
The flags need to get cleaned up, however, as the lost yardage may cost the Patriots whenever they play another close game. Whatever fundamentals are lacking in that department, the coaching staff would do well to correct them before the stakes get higher.
Grade: A
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Position Unit | Final Grade |
| QB | A- |
| RB | B |
| WR/TE | A |
| OL | A- |
| DL | A |
| LB | A |
| DB | A+ |
| ST | A- |
| Coaching | A |
| Cumulative Grade | A |
The Patriots didn't even seem to go full throttle, yet they dominated a team many consider as one of the NFC's best. That conception of Detroit may be faulty, especially given their lackluster execution and coaching on Sunday, but it's nevertheless impressive to see New England control the game for the final 50 minutes.
The Lions have made their living as a physical defense that wins in the trenches and operates at a high efficiency on offense, but the Patriots totally reversed those scripts. To see New England's offensive line dictate to virtually everyone not named Suh was jarring and impressive, a signal of how much confidence the entire team is playing with at the moment.
The Patriots still have five regular-season games, so it will be difficult to sustain this peak, particularly at Lambeau Field next weekend. Nevertheless, barring injuries, it's hard to imagine New England entering the postseason as anything besides prohibitive Super Bowl favorites.
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