Patriots vs. Packers: Full Report Card Grades for New England
Though quarterbacks do not directly face each other, Sunday's contest between the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers did begin to take on the feel of a duel between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. The Pats nearly stole one at Lambeau Field, despite trailing the entire game, but they saw their seven-game win streak snapped, falling 26-21.
The Patriots played a sleepy first quarter, as Green Bay dominated time of possession with hard running from Eddie Lacy and drive-extending penalties. New England gained just a single first down on its first two drives, but the defense held the Packers to a pair of red-zone field goals to keep the score close.
Subsequently, though, Rodgers hit rookie tight end Richard Rodgers for a 32-yard touchdown at the end of the quarter, opening up a 13-0 lead at the conclusion of the opening frame. The quarter was New England's worst in months, as the Patriots were out-gained in yards 209-31 and out-possessed 11:20-3:40.
However, the Pats responded with a quick five-play, 73-yard touchdown drive, capped off by two runs from surprise starter Brandon Bolden.
After the defense stymied Rodgers and Co. in the red zone for the third time, Brady found Brandon LaFell for a two-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 16-14. Unfortunately, the Pats defense was toasted from long range once again, as Jordy Nelson burned Revis for a 45-yard crossing route touchdown to bring Green Bay's halftime lead back to 23-14.
With the momentum shifting against them, the Patriots got a mistake they needed when Mason Crosby missed a 40-yard field goal on the Packers' opening possession of the second half. The third quarter went scoreless, with both teams exchanging punts, but the Pats opened the fourth with LaFell's second touchdown of the game to close the deficit to 23-21.
The Pats remarkably held in the red zone for a fourth time, giving the offense a chance to drive for a game-winning touchdown with just over eight minutes left.
New England moved the ball 43 yards down the field, converting a key 4th-and-3 but eventually stalled out after a third-down sack and subsequent missed 47-yard field goal from Stephen Gostkowski. Aaron Rodgers sealed the game with a clutch 3rd-and-4 completion to Randall Cobb, handing New England its first loss since September.
Read on for full analysis of a game that lived up to its hype, examining where the Patriots stand after the unfamiliar taste of defeat.
Quarterback
1 of 10
Tom Brady had some success in the first half targeting Green Bay's linebackers and safeties in coverage. Although, the Pats were unable to develop the same up-tempo rhythm they had established in recent weeks, Brady still played an excellent opening 30 minutes, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt.
However, the pressure appeared to affect Brady in the second half, as the Patriots offense stalled out for much of the half. Brady still finished 22-of-35 for 245 yards and two touchdowns, but Green Bay was able to force more incompletions by disrupting Brady's rhythm in the pocket.
Under constant duress, it's hard to fault Brady for the Patriots' worst offensive output since the last time they lost in Week 4. Though his pocket presence was excellent for much of the afternoon, taking a third-down sack on the final drive was an absolute killer, as it essentially sealed New England's final chance at stealing the game.
Though the Pats did not have much of a deep-passing game, Brady was surprisingly efficient on the perimeter after Sam Shields exited with a head injury. No. 12 had success picking on Tramon Williams, Micah Hyde and Morgan Burnett, as the typically stout Packers secondary was significantly less effective without its top corner.
Brady was not the reason the Patriots lost, but this still wasn't his best effort. Against an opposing quarterback who provided no margin for error, Brady needed his A-game for the Pats to win.
Grade: B
Running Back
2 of 10
The Patriots' running back roulette wheel continued to turn, as Brandon Bolden received the surprise start on Sunday. Bolden, who had accrued just 25 total yards headed into the game, had 17 yards on three carries, including a six-yard touchdown in the second quarter. However, he did not receive a carry after halftime, as the Pats utilized their most egalitarian committee approach in weeks.
LeGarrette Blount continued to receive the majority of the early-down carries, with a team-high 58 yards on 10 carries. Blount was the catalyst on the Patriots' scoring drive to open the fourth quarter, picking up a key 3rd-and-1 on a pinball run. Jonas Gray received just a single carry—his first since his breakout game two weeks ago—illustrating how Blount remains ahead of him in the early-down pecking order.
Shane Vereen once again did more of his damage through the air than on the ground, as he had 26 yards receiving compared to just six yards rushing. The Pats have not utilized him on many shotgun draws in recent weeks, so perhaps we'll see that former staple reimplemented in the coming weeks.
Despite a solid 4.7 yards-per-carry average, it was an overall disappointing effort from the ground game, which accrued just 84 total yards against a Packers defense many saw as vulnerable to the run. This had the makings of a game similar to New England's Week 11 effort, when it used power personnel to run over the Indianapolis Colts, but that hope never materialized.
Grade: B-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman received most of the early looks, combining for nine of Brady's 16 targets in the first half. The latter was particularly featured on a bevy of screen looks, as the Pats surprisingly placed more emphasis on the short-passing game instead of attacking the Packers' front seven on the ground.
However, Brandon LaFell became Brady's go-to option after halftime. LaFell was the primary beneficiary of the Shields injury, picking up five catches for 38 yards and two touchdowns. His second touchdown, a fade route near the sideline, was an excellent exhibition in high-pointing the ball and demonstrating nice positional awareness, traits he has provided all season.
Edelman appeared to reaggravate a thigh injury he suffered two weeks ago, as he was in and out of the game the second half. Considering that Danny Amendola had no catches on just a single target, losing "Minitron" for an extended period would obviously be devastating to the Patriots' short-passing game.
Indeed, the secondary targets were almost totally invisible on Sunday. Whereas Rodgers thrived in targeting his non-premier options, the receivers outside of the Gronk-Edelman-LaFell trio combined for two catches for 35 yards. In a rare appearance, Aaron Dobson appeared to pull his hamstring, exacerbating what has been a hugely disappointing second year for the former second-rounder.
Overall, this unit had difficulties making an impact on a deep and rangy Packers secondary, even without Shields. Gronk came closest to imposing his will, with seven catches for 98 yards, but he dropped what would have been a spectacular go-ahead touchdown on the Patriots' final drive. Like much of the offense, this unit was acceptable, but it was not transcendent.
Grade: B-
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
With Cameron Fleming inactive as he recovers from his ankle injury, New England was considerably less successful with its "Jumbo" six-offfensive linemen package. Marcus Cannon took Fleming's place as an eligible tight end, but his most noticeable impression was a false start on the goal line, after which he was promptly benched.
The pass protection took a big step back on Sunday, as Green Bay's edge-rushers delivered consistent pressure on Brady. Nate Solder had fits with Clay Matthews, who appeared to get a bead on Brady's snap count, often allowing him to turn the corner before Solder had even dropped into his set.
The real issue, though, was Mike Daniels in the interior. Brady was able to sidestep edge pressure until the Pats' final offensive play, but Daniels' interior push was what disrupted New England's offensive rhythm and put a cap on the overall production. Daniels has been one of the league's underrated interior rushers since he came into the league in 2012, a truth the Pats learned on Sunday.
Green Bay did not blitz a lot, but the Patriots initially had issues picking things up. The O-line did remedy those solutions by game's end, however, as Brady was able to pick up some larger chunks on blitzes that were successfully picked up.
This was by no means a disastrous performance that brought back September memories, but it was a step back. There isn't much reason for long-term concern, given how the Patriots have handled talented front sevens like Denver and Detroit in recent weeks, but the O-line's regression was one of the primary reasons for the loss.
Grade: C
Defensive Line
5 of 10
After making big strides in run defense in recent weeks, the D-line had more of a mixed bag against the Packers. Eddie Lacy finished with 98 yards on 4.7 yards per carry, but much of his damage came on the first drive. Lacy did rip off a few big runs, as the Pats were uncharacteristically sloppy in gap discipline at times, but the run defense wasn't necessarily disastrous.
The lack of a pass rush, however, was arguably the foremost reason for the defeat. There were positive glimpses—Chris Jones had a third-quarter sack, and Akeem Ayers had one that was nullified by a penalty in the secondary—but for the most part, the reliance on the four-man rush was simply an open invitation for Rodgers to pick apart the secondary.
On one red-zone occasion, Rodgers had between 10-15 seconds to scan the field, though excellent coverage eventually resulted in a throw-away.
Rob Ninkovich had difficulties in coverage, getting burned multiple times for big gains while dropping back as a curl-flat defender. Though the edge players are not exclusive rushers in New England's hybrid scheme, it remains puzzling to see converted defensive linemen in coverage at all. That's been a weakness opponents have targeted all season, and one wonders if an adjustment is forthcoming.
Chandler Jones' absence has not crippled the Patriots, but Sunday was the most obvious instance in which the Pats missed their best edge-rusher. This type of showing has been brewing for a few weeks, and its arrival came against the worst possible opponent.
Grade: C-
Linebacker
6 of 10
Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins continued to have success blitzing in their limited opportunities, as each picked up a sack on an A-gap blitz that has become a go-to call on the Patriots' defensive play sheet. It's fair to wonder if both deserved more opportunities, based on how disjointed Green Bay's interior offensive line appeared when the Pats did blitz.
The other facets of their games were less impressive this week, though. Both overran their run gaps at times, allowing Lacy to bust loose. There were also occasional issues in coverage, though most of those were zone-related. Rodgers did not target the interior so much as the perimeter, seeking to exploit more noticeable weak links in New England's coverage.
It's asking a lot for Collins and Hightower to outplay Green Bay's immensely talented offensive cast. However, considering that both have emerged as game-changers in recent weeks, it's slightly disappointing that neither was able to generate the type of big play (i.e., a turnover) needed to shift the game's complexion toward the Pats.
None of the reserves received much playing time, as the Patriots were in sub-package personnel nearly the entire game to combat Green Bay's three- and four-receiver spread sets. As such, the likes of Jonathan Casillas and Darius Fleming made their impact on special teams.
Grade: B
Secondary
7 of 10
This unit has been New England's best and most consistent throughout the entire season, but in meeting Aaron Rodgers, the Pats secondary finally found its match. Rodgers eviscerated New England with well-constructed man-beating concepts (crossing routes, wheel routes, etc.), ending with 368 yards on a blistering 9.7 yards per attempt.
Darrelle Revis started on Randall Cobb, but eventually moved to Jordy Nelson in the second quarter. Though Rodgers' first five throws to Revis were incomplete, the 45-yard Nelson touchdown shortly before halftime was the game-changing play that changed the game's complexion. Revis was mostly flawless, but his one mistake was arguably his biggest of the season.
Brandon Browner continued to rack up penalties, including a holding that nullified a third-down stop on the first drive. Nelson's precision as a route-runner clearly flummoxed Browner's jams at times, but New England's No. 2 corner did make his fair share of plays, such as a nice pass deflection on a Nelson slant.
Elsewhere, though, the unit was a disaster. Rodgers mercilessly exploited the trio of Logan Ryan, Pat Chung and Alfonzo Dennard (who subbed in for Ryan at times).
Davante Adams became Green Bay's deadliest weapon, notching a team-high 121 yards on six receptions. In addition, Chung was in coverage on Richard Rodgers' 32-yard touchdown in the second quarter, while Devin McCourty took a rare poor angle on Nelson's catch-and-run TD.
It's curious that Kyle Arrington didn't get more snaps, perhaps a byproduct of the concussion he suffered at the end of last week's game. Arrington wasn't perfect, but the Packers did not exploit him with the regularity they did the other secondary options. Though most teams don't have the personnel to dig that deep, Green Bay showed that New England's dime personnel can be had.
Grade: C+
Special Teams
8 of 10
Stephen Gostkowski's 47-yard miss on New England's final offensive drive was the nail in the coffin. Though the kicking conditions in frigid Lambeau are among the toughest in the league, the wide-right squib was arguably Gostkowski's ugliest miss of the season, putting a dent in an otherwise sterling campaign.
Ryan Allen struggled to get distance on his punts, with a long of just 41 yards on four punts, but he did land two of his kicks inside the 20. On the bright side, Danny Aiken's absence was not noticeable, as Ninkovich fared well in his first exposure to long snapping in five years.
Danny Amendola provided a spark in the kick-return game with a 28-yard return, though his 19-yard average on four returns was subpar. Additionally, with Edelman injured, the Pats moved Amendola to punt-return duty, where he had just three yards on a single opportunity.
The coverage teams were largely stellar, though DuJuan Harris did notch one winding 27-yard return. Overall, New England's special teams were mostly solid, but Gostkowski's critical miss knocks the grade down.
Grade: B
Coaching
9 of 10
For the first time in weeks, New England's game plan was not almost totally infallible. Though that is excusable against a team like the Packers, it's troubling that the coaching staff never really supplied the adjustments necessary to propel the Pats over the top.
The pressure schemes were consistently problematic, as the lack of a pass rush allowed Rodgers to poke holes in the Patriots' man coverage. Some of that is simply personnel-related, but it seems as though the Pats were more gun-shy to blitz Rodgers than when they faced Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck, leaving the four-man rush out to dry.
It may also be fair to question Josh McDaniels' unwillingness to commit to the ground game. Again, game situation partially dictated that, as the Pats trailed the entire game.
Nevertheless, New England was within one possession for virtually the entire fourth quarter. It's not fair to criticize based on hindsight, but perhaps more draws and screens to Vereen and power runs for Blount would have put the Packers' increasingly deadly edge rush on its heels.
The coaches did try to rotate nickel and dime personnel in an effort to combat Adams and the tight ends, but this simply looks like a talent issue. That's not necessarily a fatal flaw, as few teams have a quarterback capable of dissecting top-notch secondaries with his third and fourth options.
The Pats' man-coverage schemes were successful in shrinking the tight windows of the red zone, so refraining from a zone-heavy scheme was the correct call.
Grade: B-
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Position Unit | Final Grade |
| QB | B |
| RB | B- |
| WR/TE | B- |
| OL | C |
| DL | C- |
| LB | B |
| DB | C+ |
| ST | B |
| Coaching | B- |
| Cumulative Grade | B- |
The Patriots were far from poor, even while suffering their first defeat in two months. Though New England was clearly outplayed, they had a realistic opportunity to win the game in the final five minutes, a situation few have wriggled themselves into at Lambeau this season.
Pats fans shouldn't be too disturbed by this loss. New England did not bring its A-game, as evidenced by the inconsistencies on both sides of the ball, but it played well enough to nearly knock off one of the league's elite teams. Some of the issues that cropped up, like pass protection and dime personnel, don't look like particularly pressing long-term concerns, based on the team's recent track record.
Ultimately, New England is still in excellent shape to win home-field advantage in the AFC and a first-round bye at the very least. Another high-profile road contest at San Diego awaits next week, but the Patriots have shown the mental fortitude to self-correct and bounce back.
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