3 Takeaways from Patriots' Week 17 Win

The New England Patriots were in an unusual position on Sunday. They were playing their final game of the season with no stakes, knowing it would be the last time they would take the field for the campaign.

After winning the AFC East the previous 11 seasons (and 16 of the previous 18), the Pats knew they wouldn't be heading to the postseason.

However, New England at least finished on a positive note. The Patriots beat the New York Jets 28-14 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, snapping a three-game losing streak to finish at 7-9. Still, it was the Pats' first losing season since they went 5-11 in 2000, which was coach Bill Belichick's first season at the helm.

New England swept the season series against New York, which it also beat 30-27 on the road in Week 9.

The Patriots and Jets were tied 14-14 after three quarters, but New England scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull out the win. It capped a big day for the Pats' offense, as they compiled 404 total yards.

Here are three takeaways from New England's win in Sunday's season finale.

Newton Ended Disappointing Season with Strong Showing

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Cam Newton's first season with the Patriots didn't go quite as well as some expected it to. Entering Sunday, he had only five passing touchdowns through his first 14 games. And although he had 12 rushing scores, he hadn't been leading the unit to much overall success for most of the year.

It's possible that Sunday was Newton's final game with New England. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that although the Pats and Newton "enjoyed their relationship," they're likely moving separate ways this offseason, when Newton is set to head back to free agency. If that's the case, the 31-year-old quarterback at least had a strong final showing for the Patriots.

Newton passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 79 yards and even caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. Newton connected with tight end Devin Asiasi for a go-ahead 26-yard touchdown pass with 13 minutes, 56 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, then sealed New England's win with a 31-yard touchdown pass to running back Sony Michel a little more than two minutes later.

But was it actually the end of Newton's time in New England?

"I have my desires," Newton said, according to Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press. "I know where my heart’s at. I know the things of who I am. But as far as that, I can’t really speak on that right now. But just my whole time in New England has just been a blessing. Just see how it goes and go from there."

Regardless of where Newton ends up in 2021, he at least now has positive momentum heading into the offseason.

Michel, Meyers Should Be Key Players Moving Forward

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

Two players who should continue to be a key part of the Patriots' offense moving into the future are Michel and Meyers. And both showcased exactly why in Sunday's finale.

Michel, who was limited to nine games this season because of a quad injury, ended the year by rushing for 76 yards on 16 carries and hauling in three passes for 60 yards and a touchdown. It was the first time that Michel had gotten into the end zone since he scored a rushing touchdown in New England's season opener.

Although the Patriots have several other talented running backs on their roster, such as Damien Harris, James White and Rex Burkhead, Michel has proved that he should factor into the mix in 2021. He's still only 25 and was effective each of the previous two seasons before dealing with an injury.

Meyers brings versatility to the Patriots' offense, and he showed that against the Jets. He had six receptions for 68 yards, had a seven-yard rush and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Newton, his second passing score of the season.

Despite not scoring a receiving touchdown in 2020, Meyers showed he can be a solid contributor to New England's offense. He went over 100 yards twice, including when he had seven catches for 111 yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15.

The Pats are likely to make some changes during the offseason, but both Michel and Meyers proved down the stretch that they're worthy of roles on their offense.

Jackson Closed out Season with Yet Another Takeaway

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

This season, the Patriots' defense didn't play nearly as well as it did in 2019. But that doesn't mean there weren't some bright spots for the unit throughout 2020.

None were brighter than cornerback J.C. Jackson, the 25-year-old who signed with New England as an undrafted free agent prior to the 2018 season. On Sunday, Jackson recorded his ninth interception of the year, one more than he had over the previous two seasons combined. He had a career-high 40 tackles while playing in all 16 games for the second straight year.

With nine interceptions and two fumble recoveries, Jackson's 11 takeaways ranked second in Patriots history for a single season behind only Ron Hall, who had 13 in 1964, per Zack Cox of NESN.

"The ninth pick of the season, I feel like I could have had more than that," Jackson said, per Henry McKenna of Patriots Wire. "But that’s a hell of a season, to have nine picks. I’ve just got to continue to grow and get better for the 2021 season."

Jackson was a consistent defensive playmaker for the Pats again this season, and he had three interceptions over their final five games. Expect him to continue to be a key player for them on that side of the ball for years to come.