FOXBORO, Mass. — The New England Patriots held a fourth-quarter lead, however in the end allowed the Seattle Seahawks to earn a 23-20 extra time victory Sunday afternoon.
Listed below are 5 takeaways from Gillette Stadium:
Protection cannot get crunch-time cease
The Patriots restricted the Seahawks’ offense by way of the higher a part of 55 minutes, however Seattle’s offense stepped up when it wanted to. The Seahawks staged a nine-play, 42-yard drive that resulted in a game-tying area purpose with lower than one minute remaining in regulation. After the Patriots acquired the extra time kickoff and did not report a primary down, Geno Smith once more led the offense down the sector for a game-winning drive within the additional interval. Seattle capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive with a 31-yard area purpose.
Hunter Henry units profession excessive
Henry was far and away Jacoby Brissett’s favourite goal towards the Seahawks. The veteran tight finish, who was restricted to simply two catches within the regular-season opener, caught every of his first 5 targets within the contest, all of which went for first downs. Henry recorded greater than half of New England’s completions (11) and yards (165) within the first half as he hauled in seven of the ten balls thrown his means for 98 yards. Henry completed with a career-high 109 yards on eight catches. His prowess in Alex Van Pelt’s offense, which has relied closely on two tight finish units, is encouraging transferring ahead.
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Brissett avoids detrimental performs
The Patriots allowed three sacks in regulation, nevertheless it felt like that quantity might have been a half dozen or extra. It could have been at the very least that with Mac Jones behind heart. Brissett’s potential to stay calm, cool and picked up when all the pieces is crumbling in entrance of him paid dividends for New England by way of two weeks. Patriots followers most likely requested themselves how on this planet Brissett prevented a sack when two Seattle defensive backs sprinted off the sting on a first-and-10 from the Seattle 43-yard line. Brissett’s yard soccer pass-and-catch to Henry on New England’s 10-play scoring drive that gave New England a 20-17 lead was one other good instance.
Patriots pack strain
Keion White pushed Seahawks heart Connor Williams out of the way in which like he was a bag of feathers en path to a fourth-quarter sack on Smith. To that time, Smith carried out admirably towards New England’s strain. He stood within the pocket (or bought out of the pocket) and dotted throws to wideouts regardless of defenders closing in, very like he did on a chain-mover to D.Okay. Metcalf with lower than two minutes remaining in regulation. However the strain from the Patriots was there. New England completed with three sacks within the contest as White (1 1/2 sacks), Kyle Dugger (sack) and Daniel Ekuale (half sack) mixed within the effort.
Name to motion: Offense wants extra ‘Pop’
DeMario “Pop” Douglas regarded just like the Patriots’ finest pass-catching possibility all through coaching camp. However the second-year wideout has not accomplished a lot of something to begin the season. Douglas was not focused in the course of the first half of Sunday’s contest towards the Seahawks. Brissett may need most popular Henry’s quick and intermediate matchups greater than Douglas’. Nevertheless, Douglas was not even on the sector throughout a number of pivotal alternatives within the purple zone. His underwhelming efficiency towards the Seahawks got here after he was focused simply 3 times towards the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.
