In Week Eight, my prediction was half right! The Pats showed a new level versus the defensive power of the Browns. The game was close for a quarter, but the Patriots were never in any real danger of losing the game outside of the play of the Browns’ Myles Garrett.
Vrabel has the team operating on all cylinders. With Garrett holding the Pats to back to back second quarter field goals through timely sacks, his coaching staff made several key adjustments, and the Pats ran away in the 3rd quarter with three unanswered touchdowns. The team identity is forming. This team learns, takes punches and then hits back. Tough, hard to play against and explosive. You couldn’t ask for a better first 8 games. Now the season gets good.
Drake Maye continues his rise into the upper echelon of NFL QBs after he overcame a terrific game from Garrett (5 sacks, and 7 pressures). If Cleveland had any semblance of a balanced team, this would have wrecked the Patriots’ day. Maye took the hits and kept on going. He overcame an ugly pick, where he clearly misread the play (he admitted this at the podium), and bounced back with his continued elite downfield play.
Maye has 7 consecutive games with 200 yards and a 100 QB rating, tying Patrick Mahomes for the youngest player ever to do it. In all the previously recorded seasons where a QB has had a streak of 7 games in a row like this, the player won the NFL MVP. It is very early, but Maye clearly has made a leap from his rookie season.
Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels had his best game in this comeback. In the third quarter, his balanced play calling, both run/pass and left/right/middle, took the Patriots on three straight touchdown drives. Everyone was involved, and the team thrived with 7 players catching passes, and 5 running the ball, including Maye with another 50 on the ground.
The defense had a strong game after the first drive. In 8 consecutive possessions, the Browns had 4 punts, 2 interceptions, a missed field goal, and a turnover on downs. The only thing it looks like they need is another pass rusher. The d now has the 2nd best rush yards per game average in the league with 76.0 and the fourth- best scoring defense with 18.3. Looking good, and with some real anemic offenses coming up this squad could finish high in the rankings.
Stefon Diggs only had 3 catches for 14 yards, but one was his first Pats touchdown, and he clearly is the leader of the wide receiver group. Kayshon Boutte continues his growth as a downfield threat.
Old Grumbly Fan Predictions
6-2 on the year, and the team is rolling. This week the Patriots welcome in the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have had an uneven 3-4 season, with second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. missing the last game because of injury. He has two great weapons in Bijon Robinson, one of the leading running backs in football, and Drake London at wideout, although he has missed some time because of injury.
Atlanta plays hot and cold with wins against the Bills and the Vikings, but then two complete losses in a row to Miami and San Francisco the last two weeks.
The Patriots are rolling, and the Falcons defense has struggled recently. I think the Patriots keep upright at home.
Patriots 37 – Atlanta 17
