In a season that, for the first time in 20 years, yields a losing record and the New England Patriots miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008, we were able to take a closer look at the life of a normal football fan. We took our first look at the era after Tom Brady and learned more about this team and ourselves than ever before, all in the midst of a global pandemic.
It was a surreal season, but it can be summed up nicely by this Devin McCourty quote after Sunday’s final finale:
‘[Matthew Slater] said something amazing even after the game: we need to take time to think about 2020 and what it has taught us. What we went through, the good, the bad and the most important; to grow out of it and not just say, ‘Man, I’m glad it’s over. Let’s move forward, ‘but to take the lessons you have learned.’
The team’s 2020 campaign ended with a 28-14 victory over the New York Jets in one of the most impressive and encouraging performances of the season. There were some great performances as well as some duds, let’s watch it one last time.
Winner: RB Sony Michel
Sony Michel has played like a first round over the last three weeks of the season. He averaged 6.3 yards per carry on 36 carries and added four catches for 68 yards and an attack in his start after Damien Harris went down with his ankle injury. Being able to link the next two seasons is not only a positive thing for Michel – who seems to be working best in torment – but the Patriots, who will be able to maintain a new rotation in 2021.
Loser: CB Myles Bryant
Sometimes it just takes one ride.
The Jets’ first touch showed the negatives of playing as much as an unsolicited rookie. Three direct fouls by Bryant allowed New York to move 48 yards and go to the end zone for a touchdown.
First was a missed tackle behind the line of scrimmage, which resulted in a 15-yard win and a first down. Then a rookie error, waiting for a possible interception while a receiver runs under the ball and picks up 12 yards. Eventually, he was late in assisting Devin McCourty who played outside leverage on a pole, leading to a 21-year-old attack. He added a 15-yard penalty for hitting a defenseless receiver. Not an ideal rack.
Winner: EDGE Chase Winovich
Chase Winovich was again a disruptive player on Sunday with one of his best performances as a pro. Winovich ended the game with a few sacks, two dives to lose, five pressure on the fullback and a deviation. With the Patriots’ depth problems at linebacker, Winovich was able to play a more consistent role, possibly confirming his place as a player from the front.
Winner: CB JC Jackson
Jackson bounced back from a bad performance last week with a solid outing Sunday.
The former rookie earned himself a little more money on Sunday with his ninth interception of the season. This is the second most for any Patriot in a single season, equaling Ty Law’s nine in 1998. They only follow Asante Samuel’s ten-pick campaign in 2006.
Jackson was also still a quote machine, giving some jewels an afterthought:
JC Jackson, you set a record for most takeaways (11) in a season under Bill Belichick. What does it mean to you?
“Do not mean shit.”
– Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) January 3, 2021
‘How can you say the game does not matter? … It mattered to me and my teammates. ‘ – JC Jackson was asked about today’s game senseless pic.twitter.com/csti1C6YTF
– NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 3, 2021
Winner: TE Devin Asiasi
Fans of New England can now collectively sigh of relief after seeing one of his newcomers deliver at least one solid performance this season. Devin Asiasi was able to record not only his first career catch, but also his first career in the same match. He had a drop and was far from perfect, but there is less than zero room to pick up a positive performance from a Patriots team.
Loser: CB Joejuan Williams
This is your big loser from Sunday. Despite rarely seeing the field all season, Williams had one of the worst attempts I’ve seen in a long time. In the third quarter, he watched as Breshad Perriman looked out for him for a 51-yard win, no pressure.
For a man who has shown flashes of brilliance at the point of attack, this may be an insight into why he can not find consistent playing time. If it’s a matter of his talent, this kind of game will definitely not help him see the field, it may help him find his way out of New England.
Winner: WR Jakobi Meyers
Not only was Jakobi Meyers a winner on Sunday, he was also the big winner for the Patriots in 2020. Meyers was the only constant presence at the wide receiver, showing that he was a legitimate NFL option and in 2021 deserves his way to a bigger role.
On Sunday, he balls out, draws six catches for 68 yards, throws a 19-yard touchdown to Cam Newton and even adds a nice 7-yard rush. His knockout gave the spark that helped the Patriots pull away in the second half.
Winner: QB Cam Newton
Cam Newton achieved his best performance for (possibly) the latter, with 242 yards and three touchdowns at 67 percent, and rushed to 79 yards and scored his first catch in the career.
Despite all the criticism during the season, Newton remained the course. He was Cam Newton from his first ten-yard run against Miami to his last knee against the Jets. No matter what happens in the future, it can not be argued that he was a popular figure in the locker room and did things that these fans have never seen before.