Patriots Offensive Report Card: Week 12
The New England Patriots have improved to 10-1 with a 13-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 12.
With harsh weather conditions impacting both teams at Gillette Stadium, it was no surprise this game turned into a defensive and field position matchup. New England finished with 282 yards offense, their fewest since Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills. Even so, there is still plenty to take away from the performances of the Patriots offensive leaders.
Let's go over the offenses report card and see how some of the individual players performed in the low-scoring win.
Tom Brady: B
Tom Brady has been challenged all season long, and the game against the Cowboys was no different. Horrid throwing conditions and several dropped balls by the receivers were issues throughout the game. Brady finished 17-of-37 for 190 yards and one touchdown.
On a positive note, Brady's touchdown pass to N'Keal Harry was a beauty, perfectly delivered over Harry's back shoulder. It's no secret that Brady is frustrated and the past few weeks have tested his patience; however, behind Brady's lead, the team continues to find ways to win.
Julian Edelman: A-
When Brady needs a big play, he goes to No. 11. Julian Edelman caught a game-high eight passes for 93 yards. His 12 targets were also the most for either team. With Mohamed Sanu and Phillip Dorsett out with injuries, a lot of the passing game went through Edelman. Edelman has put together a great season and been the lone consistent option for Brady in the passing game. Edelman is the spark plug.
N'Keal Harry : B-
N'Keal Harry only caught one ball for 10 yards. However, his lone catch happened to be his first NFL touchdown. Harry displayed the skill that people raved about during his time at Arizona State, as he elevated to make a strong catch before skillfully planting both of his feet inbounds. Harry's catch was the only touchdown in the game.
Sony Michel: B+
Sony Michel started the game hot, as the Patriots made it a goal to get him going early. Throughout the game, Michel had some solid runs, none bigger than his first down rush on 2nd-and-five with a 1:33 left in the 4th quarter, sealing the Patriots victory. Finishing with 85 yards on 20 carries, Michel's most important statistic was his zero fumbles. The weather was not easy to deal with, but Michel did a great job taking care of the rock. In a game where James White was kept quiet, Michel did his part in keeping the Patriots backfield afloat.
Jakobi Meyers: C+
As stated, with no Sanu or Dorsett, someone other than Edelman needed to free himself open for Brady. Undrafted rookie Jakobi Meyers proved to be that second option, having finished with four reception and 74 yards on nine targets. He did have a few noteworthy drops, but his catches outweighed the mishaps. Meyers showed some nice playmaking ability in the Patriots win.
