Instant Takeaways From Patriots' 23-17 Win Over Ravens
The New England Patriots (4-5) upset the Baltimore Ravens (6-3) Sunday Night, beating the Lamar Jackson-led squad 23-17 at Gillette Stadium to mark the second straight victory for the Patriots.
Here are some instant takeaways from the incredibly wet game that took place in Foxboro in Week 10.
Cam Newton Has Another Efficient Night
Don't look now, but Cam Newton is trending in the right direction.
Against the Ravens, Newton completed 13-of-17 passes for 118 yards and one touchdown. This marks the second straight game that Newton has not committed a turnover and completed over 70 percent of his passes.
A healthier offensive line and the emergence of Damien Harris and Jakobi Meyers have Cam Newton posting efficient stat lines the past couple games. If it wasn't for his late-game fumble against the Bills he might be drawing more headlines because of his strong play over the past several games.
Damien Harris is Patriots RB1; Bye, Bye Sony
If one thing was evident yet again in Week 10 for the Patriots, it's that their de facto No. 1 running back is none other than Damien Harris.
Harris broke the century mark for the third time in six games, carrying the ball 22 times for 121 yards against the Ravens. That is the most yards that any player has had against Baltimore's defense on the ground this season.
Behind a stable offensive line, Harris continues to run hard and drag defenders to pick up yards after initial contact. He's exactly what this New England offense needs, which is why the Patriots front office should get Sony Michel as healthy as possible and try to trade him for whatever they can next offseason. There is no longer a roster spot for Michel in New England.
Jermaine Eluemunor Loses Starting RT Job To Michael Onwenu
Despite doing solid as the team's starting right tackle early in the season, veteran Jermaine Eluemunor didn't get his starting job back when he returned from injured reserve in Week 10. Instead, rookie Michael Onwenu kept the job.
Onwenu gave up one sack early in the game, but played well overall as the starting right tackle.
The rookie is on an All-Pro pace through nine games this season, which is why he is starting over Eluemunor. He was also part of the reason why Damien Harris found so much success on the ground against a stout Ravens defense.
Chase Winovich Plays Inside Linebacker
To help with New England's inside linebacker woes, the Patriots opted to play second-year edge defender Chase Winovich at inside linebacker, while also being an edge rusher in passing situations Sunday night. The results were very promising for a player that has had up and down performances this season.
Winovich's stat line isn't official yet, but based on those charting his play against the Ravens, he was elite Sunday night.
Patriots Get Crafty to Put Points on the Board
To take the lead right before halftime, the Patriots put it in the hands of a former quarterback to put points on the board.
A lateral to wideout Jakobi Meyers, which resulted in a 24-yard touchdown pass to running back Rex Burkhead gave New England the 13-10 lead with several seconds remaining in the first half of play.
Meyers continues to be a major contributor on offense. His touchdown pass to Burkhead was the longest touchdown pass of the season for the Patriots.
Jakobi Meyers Continues Role as Patriots Top Receiver
Second-year wideout Jakobi Meyers continued his role as New England's No. 1 wideout in the absence of Julian Edelman.
Against the Ravens, Meyers caught five passes for 59 yards. Sunday night marked the fourth straight game that Meyers recorded at least four receptions in a game, which is remarkable when considering how underutilized he was to begin the season. And Meyers' stat line in Week 10 came despite N'Keal Harry being back in the lineup. Harry did not record a catch against Baltimore.
Josh Uche Records First NFL Sack
Being thrusted into a larger role due to a thinning linebacker room, rookie Josh Uche recorded his first NFL sack in the 2nd quarter against the Ravens.
Overall, Uche played decent. It's worth noting he also was flagged for a neutral zone infraction in the second half. His playing time will increase in the coming weeks due to the decimation of the linebacker room, so lets hope that an increase in playing time leads to more production from the 2020 third-round pick.
J.C. Jackson Sets Franchise Record
After a rough performance against the New York Jets in Week 9, J.C. Jackson continued his interception streak and put himself in the Patriots record book against the Ravens.
Jackson's interception in the third quarter made it five straight games that he has recorded an interception, which is a franchise record. Whether it was as the No. 2 cornerback or the No. 1 over the last three games in Stephon Gilmore's absence, Jackson continues to force turnovers even when he's not playing his best football overall.
