One play changed everything Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium and throughout borderless lands of Patriot Nation.
Marcus Jones’ 84-yard punt return for a game-winning touchdown over the Jets lasted about 13 seconds.
But the effects of the rookie’s massive, mayhem-inducing contribution – the first punt return for a touchdown in the entire NFL this season -- will be felt for weeks and maybe even months for both AFC East rival squads.
In one jolting bolt down the visitor’s sideline and into the end zone Jones wiped away 59-plus frustrating minutes of football for New England. He avoided the uncertainty of overtime to give Bill Belichick’s team the 10-3 win, it’s third in a row this season and 14th straight over the incredulous Jets.
The win erupted from the coals of a 3-3 rock fight that appeared appropriately headed toward a potential tie given that the score that had held through 17 combined possessions, 13 punts and a pair of missed field goals from midway through the second quarter till the closing seconds of mostly action-less action.
But thanks to Robert Saleh’s inexplicable decision to punt the ball to the former All-American returner and Jones’ ability to make a timely play, all signs now point to the Patriots playing meaningful football not only after Thanksgiving, but well into the Christmas season! This pre-holiday miracle gave the New England season the wings it so desperately needed like a worthy angel hoping to sore toward heavenly postseason play.
Sitting at 6-4, New England is now out of the basement in the division thanks to the tiebreaker over the Jets. As of Monday morning the Patriots hold the No. 6 seed in the AFC with lots and lots of football admittedly left to be played.
But that football will have significance. That football comes with the Patriots suddenly feeling hopeful, even if the offense exiting the “full audit” of the bye was still very much lacking and the offensive line is still very much an issue. Be that as it may, an ugly-till-it-wasn’t win has New England on a three-game winning streak for the first time since the middle of last season.
It’s all hope built on Jones’ punt return, an opportunity given to him by a Patriots defense that was once again dominant and an offense that at the very least didn’t make any critical mistakes, avoiding a turnover for the first time in 10 games this season.
“It's a good start there to this little run we're going to make here,” Mac Jones declared afterwards.
Did you notice that? The run they’re GOING to make? Not hoping to make, but GOING to make!
Suddenly there is the slightest of momentum and budding confidence in New England. All thanks to Marcus Jones’ mere seconds of game-changing and season-saving work.
And in New York, there is a team that’s collapsing on itself, a once-hopeful season of its own taking a turn for the tumultuous worse.
Zach Wilson is denying that he let the defense down by “leading” an offense that put up just 103 yards on the day, just 2 yards after halftime, to muster one measly field goal. A team that can’t believe it lost to the Patriots, but should be used to it after 14 straight.
Maybe the Patriots aren’t good enough to take advantage of the position that Marcus Jones has put them in this thankful Thanksgiving week.
Maybe the health and struggles of the offensive line are a fatal flaw.
Maybe Matt Patricia’s play-calling and overall offensive struggles will be exposed even more in the coming weeks.
But the final seven games of the season were going to be challenging no matter what. The defense that has been dominating the likes of Wilson, Sam Ehlinger and Jacoby Brissett over the last month-plus will now deal with a litany of would-be MVP-caliber passers like Kirk Cousins, Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Derek Carr, Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. A Patriots team that’s not beaten team currently in the postseason picture this season will play five such teams in the coming seven games.
It won’t be easy. It may not even be pretty.
But as suddenly as Jones’ transformative return arrived, so has a formula for Patriots’ success, an identity if you will. Impressive defense – including a persistent pass rush and dominant run-stuffing – will be the foundation. Timely, efficient special teams will play a critical factor.
And the offense doing just enough good things to win rather than too many bad things contributing to losing is a prerequisite.
On a cold, windy day in Foxborough the Patriots found themselves a young playmaker and may have found themselves as a hopeful team with a fruitful short term future.
“Really proud of our team and offense, defense, special teams. I thought we came together, and at the end of the day in tough conditions like that you've just got to find a way to win,” Mac Jones concluded.
Hope and hopelessness are powerful emotions. They can breed success or snowball failure.
Thanks to Marcus Jones, the Patriots have hope heading down the home stretch of the season.
And for this team, in this year, at this point in its development, that’s really all New England could ask for.
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