A handful of big plays on both sides of the ball were not enough to overcome an overall lackluster, sloppy performance by the Patriots in a 20-17 loss to the Commanders Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
After the visitors from Washington built an early 10-0 advantage the game's momentum changed on a second-quarter forced fumble by Jahlani Tavai that set up a short touchdown pass to Hunter Henry. A few minutes later Rhamondre Stevenson hit for a career-long 64-yard touchdown run to send an at-times listless Patriots squad to halftime with a 14-10 advantage.
But New England couldn’t hold onto the lead as Washington scored on its first two possessions of the second half and held on for the win as Mac Jones' final throw of the day trying to get in field goal range deflected off JuJu Smith-Schuster's hands and landed in the hands of Washington safety Jartavius Martin for the game-ending interception. The loss drops the Patriots to 2-7 on the season, remaining in dead last in the AFC and AFC East.
Before turning the page to next Sunday’s trip to Germany to take on the Colts, here are the various highs and lows from the win over Washington.
Thumbs up
Jahlani Tavai – Quickly becoming one of New England’s unheralded leaders and playmakers, Tavai made a game changing play trailing 10-0 in the second quarter with a great punch-out to force a Brian Robinson fumble to give the Patriots’ offense the ball at the Washington 25. The play swayed momentum and set up Mac Jones’ 14-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry. Tavai finished the day with six tackles, but no play was bigger the first-half forced fumble.
Rhamondre Stevenson – The season has been a struggle at times for Stevenson and even Sunday’s game got off to sluggish start with short runs and a dropped pass. But the big veteran back hit the longest run of his career with a 64-yard go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter. He got a huge hole to work with and then a great block by Jalen Reagor on the outside to spring him free. Stevenson’s best run may have been 7-yard effort in which he got it all on his own late int eh third quarter to move the chains. Stevenson finished the day with 87 yards on nine rushes while adding 42 yards on four catches.
Kyle Dugger – Though the safety has had his ups and downs tackling in recent weeks, he’s also had a knack for being the right place at the right time for interceptions. Dugger stopped a would-be Washington scoring drive late in the final seconds of the first half by picking off a poor Sam Howell decision/throw in the end zone. He also finished with six tackles.
Hunter Henry – Henry is not a volume playmaker by any means, but he’s a sure-handed option Mac Jones in the red zone. Following the Tavai turnover Jones hit his favorite target and pal for the 14-yard touchdown. Henry had his usual solid day, catching four of the seven passes thrown his way for 39 yards and the one score.
Thumbs down
Third-down defense – The money down has been problem down of late for New England at times on both sides of the ball. Sunday New England let Howell make too many plays, many off script, to move the chains. The worst play of the day came on a third-and-23 on which the Commanders' QB scrambled for the first down, including breaking a joint tackle of Jalen Mills and Adrian Phillips on the way past the sticks. Third and long was a winning recipe for Washington most of the day, Howell completing eight of his 11 third-down passes. Even with a couple late failures the Commanders converted nine of 17 on the day.
Third-down offense – While its defense couldn’t get off the field often enough, the New England offense coouldn’t convert enough of its third down chances. Jones had struggles early looking for Tyquan Thornton. He missed some throws he needs to make. Overall the offense that wasn’t great on any down, came up particularly short on third downs, converting just three of 12 chances.
Kayshon Boutte – Even with Kendrick Bourne on IR and DeVante Parker inactive due to a concussion the sixth-round rookie couldn’t earn a role on the game day roster. Boutte was a healthy scratch yet again despite or maybe because of the fact that he told the media he expected to have his number called this week. Boutte hasn’t been active since playing 55 snaps in Week 1. While Reagor had the big block on the Stevenson TD run, he also had a bad drop on a Jones deep ball down the middle late in the third quarter.
Special teams execution -- Brenden Schooler earned a holding call on a late punt to back comeback hopes. Mack Wilson jump offsides to give the Commanders the ball back on a punt just before that. Demario Douglas had a bad return deep in his own end. There were too many mistakes in the third phase in a tight game, a problem that's persisted for the last few seasons in New England way too often.
Mac Jones-to-Tyquan Thornton – New England’s first drive ended on fourth down when Jones appeared to miss Thornton open out of his break. The next drive ended with Jones throwing Thornton’s way on third down, the pass incomplete as the young receiver hadn’t really turned his head out of his break on an ugly route. A third drive end on an incompletion toward Thornton in the first half. Thornton hasn’t played a lot, so while it’s not ideal it’s also not surprising he and Jones aren’t on the same page at this point. Thornton, who was a healthy scratch a week earlier in Miami finished with one catch on four targets for just 7 yards.
J.C. Jackson and Jack Jones/Pass defense – After the duo struggled mightily against Miami, especially Jackson, the pair didn’t see the field in the first quarter against the Commanders. Both Dolphins’ top receivers torched the Patriots, and it seemed that two of New England’s top corners paid the price in terms of playing time with Shaun Wade getting early action along with Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant. Bryant was beaten for a costly 33-yard Jahan Dotson touchdown down the middle to tie the game at 17 in the third quarter. Overall it wasn’t a great day for the Patriots pass rush or coverage that allowed to Commanders to succeed too often on third down and churn out 325 yards through the air.
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