Four Studs, Four Duds From Patriots’ Massive Win Vs. Buccaneers

The New England Patriots knew that they had an opportunity to make a statement in Week 10 by picking up a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And while they weren’t favored to win this game, the Pats did just that, defeating the Bucs 28-23 to earn their seventh-straight dub.

There is a lot to take away from this game, as New England’s win, combined with the Buffalo Bills’ loss to the Miami Dolphins, gives them a two-game cushion in the AFC East standings. With this contest in the books, let’s look back at the action and pick out four studs and four duds for the Patriots.

Studs

TreVeyon Henderson

The long-awaited TreVeyon Henderson game officially arrived. With Rhamondre Stevenson missing the game due to a toe injury and Terrell Jennings being ruled out early with a knee injury, Henderson racked up 147 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. With scores of 55 and 69 yards in the second, Henderson single-handedly saved the Pats’ offense in this one.

Kyle Williams

Another breakout game took place for rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams on Sunday. Williams caught just one pass, but he turned it into a 72-yard touchdown that helped New England tie the game at the end of the first quarter after a slow start. He may not have done much else, but this sort of big play was exactly why N.E. drafted Williams in the first place.

Mack Hollins

Every week, Drake Maye seems to have a new favorite target in the passing game, and this week, it was Mack Hollins. While Henderson and Williams’ big plays garnered most of the attention, Hollins was Maye’s security blanket against a stingy Buccaneers defense, as he paced the Patriots’ receiving corps with six catches for 106 yards.

K’Lavon Chaisson

Simply put, K’Lavon Chaisson may be the biggest bargain in the NFL. He only had one tackle, which was a sack of Baker Mayfield, but he was breaking through Tampa Bay’s offensive line all day long. Chaisson was the guy who initially got to Mayfield on the crucial 4th & 3 play late in the fourth quarter that helped the offense put this one to bed.

Duds

Josh McDaniels

For the second straight week, Josh McDaniels called a very strange game in the second half. Maye was rolling in the second quarter, and the running back room was getting beat up, but McDaniels continued to lean on the ground game in early downs, putting Maye in tough third-and-longs. It ultimately didn’t matter, but this wasn’t McDaniels’ best showing.

Marcus Jones

The Patriots’ usage of Marcus Jones over the past two games has been confusing. Whenever he lines up against the opposing team’s top wide receiver, he’s getting targeted, as Emeka Egbuka had some big plays against him in this one. Jones also made some odd decisions on his punt returns, and he very nearly muffed a punt in the third quarter.

Jahlani Tavai

With Christian Elliss out, that meant more snaps for Jack Gibbens and Jahlani Tavai. It was Gibbens who had a big day, though, leading New England with 10 tackles. Tavai only racked up two, and he was caught out of position on a couple of occasions. It seems like he’s the No. 4 middle linebacker option for the time being.

Terrell Jennings

The decision to start Jennings over Henderson looks even more confusing now that the second-round rookie put together a breakout performance. Jennings had just five yards on four carries before being forced out of the game early. It’s not really his fault, but it was tough to justify giving him starting snaps over Henderson, even before his huge game.