Saints march into New England, outmuscle Patriots 28-13

FOXBORO — The last time the Patriots played at Gillette Stadium, they vowed to clean up the mistakes that cost them a 1-point loss in their season opener against Miami.

The penalties and turnovers. The fundamental slip-ups in all three phases. All of the football that felt un-Patriot.

Two weeks and one triumph over a hapless Jets team later, not much has changed.

The Pats were outclassed in a 28-13 loss to New Orleans on Sunday, when rookie quarterback Mac Jones tossed three interceptions. Saints quarterback Jameis Winston went 13-of-23 for 128 yards and two scores, while his running game recorded 142 yards and a game-sealing touchdown with minutes remaining courtesy of Taysom Hill. Ahead by eight, Hill capped a long, punishing drive with a 4-yard touchdown that sent fans heading for the exit.

The Pats are now 1-2, with Tom Brady and the Bucs scheduled to visit next weekend.

Making matters worse, veteran running back James White was lost in the second quarter to a hip injury and had to be carted off. His absence created a void for the Patriots in pass protection, which the coaching staff opted to fill with Brandon Bolden in the second half. Starting running back Damien Harris allowed a sack in the first quarter and finished with six carries for 14 yards, half as many as Jones managed on the same number of scrambles.

Overall, Jones took 11 hits and two sacks. The hits kept coming for him and the Patriots all afternoon.

After an opening trade of three-and-outs, Winston orchestrated a patient, 11-play touchdown drive midway through the first quarter. He converted twice on third-and-7, unbothered by the Pats’ diminished pass rush. His last conversion was a short strike to Alvin Kamara over the middle, who darted inside of Kyle Van Noy for an easy score.

The Patriots continued to stumble offensively, failing to pick up a first down until 11:30 remained in the second quarter. Amid their struggles, the defense avoided trouble with a little help from the coaching staff after it halted a New Orleans drive on the outskirts of field goal range. With the clock set to expire on the first quarter, Belichick called timeout, forcing Saints kicker Aldrick Rosas to attempt a 52-yarder toward the open end of the stadium.

Rosas swung the ball wide left, then missed a 36-yarder two drives later. Given possession with barely four minutes left and a 7-0 deficit, the Pats squandered an opportunity to close the half with a score. Instead, they gifted a scoring chance to Saints safety P.J. Williams, who intercepted Jones when the rookie was hit in the pocket on third-and-long.

Williams returned his pick back to the Patriots’ 9-yard line, where the Saints picked up five yards and took a second-down sack. Then on third-and-goal, with Pats safety Kyle Dugger wrapped around his waist and spinning him to the ground, Winston looked primed for another sack until he fired toward the back of the end zone. There, Saints wideout Marquez Callaway out-muscled Jonathan Jones for a jump ball, toe-tapped inside the back line and rose with a two-touchdown lead.

Like Jones, the Pats offense was powerless against its own bad football.

After driving down for a 45-yard Nick Folk field goal to close the first half — an attempt prompted by Hunter Henry’s false start that negated a fourth-down conversion try — Jones threw a pick-six on the Pats’ opening snap of the third half. Jonnu Smith bobbled the rookie’s pass straight to Saints captain Malcolm Jenkins, who strolled 34 yards into the end zone.

Trailing 21-3, the best the Patriots could do was exchange punts and piece together a 16-play drive that resulted in another Folk field goal. Now within striking distance, the Patriots defense forced consecutive three-and-outs, and produced their first touchdown drive of the day, which started at the Saints’ 44-yard line. Jones needed only three plays to capitalize, the last a 22-yard toss to Kendrick Bourne, who won a sideline battle and snuck the ball inside the right pylon before ducking out of bounds.

And then the dam broke. New Orleans successfully chipped away at the Pats’ defense over a 13-play march, first with Winston moving the chains on another third-and-7 halfway through the quarter. Winston didn’t face another third down until converting third-and-short at the Pats’ 16 on a quarterback sneak. Three plays later, Saints all-purpose weapon Taysom Hill ran the ball, scampering four yards off right tackle for a game-sealing touchdown.

Here were the best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:

Best

LB Matt Judon Two and a half sacks. That’ll do.

WR Kendrick Bourne He produced the Pats’ only touchdown and finished with six catches for 96 yards.

Worst

TE Jonnu Smith He caught one of six targets, served up a pick-six and got called for holding in the third quarter. Just an abysmal performance.

Pass protection The Pats surrendered 11 hits on Mac Jones and two sacks.

RB Damien Harris Harris allowed a sack on the offense’s fourth play and was essentially benched for the second half.

P Jake Bailey A reigning All-Pro, Bailey booted two punts for touchbacks and sent one kickoff out of bounds. He also had a kick blocked.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3i903IN