3 Patriots Drawn from the Wild Week 13 Monday Night Soccer Win against the Bills

NS New England Patriots Week 13 Football Monday Night match with Buffalo Bills It’s all about handling the weather, and that’s exactly what Bill Belichick and Co. did to win. The 14-10 win was a battle for the elements, but New England managed to lift its lead in the AFC East with a crucial win. We have a few takeaways from the stormy Patriots-Bills game in Week 13.

It’s all about the ground game for the Patriots on Monday night. In fact, quarterback Mac Jones only hit three passes in the win, as conditions made precise pitching particularly difficult. Instead of risking errors from a rookie midfielder, Belichick chooses the ground and the pound, using the likes of Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson to great effect.

Run in to say goodbye to a W. pic.twitter.com/4FLz3cD7v0

– New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 7, 2021

The defense was also locked in, forcing Josh Allen to foul while ultimately blocking Buffalo’s normally powerful attack. They put up big stops in third and fourth, which is important considering the wind makes kicking nearly impossible.

With all of that in mind, here are some of the Patriots’ Week 13 takeaways from their pivotal win over the Bills.

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Lessons learned from week 13 of patriots

3. Mac Jones is the last player on the team

Look, no one will give Mac Jones any credit for his play in this win, and he probably didn’t deserve much. But this rookie was out there, knowing full well that he would be mostly unused, and still playing every moment as if it were his last. He clearly planned the game, putting the team first to raise his personal stats – of which he barely recorded. Jones hit a 2-for-3 with 19 yards in the air on Monday, and dashed five times with -3 yards.

To say his role was minimal would be an understatement, but he was involved in Belichick’s game plan and always had a smile on his face throughout the game. That is exactly what the players in the dressing room want to see in a young midfielder, someone who is ready to lead in whatever way is required. While his stats from Monday won’t be too memorable, his maturity will go a long way with his teammates.

2. Rhamondre Stevenson is a real person

Yes, it was Damien Harris who walked away on his career-long 64-yard touchdown to open the scoring in this game, but the one who started back on Monday was Rhamondre Stevenson. He scored 24 gills in 78 yards, and while those numbers don’t jump off the page, the conditions of play must be taken into account. Stevenson ran very hard and helped keep the Patriots alive throughout the game. The duo of Stevenson and Harris are one of the NFL’s most underrated pairs, but they’ve shown that they can take over a game when called upon.

New England hit the ball a total of 46 times on Monday. Considering 25 of those were from Stevenson, who was on the field with a career-high 63 percent of offensive catches, Belichick clearly saw something in the Oklahoma product. Whenever Stevenson is given a large amount of work this year, the 23-year-old impresses and he did it again on Monday.

1. New England’s defense has proven to be the best in the league

This match is a battle of two of the top defensive units of the league. Both sides have been stingy throughout the season and are largely responsible for their team’s success. A defense will come out on top on Monday night, and the Patriots are the ones to do it. The Patriots surrendered to the Bills only 230 yards, limiting Josh Allen to 145 yards passing in 15 of 30 pass attempts. Bills were also kept just 99 yards above ground, though Buffalo averaged 116.7 yards for the year. Pretty much nothing works for the Bills, who have kept quiet outside of Gabriel Davis’ clash.

It was a complete performance from the New England defence, and they showed why they are the most feared defensive unit in the NFL. A game against these guys is a terrifying situation for any midfielder, and they have successfully established themselves as the best team in football. They will be rewarded after the win by bye bye all week, giving them the chance to take the lead in the team’s Week 15 game with Indianapolis Colts.