Brady, Patriots offense bounce back in 33-7 road win over Redskins
By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
It didn’t look like it would happen for half the game, but Tom Brady and the Patriots offense eventually found the way to get rolling in the second half as New England romped to a 33-7 win over the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.
Brady went 28-for-42 (66.7 percent) passing for 348 yards and three touchdowns, the lone blemish being another bad red-zone interception that came late in the second quarter with the Patriots trying to cash in on a turnover. But other than that Brady was sharp, finding open receivers for chunk plays when given time to throw.
The Patriots often schemed their pass-catchers open, such as running back Brandon Bolden’s wheel-route when he got behind linebacker Ryan Anderson just enough for Brady to hit him deep while under pressure. The Redskins forgot to cover tight end Ryan Izzo while the Patriots showed run, resulting in an easy 10-yard pitch-and-catch touchdown that put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter.
Sony Michel had his best game of the season and his most productive on the ground, rushing 16 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Michel also got involved in the passing game, making two catches for 22 yards.
Julian Edelman stepped up in a game where receiver Phillip Dorsett had to leave early due to a hamstring injury. Edelman made eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, despite seemingly fighting through a chest injury that’s had him on the injury report for the past two weeks.
Defensively, the Patriots dominated again and would have had another shutout if not for a complete tackling breakdown on a 65-yard touchdown run by Steven Sims. Dont’a Hightower dominated in the front-seven, finishing with eight tackles, 1.5 sacks, two QB hits, four tackles for loss, and a pass breakup on the afternoon.
Overall, the Patriots adjusted after an uneven first half to pull away from a clearly inferior opponent. They move to 5-0 on the season with a short week coming up, as they will face the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium on Thursday Night Football.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
