Patriots-Jaguars Ups & Downs: Almost all ‘Ups’ after a 40-point blowout

Author Matt Dolloff

January 2nd, 2022 4:42 PM

Hard to find anything wrong with this one.

The Patriots are 10-6 and back in the playoffs after a 50-10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. The Miami Dolphins’ loss to the Tennessee Titans officially punched the Pats’ ticket to bonus football. The question, now, is who they will play and whether they can move up in the seeding after Week 18.

Obviously, when a team wins 50-10, just about everything went their way. So of the three “downs” on this list, two are nitpicks and another is a guy who didn’t even play (you’ll see). But there were certainly plenty of “Ups” to go around, almost entirely. Six up and one down, to be exact.

So, let’s get to it…

• UP: QB Mac Jones

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  Jones gets a big thumbs “UP” despite playing only three quarters. He didn’t need the fourth quarter because the Patriots were up five scores. Jones went 22-of-30 for 227 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions - a passer rating of 128.1. Jones was efficient, accurate, and protective of the ball, which he hadn’t been in the Pats’ previous two games. It was a get-right game for the whole team, and especially for their rookie quarterback.

• DOWN: Extra Point Unit

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  When you win by 40 points, you have to dig deep for things that didn’t go well. The Patriots did go 5-for-7 on extra points in this game, but one attempt was blocked and another resulted in a botched hold by punter Jake Bailey. As bad as the scoreboard was for the Jags, it STILL could’ve been worse.

• UP: WR Kristian Wilkerson

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  If we weren’t going to give Wilkerson his due after THIS game, we never would. Called up to replace the healthy scratch’d N’Keal Harry, Wilkerson made a hell of a lot of his opportunity, catching four passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns. You’d think this performance will force Bill Belichick to think about carrying Wilkerson on the Patriots’ playoff roster.
• UP: DT Christian Barmore

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  A sack and three total tackles for the rookie, who was generally more disruptive than he was at any point in the Patriots’ two-game losing streak. It seemed that opposing teams had started giving him more attention, which is certainly a good sign for his upside as a player. But the Patriots are going to need this version of Barmore if they want to make any noise in the playoffs. It was good to see this Barmore come back just in time.

• UP: RB Damien Harris

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  You could’ve also put Rhamondre Stevenson in this spot. Consider them a package deal for the purposes of this list. They combined for 142 yards on 28 carries with four touchdowns. Harris set the tone with two early touchdowns, showing off both power and elusiveness to continue his recent hot streak. Stevenson looked as comfortable manning the Patriots’ backfield as he has all season. The running game didn’t need to right the ship as much as other units, but it’s a good sign that the Patriots were able to get theirs rolling.

• UP: WR Jakobi Meyers

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  Meyers didn’t lead the Patriots in yards or touchdowns, but he was arguably their most dependable offensive player on the field. He caught all eight targets for 73 yards and scored his second career receiving touchdown in the process. If Meyers can be this efficient and reliable in January, he could be a surprisingly big difference-maker for the Patriots offense.
• DOWN: WR N’Keal Harry

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  This is a first for the Patriots Ups & Downs: Harry is a “down” despite being inactive in the game. That’s because he was a healthy scratch and the Pats went with Wilkerson over him. Wilkerson scored two touchdowns, which is half of Harry’s career total. Just a horrible look for Harry, who played poorly and showed a lack of effort at times against the Bills in Week 16. It’s hard not to feel like this is finally the beginning of the end for Harry in New England.

The final “Ups & Downs” of the 2021 regular season come next Sunday, after the Patriots close out the campaign on the road against the Miami Dolphins. That won’t be the end, though. “Ups & Downs” will be back for the playoffs, too.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster 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? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.

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Author Matt Dolloff

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