In a season that brought a losing record for the first time in 20 years and saw the New England Patriots miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008, we were able to get a closer look at the life of a normal football fan. We saw our first glimpse of the post-Tom Brady era and learned more about this team and ourselves than ever before, all in the midst of a global pandemic.
It was a surreal season, but it can be well summed up by this quote from Devin McCourty after the end of Sunday’s season:
“[Matthew Slater] said something great even after the game: to think about 2020 and what he taught us. What we went through, the good, the bad and the most important; to grow from that and not just say, ‘Man, I’m glad it’s over. Let’s move on, but to really take the lessons you’ve learned. “
The team’s 2020 campaign culminated in a 28 to 14 victory over the New York Jets in one of their most impressive and encouraging performances of the season. There were some cool presentations, as well as some failures, let’s check them out one last time.
Winner: RB Sony Michel
Sony Michel played as a first round running in the final three weeks of the season. He averaged 6.3 yards per maneuver in 36 runs and added four receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown in his starts after Damien Harris fell with an ankle injury. Being able to bring the two together next season is not only positive for Michel – who seems to work best in outbreaks – but for the Patriots, who will be able to maintain a new rotation in position in 2021.
Loser: CB Myles Bryant
Sometimes it only takes one unit.
The Jets’ first touchdown showed the negative aspects of playing so much with an untrained free agent rookie. Bryant’s three consecutive mistakes allowed New York to move 48 yards and enter the end zone for a touchdown.
First was a tackle lost behind the scrimmage line, leading to a 15-yard gain and a first descent. Then a beginner’s mistake, waiting for a possible interception while a receiver runs under the ball and takes 12 yards. Finally, he was late to help Devin McCourty, who was throwing an external lever on a crossbar, which led to a 21-yard touchdown. He added a 15-yard penalty to the touchdown for hitting a helpless receiver. It is not an ideal stretch.
Winner: EDGE Chase Winovich
Chase Winovich once again proved to be a troublemaker on Sunday, with one of his best performances as a professional. Winovich ended the game with a pair of sacks, two tackles for loss, five pressures from the quarterback and a deflection of the pass. With the Patriots’ depth problems in the linebacker, Winovich was able to play a more consistent role and possibly consolidated his position as a player who throws everything down.
Winner: CB JC Jackson
Jackson recovered from a poor performance last week with a solid performance on Sunday.
The undeveloped ex-rookie earned a little more money on Sunday with his ninth interception of the season. This is the second highest number for Patriot in a single season, tied with nine for Ty Law in 1998. They are second only to Asante Samuel’s 10-choice campaign in 2006.
Jackson also continued to be a quote machine, providing some post-game gems:
JC Jackson, you set a record for most takeaways (11) in a season under Bill Belichick. What does this mean for you?
“I don’t mean shit.”
– Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) January 3, 2021
“How can you say the game doesn’t matter? … It was important to me and my teammates.” – JC Jackson was asked if today’s game was meaningless pic.twitter.com/csti1C6YTF
– NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 3, 2021
Winner: TE Devin Asiasi
New England fans can now breathe a collective sigh of relief after seeing one of their debuting tight end in at least one solid performance of the season. Devin Asiasi was able to do this, recording not only his first capture in his career, but his first touchdown in the same match. He had a crash and was far from perfect, but there is less than zero space to criticize any kind of positive performance from a Patriots tight end.
Loser: CB Joejuan Williams
This is your big Sunday loser. Although he rarely saw the field during the season, Williams had one of the worst effort plays I have seen in a long time. In the third quarter, he saw Breshad Perriman pass over him for a 51-yard gain without any agitation.
For a guy who showed flashes of brightness at the point of attack, this may be an insight into why he can’t find a consistent playing time. If it is a matter of talent, this type of game will certainly not help you see the field, but it will help you find your way out of New England.
Winner: WR Jakobi Meyers
Jakobi Meyers was not just a winner on Sunday, he was the Patriots’ big winner in 2020. The only consistent wide receiver presence, Meyers showed that he was a legitimate NFL option and won his way to an important role in 2021.
On Sunday, he countered, recording six receptions for 68 yards, throwing a 19-yard touchdown for Cam Newton and even adding a good 7-yard rush. His touchdown launch provided the spark that helped the Patriots move away in the second half.
Winner: QB Cam Newton
Cam Newton reserved his best performance for (possibly) the last, throwing 242 yards and three touchdowns in 67 percent of passes, running for another 79 yards and pulling his first touchdown reception of his career.
Despite all the criticism throughout the season, Newton stayed the course. He was Cam Newton from his first 10-yard race against Miami to his last knee race against the Jets. No matter what happens in the future, it cannot be argued that he was a popular figure in the locker room and did things that this fan base had never seen before.