Most people predicted the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens would be among the better teams in the AFC this year, and they showed why when Sunday Night Football rolled around in Week 3.
In a battle too many people tried to make about the officiating, both teams put down the kind of performances on offense that will be certain to scare more than a few teams. Ultimately, Baltimore walked away with the win after the Patriots blew a two-score lead in the fourth quarter, but there were plenty of positives on both sides.
Let’s take a look.
New England Patriots – Three Performances of Note
Brilliant Brady
He ended up on the losing side but Tom Brady (+6.9) played one of the best games of any quarterback this season. He looked in complete control throughout, able to pick apart the Ravens’ secondary with ease. With his offensive line locking down Baltimore’s pass rush, Brady was pressured on just 10-of-45 drop-backs and was able to complete 68% of his passes for 335 yards and a touchdown (with five of the incompletions the result of drops).
One of the most impressive aspects of Bradys’ play was his ball location into tricky coverage. The back shoulder fade is a trademark Patriots play and Brady hit on a couple beautiful ones on Sunday night. The first came with 3.26 to play in the first quarter as Brandon Lloyd pulled in a perfect pass against Cary Williams. There was another to Julian Edelman called back by a penalty, but this was very much Brady at his best.
Tackle Domination
There have been some questions asked about the Patriots’ offensive line through three weeks, but their tackle duo should receive a great deal of praise for their performance against the Ravens. Nate Solder (+2.6) and Sebastian Vollmer (+3.6) were two of New England’s most reliable players as they dominated the young Baltimore outside linebackers. Solder allowed just the solitary hit on 49 pass blocks, while his teammate only allowed three. There’s no denying their quarterback is better when afforded time in the pocket and these two were integral in making that so.
Spikes Struggles
Often one of the more fun players to watch, this wasn’t a game that Brandon Spikes (-4.8) will want to remember. He was anything but his usual dominant self against the run as he made just the solitary defensive stop, despite playing 22 snaps against handoffs. Furthermore, we had the usual hesitation from him in coverage that resulted in what looked like a busted coverage for the Dennis Pitta score. He wasn’t helped much by a performance from Dont’a Hightower (-2.0) that would be at best described as tentative, with the rookie linebacker struggling with the speed of the game at the NFL level.
Baltimore Ravens – Three Performances of Note
Yanda Dominates Inside
Marshal Yanda (+2.3) showed his worth in this game, going against a very good defensive tackle in Vince Wilfork and getting the better of their exchanges. The three penalties he gave up may turn some away but this was a real vintage display of run blocking from a guard who looked at the top of his game. It didn’t matter if he had to execute a reach block, pull to the second level or just seal his man off, Yanda was up to the task in a fine display that highlighted why he’s the league’s premier right guard.
Williams Over Smith?
In a beatdown nobody could miss Cary Williams (-4.6) was targeted consistently by a relentless Patriots passing attack. The right cornerback gave up 8-of-12 targets for 98 yards and was victimised by Lloyd in particular, with the veterans savvy route running too much to handle. Jimmy Smith meanwhile played much better in 67 snaps on the outside. He gave up four catches on six targets, but for just 31 yards, and has to be getting consideration for more playing time if Williams’ struggles continue.
No Run Zone
If you want to know a big reason why the Ravens were able to pull out a victory, look no further then their rampant run defense. Led by Haloti Ngata (+2.5 run defense) and his six defensive stops, the team were able to bully the Patriots when New England tried to get any push up front. It shouldn’t be a surprise that the team collectively earned a +9.1 grade in this respect, as the Patriots were limited to 2.3 yards per attempt and forced to work misdirection plays to try and have any success.
Game Notes
– No Patriot gave up more than three pressures.
– The Ravens’ defense didn’t miss a single tackle.
– While Patriot receivers dropped five balls, the Ravens’ dropped just one
PFF Game Ball
Despite the loss of his brother, Torrey Smith came through in a big way, catching 6-of-9 targets for 127 yards and two TDs.
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