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What they’re saying nationally about Patriots’ 10th straight win to regain AFC No. 1 seed
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- What they’re saying nationally about Patriots’ 10th straight win to regain AFC No. 1 seed
The New England Patriots are atop the AFC .
The Patriots earned their 10th straight win on Monday night with a 33-15 victory over the New York Giants at Gillette Stadium.
The win featured another punt return touchdown for Marcus Jones , some big defensive hits and Drake Maye continued to show why he’s in the MVP conversation .
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The Patriots go into their bye week with an 11-2 record.
Here’s what’s being said about the victory:
“Giants offensive players need to be fighting Dart if they want to protect him. His ass keeps taking hits and they’re getting mad at the defense.”
“What made Monday’s victory so impressive was that the Patriots were short-handed in key areas, without starting left tackle Will Campbell (knee) and starting left guard Jared Wilson (ankle), along with two of their top three defensive tackles, Milton Williams (ankle) and Khyiris Tonga (chest), and All-Pro special teamer Brenden Schooler (ankle).
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“They attacked from the outset, scoring a field goal on their opening drive, getting a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown from Marcus Jones, and then feeding off the energy of a pad-thumping hit by linebacker Christian Elliss on quarterback Jaxson Dart along the right sideline to score a quick touchdown for a 17-0 lead late in the first quarter.”
"If another team hopes to supplant the New England Patriots as the No. 1 seed in the AFC, it’s going to have to hope for help from one of New England’s remaining opponents.
“The Patriots are too well-coached, too talented, and too driven to slip up and beat themselves over their final four games.
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“Monday night’s contest had all the makings of a potential trap game. It was in prime time against a New York Giants team with nothing to lose, a week after losing starting left tackle Will Campbell, a week before New England ’s bye, and two weeks before a rivalry matchup with the Buffalo Bills.”
“With a national TV audience watching, the Patriots showed the country why they’re so dangerous, and it’s because they can beat you in multiple ways. Offensively, the Drake Maye MVP campaign is suddenly feeling very real after the Patriots QB had another impressive outing. Maye’s accuracy has been off the charts this year, and that continued here: He completed 77.4% of his passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots defense didn’t toy around with the Giants, only allowing two drives in the entire game that went for more than 35 yards.
“And let’s not forget about New England’s special teams: Marcus Jones helped the Patriots take control early with a franchise record-tying 94-yard punt return TD in the first quarter. The best part for the Pats (11-2) is that they now get some time to rest up thanks to their Week 14 bye. This team is going to be fresh for the stretch run, and they definitely feel like the favorite to get the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC.”
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“New England took the field with purpose Monday night and jumped all over the Giants, throwing 10 points on the board via a 12-play scoring drive that ended in a field goal and a 94-yard punt return touchdown from Marcus Jones . A fumble forced by their kickoff unit gave the Patriots the ball deep in Giants territory, leading to another field goal and a 20-point lead at 27-7, a score difference that would have stood the test of the remaining game clock.
“New England’s defense bottled up Jaxson Dart and the rest of the Giants offense, forcing two turnovers on downs and four punts before New York’s last-ditch drive, completing the total team victory. Often this season, the Patriots have been the subject of skepticism because they haven’t won many games in impressive fashion. Their first-half display and the manner in which they finished the game produced an emphatic win in a matchup many saw as a potential trap. It never came close to being one for Mike Vrabel’s team.”
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“The second-year quarterback has an effortlessness delivery that makes everything look easier than it is. The intermediate balls are feathered. The ones that need zip have the proper amount. Even the simple looks impressive.
“In the first half, Maye was 16-for-20 with 208 passing yards and two touchdowns while averaging 10.4 yards per attempt. He finished 24-for-31 with 274 yards (he has not yet surpassed 300 yards passing despite his dynamite season).
"Maye leads the league in completion percentage after 13 weeks and is third in passing yards per game."
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