Well, we can safely put to rest any “who’s better than whom” talks. In a much-anticipated Sunday Night Football game, Tom Brady and company led the New England Patriots to victory against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers, 31-17. Of all the possible timelines, I don’t think many imagined Cordarrelle Patterson would be as effective as a replacement running back as he turned out to be. In Sony Michel‘s absence, Patterson has gone from wide receiver and kick returner to full-fledged running back…and a good one at that.
Cordarrelle Patterson Rushes for 61 Yards in Victory Over Green Bay Packers
Yes, 61 rushing yards, not to mention a rushing touchdown as well. He won’t have to hold that kind of production for long since Michel will likely return to the field next week against the Tennessee Titans. However, considering the Patriots running back depth chart is limited to Kenjon Barner and James White, keeping Patterson in the mix might help relieve some of the stress.
🚨 DOUBLE PASS 🚨
Brady to Edelman to White! 😱 #GoPats
📺: #GBvsNE on NBC https://t.co/LqakfkKurp
— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2018
Speaking of White, he had an okay day as well. Outside of a brief scare over a potential leg injury, White was able to run for 31 yards and two touchdowns himself. If Patterson has turned into a running back, White has all but evolved into a wide receiver. White reeled in 72 receiving yards, bringing his season total to 531 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns. What is probably the evening’s greatest play turned out to be a 37-yard trick play that bounced from Brady to Julian Edelman, then Edelman to White.
It was reminiscent of the trick play New England used against the Baltimore Ravens in 2015 when Brady tossed the ball to Edelman, who then threw a 51-yard touchdown to Danny Amendola.
Josh Gordon Continues to Impress
After trading a fifth-round draft pick for the infamous wide receiver Josh Gordon, Patriots fans have been expecting him to become Randy Moss 2.0. That hasn’t quite happened yet, but Gordon has been responsible for some key plays since joining the team.
Gordon caught half of his targets last night for 130 yards and a touchdown against the Packers. That may not sound too impressive, but consider this: He played part of the game with a dislocated finger. Yeah, you read that right. In speaking to the media after the game, Gordon divulged the details on his injury.
“I guess it’s like a freak accident, nothing too crazy,” he said, “I think some pressure fell on it and it dislocated, so I popped it back into place a couple of times during the game. It’s fine.”
THERE HE GOES.@JOSH_GORDONXII 55-yard touchdown! #GoPats
📺: #GBvsNE on NBC https://t.co/Id1KGDVoQ2
— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2018
Dislocated finger? Popped it into place a couple of times? No worries. It’s fine. Gordon’s most impressive play – yes, outside of his dislocated finger – was a 55-yard catch-and-run from Brady. The pass was nearly tipped by Edelman, but Gordon managed to save the pass and make the long sprint toward the red zone, securing the lead for New England in the fourth quarter.
New England Defense Does Their Job
Adrian Clayborn and Lawrence Guy were both credited with a forced fumble, a play that likely held the game in New England’s favor. Stephon Gilmore was responsible for a handful of helpful plays. Trey Flowers and Clayborn were also equally responsible for one of the games few sacks. However, Duron Harmon wasn’t able to get off the field fast enough, resulting in a penalty. All things considered, holding the Packers offense to just 17 points is something the Patriots defense should be proud of.
Looking Ahead
After a rocky start to the season, the Patriots are now 7-2. Next week, they’ll take on Patriot-turned-head-coach Mike Vrabel and the Titans. That matchup should be interesting, considering two other former Patriots call Tennessee home now. Next week will pit New England’s offense against Malcolm Butler, and the team’s defense against Dion Lewis. The Titans currently rank second in the AFC South with a 3-4 record. We’ll have previews for that game ready later this week, so stay tuned.
Oh, and in case you were wondering, Brady>Rodgers. Forever and always.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
