Shorthanded Patriots Make Short Work of 'Skins

John Ahern

To say a game is basically over at the coin toss is usually hyperbole, but in yesterday's game it is wasn't far off from reality. 
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As a mater of fact, as soon as Julian Edelman hauled in an 8 yard toss from Tom Brady with just under six minutes gone in quarter one, it essentially was.

After an 11 play 84 yard drive which saw the Pats bludgeon the defenseless 'Skins, it was clear that the superior team was dressed in silver and blue. Brady had a pedestrian day under center, by his standards, going 26-39 for 299 yards with 2 touchdown passes while throwing only his second interception of the season.

LeGarrett Blount pounded the weak Washington run defense to the tune of 129 yards on 29 carries with a score.

Through the air, Brandon LaFell looked his old self creating good separation for 9 targets, catching 5 for 102 yards.

The defense who was without linebacker and leading tackler Jamie Collins due to an illness, forced two fumbles and one pick by an offense that seemed totally intimated, dropping seven passes, by the Pats surging unit.

With hindsight being 20/20, the biggest hurdle New England faced on Sunday was that of some potentially key injuries. Offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer went down with a determined head injury in the first half, forcing them to makeshift the o-line, which were without any reserves for the rest of the contest. With Marcus Cannon (toe) and Tre' Jackson (knee) nursing injuries, they were under the gun. Center Bryan Stork, seeing his first action this year, saw snaps at guard and tackle as well. Cameron Fleming flipped from right to left tackle, a position he had not played.

The beat went on as Blount amassed a team season high rushing total and Brady was kept upright. Running back Dion
Lewis went down in the second quarter without being touched when his knee buckled while cutting on the turf. After walking off the field in obvious discomfort, Brandon Bolden came in and filled in admirably on the ground and receiving.

The Patriots improved to 8-0, and along with Cincinnati and Carolina, are the only unscathed teams at the schedule's halfway point.

The Patriots, after yesterday, have scored points in 31 straight quarters, dating back to the first stanza of week one. They improved to 21-1 in their last 22 regular season home games at Gillette Stadium.