3 Takeaways from Patriots’ Week 10 Win

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Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Early in the season, the New England Patriots were showing glimpses of their potential, but it wasn’t leading to results. Now, everything is clicking for the Pats.

New England notched its fourth straight win (and its fifth in the past six games) on Sunday afternoon with a 45-7 defeat of the Cleveland Browns. The Patriots are 6-4 after opening the season with three losses in their first four games, proving they’re a legitimate playoff contender in the AFC this year.

It took a little while for New England to get going on Sunday, as it trailed 7-0 near the end of the first quarter. Then, it reeled off 45 unanswered points and dominated Cleveland over the final three quarters.

Here are three takeaways from the Patriots’ Week 10 win.

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Stew Milne/Associated Press

Mac Jones keeps getting better every week, while Rhamondre Stevenson continues to prove he should have a large role in the Patriots offense. Both rookies had impressive showings on Sunday, as they’re leading the team to success now and providing a ton of optimism for the future.

Jones went 19-of-23 for 198 yards and three touchdowns. He got New England on the board with a three-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry with 26 seconds to go in the first quarter, which was only the beginning of his efficient performance. Jones’ completion percentage (82.6) was the best of his rookie campaign, and it was also his first three-touchdown game.

“He’s wired a different way,” Pats wide receiver Kendrick Bourne said of Jones, per The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn. “He’s just relaxed, and I think that’s how we all need to play. He’s not thinking about the next play. He’s not thinking about the last play. He’s thinking about the current play. That mindset can take you far in this league.”

Meanwhile, Stevenson got more opportunities in the running game because Damien Harris was inactive because of a concussion. Stevenson capitalized, recording 20 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Before this game, he had only one touchdown all season and had rushed for more than 26 yards in a game only once.

With Jones and Stevenson both improving and excelling, there’s a lot of potential for the Patriots offense to have plenty of future success.

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Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

A player as talented as Jakobi Meyers typically doesn’t take as he did to score his first NFL touchdown. Through 38 games over his first three seasons, he had 131 catches for 1,522 yards, but he hadn’t once gotten into the end zone.

That finally changed Sunday. In the fourth quarter, the 25-year-old hauled in an 11-yard touchdown pass from backup QB Brian Hoyer, who replaced Jones with the game well out of reach in New England’s favor. Meyers had four receptions for 49 yards, contributing to the Pats’ huge offensive day.

However, it was Meyers’ touchdown that caused his teammates to swarm him in the end zone to celebrate.

“Honestly, the fact that everybody celebrated with me means more than the touchdown,” Meyers said, per Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. “I think it says a lot about the teammates, what they think of you. … I know they’ve been waiting on it. They’ve been real patient.”

Now, Meyers will hope getting a second doesn’t take as long to get as the first. Considering he’s having a solid year, he could be back in the end zone again soon.

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Steven Senne/Associated Press

The Patriots defense had a dominant performance against the Browns, holding them to 217 total yards, including only 118 through the air. Cleveland went 1-of-11 on third downs, and New England forced the lone turnover of the game, as safety Kyle Dugger had an interception in the second quarter.

The Browns were short-handed on offense, missing running backs Nick Chubb (positive COVID-19 test) and Kareem Hunt (calf injury). They then lost quarterback Baker Mayfield, who suffered a right knee contusion in the third quarter and didn’t return.

Although New England’s defense may not have been facing the toughest competition, it was still an impressive showing. And it’s clear that this unit is among the best in the NFL, which isn’t a huge surprise considering its level of talent and past success.

During their four-game winning streak, the Patriots have held three of their opponents to 13 or fewer points. They’re allowing only 17.7 points over their first 10 games, which ranks second in the league behind only the Buffalo Bills (15.0 over nine games).

As long as New England’s defense keeps playing this well, the team is likely to continue having success.