Game of tones
Patriots’ physical style just too much for Rams
FOXBORO — Tom Brady’s 201st win had become increasingly inevitable in recent weeks, and LeGarrette Blount had a tone-setting moment early yesterday against the Los Angeles Rams that foreshadowed the execution of history by sundown at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots dominated their visitors, who apparently traveled across the country to act as passengers on a record-setting ride. The Rams showed little interest in matching the Pats’ physicality in a 26-10 one-sided beating. All the while, the Patriots (10-2) maintained their inside track on a first-round playoff bye.
But again, it merely took one play to tell the story. Faced with fourth-and-1 on the opening series of the game, Blount peeled around the right side of the line thanks to blocks by Marcus Cannon and James Develin, and he raced down the sideline as Los Angeles’ Maurice Alexander actually turned his back to Blount and ran away from the bruising ball carrier who finished the job for a 43-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.
“I can’t recall a time I’ve ever seen that,” Blount said of Alexander actions.
The Rams’ reputation preceded them.
“We’ve looked at film on those guys, so we know their weaknesses and their strengths,” said Blount, who had 18 carries for 88 yards and scored his 13th touchdown, which is one shy of Curtis Martin’s single-season franchise record. “We just tried to exploit their weaknesses. We know they bail when it’s one-on-one tackling. We had to attack them and make sure he missed because if I didn’t make him miss, I probably wouldn’t have lived it down.”
And so, the Patriots blew out the Rams, whose garbage-time touchdown dressed up a final score that was never in doubt. Brady completed 33-of-46 passes for 269 yards and one touchdown to Chris Hogan, and his quick passes offset the Rams’ talented defensive line. Aaron Donald, who is among the best interior rushers in the league, was as hard to find as coach Jeff Fisher’s challenge flag.
Brady was efficient without Rob Gronkowski, hitting Julian Edelman eight times for 101 yards and connecting with Malcolm Mitchell eight times for 82 yards. The 39-year-old set an NFL record with his 201st victory to cap a stretch in which he surpassed Brett Favre (199 wins) and Peyton Manning (200).
“We’re in the locker room with a walking legend,” Malcolm Butler said.
Rams rookie Jared Goff, who still has 201 fewer victories than Brady, only completed 14 passes on 32 attempts for 161 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He connected with Kenny Britt on his last two throws for 67 yards and a score to avoid an apocalyptic performance.
Of the Rams’ 12 possessions, excluding a kneel-down before halftime, they had six three-andouts and two series that ended with picks. The Patriots held LA to seven first downs and 1-of-12 on third down while Brady’s unit racked up 37 minutes, 57 seconds in time of possession.
The pressure was the defense’s best asset, as they hit Goff nine times, including four sacks, and they added five tackles for loss and nine batted passes. Logan Ryan (two quarterback hits), Shea McClellin, Rob Ninkovich (two quarterback hits) and Chris Long (three quarterback hits) recorded sacks, and Jabaal Sheard had a quarterback hit and three pass breakups. The Pats thoroughly beat down the league’s worst-ranked offense.
“We saw what we are capable of when we’re playing well,” Ryan said.
Butler capitalized off the Rams’ epidemic of drops, as he intercepted a ball that evaded Lance Kendricks’ hands to close the first quarter. Four plays later, Brady and Hogan hooked up for a 14-yard touchdown on a backshoulder throw that was the result of the pair taking advantage of E.J. Gaines’ off coverage.
“We were on the same page,” Hogan said.
Stephen Gostkowski was perfect from there, hitting field goals from 28, 48, 45 and 45 yards. The Rams, who had one first down and 25 yards of offense in the first half, dented the scoreboard with Greg Zuerlein’s 44-yard field goal that made it 17-3 in the third. But Gostkowski followed with successful boots on back-to-back series that sandwiched Kyle Van Noy’s first career interception to make it 23-3.
It was one of the least dramatic victories of Brady’s career. Predictably, he didn’t want to corral any attention afterward, telling the Patriots in the locker room to share in the spotlight. And he said later he was “very grateful” for his teammates, coaches, family and friends.