This ending was only fitting
Welcome to the Unconventional Review, an instant reaction to standouts, stats, and story lines from the Patriots’ most recent game . . .
The Patriots’ season-ending 17-3 loss to the Jets was a necessary indignity.
It was. The best thing that could have happened for the Patriots Sunday was to lose the game — even as it meant the end of their 15-game winning streak over the Jets, their own personal Washington Generals — and lock up a top-three draft pick.
But recognizing that as the necessary outcome and celebrating it are two different requests. The only thing worth celebrating was special teams ace Matthew Slater’s 16-year career, which likely came to a conclusion.
Everything else brought a sense of melancholy.
The defense played hard and passionate, as usual. The offense was mostly inept, which also is quite familiar. And the snow — on what sure felt like Bill Belichick’s final game as Patriots coach — was a reminder of better times that suddenly feel like a long time ago.
Some further thoughts, upon immediate review . . . THREE PLAYERS WHO WERE WORTH WATCHING Players suggested in the Unconventional Preview: Matthew Slater, Demario Douglas, Garrett Wilson.
Breece Hall: It’s a very Jets thing to do to have your talented second-year running back — a player who missed the last half of his rookie season after tearing his ACL — carry the ball 37 times in slippery conditions in a game you’d be better off losing.
Silly risks aside, though, it’s understandable why the Jets did it. They’d lost those 15 straight games to the Patriots, and desperately did not want to drop to 0-16 in their last 16 meetings, even if winning slightly but negatively affected their draft position.
This win mattered to them, and Hall is the player who delivered it. He ran for 178 yards on those 37 attempts — the most by a running back in the NFL this season, by the way — including a 50-yard run just past the two-minute warning that locked up the victory. Naturally, he also converted the 2-point conversion to make it 17-3.
The only thing more consistent than Hall at Gillette Stadium was the snow. He picked up 76 yards on 17 carries in the first half, and 102 more yards on 20 attempts after halftime. Hall had more rushing yards by himself against the usually stellar Patriots run defense than any opponent — meaning team, not individual player — had all season. The previous high was the Dolphins’ 145 in Week 2.
Jalen Reagor: We’re not anointing him as the second coming of Stanley Morgan or anything. He may not even be the second coming of the Stanley Morgan that currently plays for the Bengals, let alone the Patriots legend that belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But it might be wise for the Patriots to keep Reagor around for at least a long look in training camp. A former first-round pick that flopped with the Eagles and then couldn’t stick with the Vikings, Reagor has provided some big plays in recent weeks. He contributed a 28-yard catch two weeks ago against the Broncos, a 39-yarder last week against the Bills, and on a third-and-4 situation early in the second quarter Sunday, hauled in a 33-yard reception. He also added a 17-yard run on a reverse early in the fourth quarter. Reagor was the intended target on both of Bailey Zappe’s interceptions within a minute of each other late in the fourth quarter. Reagor is better than Tyquan Thornton. Does that count for anything?
Anfernee Jennings: Of all of the Patriots defensive players who seized their opportunities when injury and attrition depleted the depth chart — players such as Mack Wilson Sr. and Jahlani Tavai and Myles Bryant — the most unsung among them might be Jennings. He finished his third pro season with a careerhigh 65 tackles (50 solo), including seven total and five solo Sunday. Three of his tackles against the Jets were for a loss, including a fourth-and-1 takedown of Hall for a 3-yard loss in the fourth quarter. We didn’t know it before this season, but Jennings is a tough and reliable player, a true asset. Maybe that switch to a No. 33 jersey is what did it.
GRIEVANCE OF THE GAME
Just that it apparently ends this way. For Belichick, for Slater, and for an era of Patriots football that always will leave me filled with gratitude. And please don’t say it was all Tom Brady. It was Brady, and Belichick, and dozens of other superb, winning players. You may have watched every single snap of the dynasty, but if you fail to give Belichick proper credit, you either have a short memory or did not pay as much attention as you think.
THREE NOTES SCRIBBLED IN THE MARGINS
Predicted score: Patriots 24, Jets 10.
Final score: Jets 17, Patriots 3.
Zappe and Jets quarterback Trevor Siemian combined to go 20 of 50 for 158 yards and two interceptions (both by Zappe). In the first quarter, they combined for 14 total passing yards while losing 18 yards on sacks. And I didn’t think I could appreciate even more how effortless Brady used to make throwing the ball in lousy conditions . . . Belichick’s favorite punter is probably Ray Guy or Dave Jennings or some obscure lefty who once averaged a 47.3 yard net average for the Colorado School of Mines. But the Jets’ Thomas Morstead must be near the top of the list. Belichick has spoken highly of Morstead in the past, and he was mostly excellent Sunday, placing three of his seven punts inside the 20, including a 59-yarder that pinned the Patriots at their 3 . . . Greg Zuerlein drilled three field goals for the Jets, from 21, 40, and 33 yards. Pretty reliable kicking considering the winter wonderland field conditions. Zuerlein did miss one, ricocheting a 49-yard attempt off the left upright in the second quarter, and I know what you said when it happened, because I said it too: Vinatieri woulda made it.