Hoyer: Three keys to a Patriots win over 49ers in Week 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots have come crashing back down to earth since their surprising Week 1 win in Cincinnati.
They enter Week 4 with a 1-2 record after consecutive losses to the Seattle Seahawks and New York Jets. Thursday’s game vs. New York was a reality check as they were blown out, 24-3.
It didn’t help that they failed to execute any of former Pats quarterback Brian Hoyer’s keys to victory for the matchup. Hoyer pinpointed ball security, handling the Jets’ zone defense, and playing loose on the short week as New England’s three keys to a win over its division rival.
Although quarterback Jacoby Brissett took care of the football, running back Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled for the third consecutive game. The Jets’ defense wreaked havoc with 15 QB hits (five sacks).
Next on the schedule is a tough Sunday showdown with the San Francisco 49ers. The reigning NFC champions are 10-point favorites despite injuries to several key players.
So, how can the Patriots bounce back and pull off the upset? Here are Hoyer’s three keys to an improbable victory in Santa Clara.
1. Get back to your identity
“The main thing that we saw on Thursday night was the Patriots got away from who they were,” Hoyer said. “In the first week, they had 39 rushing attempts. In the second week, they had 36 rushing attempts. And last week against the Jets, it went all the way down to 15.
“Part of that I think, is they came out with the idea that they wanted to pass the ball down the field. Obviously, us in the media were talking about it, the fans were talking about it. I think that was part of their game plan. Another part is the game got away from them, so now you’re trying to get back in the game throwing the ball, and Jacoby took a lot of pressure, took a lot of sacks.
“Those are things you want to get away from and get back to establishing who you are, running the football. Thirty-nine rush attempts…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/hoyer-three-keys-patriots-win-233620998.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-09-25 23:36:20
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