FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The days of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning dueling in regular-season instant classics never felt so distant.
The latest edition of Pats-Colts was sloppy, a field goal festival marred by uninspired quarterback play and injured offensive lines. Special teams delivered the top highlight. For a time Sunday, there were more negative plays than completed forward passes.
But as they have so often in this rivalry, the Patriots pulled away. And for a team working to rejuvenate its second-year quarterback and establish an offensive identity, an ugly win would do.
The Pats collected nine sacks in a 26-3 rout of Indianapolis that now leads into a well-timed bye week. Edge rushers Matt Judon and Josh Uche nabbed three sacks apiece, while cornerback Jonathan Jones blocked a second-quarter punt and scored on a deflected pick-six in the final minutes. Defensively, the Patriots became the third team since at least 1991 to hold an opponent to 0-of-14 or worse on third down.
The Pats (5-4) also moved above .500 for the first time this season, despite Mac Jones going 20-of-30 for 147 yards and a touchdown. Jones did, however, end a personal streak of six straight games with an interception and overcame steady pressure that allowed four sacks. Patriots left guard Cole Strange was benched again for Isaiah Wynn and longtime reserve Yodny Cajuste started at right tackle.
Jonathan Jones’ punt block provided a modicum of fitting revenge for the Patriots, who allowed a punt block touchdown in a bad 27-17 loss at Indianapolis last year. He also helped corral the Colts in every critical moment. In addition to their third-down failures, they also went 0-for-2 on fourth downs.
The Pats’ defensive dominance started immediately, with Judon dropping Colts quarterback Sam Eghlinger (15-of-29, 103 yards, INT) for two sacks in the first quarter alone, the latter ending an Indianapolis drive that started in Patriots territory. Meanwhile, the Pats offense gained 11 yards over its first dozen plays, including two sacks of Jones.
The Patriots finally wrestled free late in the first quarter with a 24-yard screen to tight end Jonnu Smith, who took the team’s first steps across midfield. Five plays later, Folk booted a 49-yard field goal. Folk punctuated the Pats’ next drive with another field goal for a 6-0 score, and the Patriots’ special teams piled on immediately to more than double their lead.
After helping his defense force another three-and-out, Jonathan Jones initially aligned wide right in the Pats’ punt return formation. But as the Colts prepared to kick it away, Jones crept toward the snap and timed his edge rush perfectly, going untouched until his diving block had smothered Matt Haack’s punt. Patriots rookie Brenden Schooler immediately scooped the loose ball and rolled forward with possession until he was downed at Indianapolis’ 2-yard line.
Gifted a foolproof scoring opportunity, Mac Jones capitalized with a short touchdown toss left for running back Rhamondre Stevenson at 6:18 left in the quarter. The Pats’ 13-0 lead held through halftime thanks to Colts kicker Chase McLaughlin swinging a 39-yard field goal try wide left in the waning seconds.
After a third-quarter Jakobi Meyers fumble, McLaughlin eventually got Indianapolis on the board with a 40-yarder. But the Patriots would yield no more, forcing the Colts to submit with two punts, one pick-six and a pair of turnover on downs to end the game.
Here were the best and worst Patriot performances from Sunday:
Best
Punt team: The Patriots blocked one punt and Marcus Jones’ 23-yard return off another set up a scoring drive.
Pass rush: In addition to Judon and Uche, Ja’Whaun Bentley and Raekwon McMillan both had sacks and Jahlani Tavai and Deatrich Wise split another.
K Nick Folk: He went 4-for-4, including three field goals from 40-plus yards away.
CB Jalen Mills: The veteran corner registered two pass breakups and shut down Michael Pittman, the Colts’ No. 1 wideout.
Worst
OL Cole Strange: The rookie was benched for a second straight week after getting whistled for holding in the first quarter and getting beat badly in pass protection on the Pats’ opening drive.
