Record: 12-4
Playoffs: Lost in AFC Conference Championship
Head coach: Bill Belichick
Notable assistants: Josh McDaniels (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach), Matt Patricia (defensive coordinator)
Regular Season Overview
Given that all of the injuries sustained by the Patriots throughout the season, Bill Belichick easily could have made a strong case for Coach of the Year. Former all-pro defensive tackle Vince Wilfork missed the last 12 games of the regular season and all of the playoffs. Rob Gronkowski only played in seven games all year. Running back Shane Vereen was in and out of the lineup all season. Newly acquired wide receiver Danny Amendola once again had a shortened season (nothing new there). Talented linebacker Jerod Mayo missed the remained of the season after jus six games. Top cornerback Aqid Talib has slowed by a number of injuries. But despite all that, the Patriots still got a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Tom Brady was able to will the Patriots to a number of big wins down the stretch on top of New England’s strong rushing attack, but the lack of talent on the offensive side of the ball and the injuries finally caught up with the Patriots, as they dropped out of the season after losing to the Denver Broncos in the conference championship game.
Biggest Win
This one is easy. It will take a long time for people to forget the Sunday night game between New England and the Denver Broncos, which turned out to be one of the best regular season games in the past several years. The Patriots rallied from 24 points down to force overtime with Denver. Peyton Manning tied the game up with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter, and the game went into overtime with the teams tied at 31.
It looked as if the game could end in a tie, with Denver failing to score on two possessions, and New England only going 19 yards on their first possession of the extra period. But with three minutes left in overtime, Brady drove the Patriots down the field, setting up a Stephen Gostkowski game-winning field goal.
Toughest Loss
It’s easy to point to the playoff loss and say it was the toughest loss for the Patriots. But the Broncos were just the better team, and proved it on the field. However, in Week 7, the Pats lost to a much worse team in the New York Jets. What really made this game was the overtime period. Jets’ kicker Nick Folk was lining up for a 56-yard field goal and missed it. But, he was given a second chance when New England’s Chris Jones was called for a penalty that had never before been called in a NFL game.
Jones was assessed a 15-yard penalty for pushing his teammate into the opponents’ formation. Folk ended up making his second try, giving New England the loss. Brady was visibly unhappy after the game, chasing down the refs into the locker room. At the time, the loss was much worse than it looks now, as the Jets and Miami Dolphins were both in the playoff picture at that time, and the loss could have come back to haunt New England. In the long run, this game didn’t mean much, but the loss had to burn for Brady and Belichick.
Offensive MVP: Tom Brady
Were it not for Manning’s amazing year, Brady could have made a convincing argument for the league’s MVP. Even with the plethora of injuries the Patriots sustained this season, he still managed to get the team to 12 wins on the season, including a playoff victory over the hot Indianapolis Colts. His stats weren’t nearly where they are usually at, but Brady still completed over 60 percent of his passes and found a way to win almost every game.
Defensive MVP: Rob Ninkovich
Ninkovich quietly had a career year for the Patriots, playing in all 16 games for the fourth time in his career since coming to the Patriots in 2009. The ninth-year player out of Purdue recorded 91 tackles (second on the team) and finished second on the team in sacks with eight. The defensive end/outside linebacker mostly played defensive end, and was a staple for the Patriots’ defense without Wilfork. In addition to his strong tackling performance, Ninkovich also forced and recovered two fumbles.
Most Disappointing Player: Danny Amendola
Once Wes Welker left in free agency in the summer of 2013, the Pats brought in Amendola to be Welker’s replacement and be Brady’s No. 1 receiving option. But, like almost every other season in his career, Amendola has held back by injuries. He appeared in 12 games, but was often limited in his playing time. He finished the season with only two touchdowns and 633 yards, down from his year in 2012 with the St. Louis Rams when he played in one less game but had 666 yards and three touchdowns. The Patriots knew Amendola had injury concerns heading into the year, but even when he was healthy, they had to have been expecting more out of him.
Best Rookie: Logan Ryan
With Talib in and out of the lineup, Ryan ended up getting more playing time than expected, and really impressed in his rookie year. The 83rd overall pick in last year’s draft, Ryan finished the season leading the team in interceptions with five, including one that he returned for a touchdown. Ryan also forced a fumble, defended 10 passes and picked up 1.5 sacks. Jamie Collins and Aaron Dobson both had solid years as rookies, but Ryan turned out to be a bright spot on what was an otherwise disappointing pass defense.
Statistical Leaders
QB: Tom Brady- 60.5 percent completion percentage, 4,343 yards, 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions
RB: Stevan Ridley- 178 carries, 773 yards, seven touchdowns, three fumbles lost
WR: Julian Edelman- 105 receptions, 1,056 yards, six touchdowns
TE: Rob Gronkowski- 39 receptions, 592 yards, four touchdowns
Tackles: Dont’a Hightower- 97
Sacks: Chandler Jones- 11.5
INTs: Logan Ryan- 5