New England didn't need an historic comeback Sunday night to dispatch the Falcons 23-7 in a foggy Foxborough.
After a scoreless first quarter, Tom Brady and company put up more than enough points on a night when the much-maligned Patriots pass defense held 2016 NFL MVP Matt Ryan and the supposedly dangerous Falcons passing attack in check.
Unlike the Super Bowl LI battle for which this Week 7 had been deemed a rematch, the Patriots built a 17-0 halftime lead over Atlanta. And the pass defense that once again had to play without two of its top three corners with Stephon Gilmore (concussion/ankle) and Eric Rowe (groin) inactive happily ended its record streak of 300-yard passers allowed.
The New England game most worthy of being seeing this fall for the Patriots was actually tough to see from both the stands and the press box as a heavy fog settled into Gillette Stadium on this warm, human October night.
Make no mistake, though, for a team that's been seeking to right the ship for nearly two months, the defending champions turned back the clock on a win that included building a lead and cruising to victory with solid contributions from all three phases. No last-second comeback needed. No holding on for dear life. This was impressive and decisive.
"It was a great full-team performance," Rob Gronkowski said.
"It was a great team win," Brady added. "It was great to win tonight."
"We had a lot of contributions from everybody," Bill Belichick said. "We competed for 60 minutes."
Before turning the page to next Sunday's meeting with the Chargers, here are some of the personnel highs and lows from the win over the Falcons that wasn't even as close as the final score.
Buy
Stephen Gostkowski –On a night when Atlanta's Matt Bryant had a 36-yard field goal blocked by Cassius Marsh and missed a 37-yarder, New England's kicker was once again perfect. Gostkowski hit on his 29-, 21-, and 38-yard attempts while taking care of both his PATs. Gostkowski also continued to put the ball high and near the goal line to keep the Falcons returners in check to keep Atlanta inside the 20 on three drives after kickoffs.
Rob Gronkowski –When Brady needs a play these days, he goes to his big tight end. It was far from a perfect night for No. 87 as he was called for an offensive pass interference that wiped out his own 40-yard gain and two other false start penalties. But he also had a key, pretty 27-yard gain on a third-and-8 to help set up a field goal. Gronkowski also chipped in as a blocker leading the way for Brandin Cooks' 11-yard touchdown on what was essentially a jet sweep even though it was technically a pass. Gronkowski finished with three catches for 51 yards.
Dion Lewis – The versatile back continued his streak of good games with his most productive outing. Lewis got the starting nod and turned that into 13 carries for 76 yards (5.8 avg.), while adding a catch for 6 yards. Lewis had a 25-yard run, the second time in three weeks he had a run longer than 25 yards. As he's proven himself capable, Lewis ran with power and elusiveness, including running over Falcons safety Ricardo Allen. He led a rushing attack that churned out 162 yards on 36 rushes, the best overall output of the season.
Pass defense – By far the worst part of the Patriots team through the first six weeks may have been the best part of the win over the Falcons. The streak of 300-yard passers allowed ended at six, as New England held Ryan to just 233 yards on the night. With Johnson Bademosi and Jonathan Jones again playing significant snaps, Ryan put up zero points and 110 passing yards in first half, when he was sacked once and went 0-for-5 on third down conversions. Malcolm Butler was solid, including a pass defense in the end zone in the second half to prevent a score, even though he did have Julio Jones fight to turn a would-be interception into the game's only score for the visitors. But overall it was a huge improvement for the pass defense, eliminating the uncovered receivers that had been such a problem for most of the first six games. Atlanta had to work for what it did get through the air and it didn't get nearly enough to make the game competitive.
Sell
Nate Solder/Marcus Cannon – Though the offensive line was solid in the run game, there were still some issues in pass protection, mostly off the edges. Brady was hit for a strip sack by unblocked linebacker De'Vondre Campbell off left end in the first quarter, though the quarterback was able to recover. It was clearly a missed call or assignment, but it was the type of play that can swing a big game. Brady was only sacked twice, the only two times he was hit by the official stats. But he was under edge pressure and forced to step up in the pocket far more frequently. Solder also continued to add to a high number of penalties. The tackles can and need to be much better.
Penalties – For the third straight week, penalties were a problem for the Patriots. Overall New England was assessed with eight penalties for 65 yards. Gronkowski led the way with his three flags. But others, on both sides of the ball, had plenty of issues. Nate Solder had an early hold. Patrick Chung had an obvious hold on an Atlanta gunner in punt return duty. Phillip Dorsett earned a block in the back on a run play. There continue to be too many flags thrown the Patriots way, this being the only real, major negative to take away from this win.
Fog – Weather games are usually fun. Snow is awesome. Rain is interesting. Wind can be interesting. But fog didn't really make things all that fun for media or fans trying to watch from afar. The players admitted that long throws and plays at a distance on the field were certainly affected by the poor visibility. Bill Belichick mentioned that it was a challenge for the coaches working from the press box. Maybe the fog looked "cool on TV" as Brady put it, but it wasn't overly fun to look through.
The New England Patriots take on the Atlanta Falcons in a regular season game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 22, 2017.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) looks on as he makes his way to the field prior to a week 7 NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets pumped up as he runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets pumped up as he runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets pumped up as he runs onto the field before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady greets members of the U.S. military along the sideline before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady greets members of the U.S. military along the sideline before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo, left, and Tom Brady speak while warming up before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, center, and teammates stand during the national anthem before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, passes under pressure from Atlanta Falcons defensive tackle Dontari Poe (92) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons safety Keanu Neal, rear, tackles New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis (33) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, passes under pressure from Atlanta Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) and safety Keanu Neal (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan calls signals at the line of scrimmage during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons linebacker Deion Jones (45) tackles New England Patriots running back Dion Lewis (33) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons linebacker Duke Riley (42) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. The play was nullified on an offensive pass interference penalty by Gronkowski. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) catches a pass in front of Atlanta Falcons linebacker Duke Riley (42) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. The play was nullified on an offensive pass interference penalty by Gronkowski. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons safety Keanu Neal (22) tackles New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant (3) attempts a field goal, which was blocked, during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots players scramble for the ball after the Patriots blocked a field goal attempt during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, celebrates his touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, celebrates his touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks, left, during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks runs for the goal and a touchdown after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks, center, follows Rob Gronkowski (87) toward the goal line and a touchdown after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks, center, follows Rob Gronkowski (87) toward the goal line and a touchdown after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks dives across the goal line for a touchdown after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Brandin Cooks, left, celebrates his touchdown catch of a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes under pressure from New England Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise, left, during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler celebrates after sacking Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots defensive tackle Adam Butler, right, sacks Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady signals to a receiver as he rolls out to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes under pressure from Atlanta Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots defenders stop Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman (24) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gets a lift from center David Andrews to celebrate his touchdown pass to James White during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, right, watches his field goal against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Fog hovers over the field during the first half of an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) catches a pass as Atlanta Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell (59) defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) catches a pass as Atlanta Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell defends during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Fog settles over the field as side judge Adrian Hill works along the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots safety Patrick Chung, left, and cornerback Johnson Bademosi (29) defend as Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones goes up for a pass during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) celebrates in the end zone with teammates after breaking up a pass intended for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones (11) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots running back Rex Burkhead runs as Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert Alford, rear, defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots running back Rex Burkhead, front, runs from Atlanta Falcons defenders during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady passes against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia talks to players as they warm up before an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, left, makes a touchdown catch over New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler (21) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) runs in the fog as Atlanta Falcons defensive back Blidi Wreh-Wilson (33) pursues during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
(Editors note: Image has been converted to Black and White) A general view of play is seen during a week 7 NFL football game between the Atlanta Falcons against the New England Patriots Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 23-7. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, left, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, speak at midfield after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, left, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, speak at midfield after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, left, and New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, right, speak at midfield after an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, center, leaves the field after an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady talks to teammates on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates during a week 7 NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. New England won 23-7. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady checks his phone as he waits to speak to the media following an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski speaks to the media following an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Oct. 23, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Falcons, 23-7. (Ryan Kang via AP)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws from the pocket during an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots defeated the Falcons, 23-7. (Ryan Kang via AP)
What do you think of our lists? Alterations or additions? Let us know with a comment below!
