It's been 13 years since the Patriots lost back-to-back games after Thanksgiving but that's exactly what's happened after New England was stunned at home against Philadelphia. Special teams were the main culprit in the 35-28 loss, which wasn't as close as that score indicates.
Here are some random thoughts from the Patriots second straight loss.
CURIOUS BILL -It isn't often when Bill Belichick's decisions come into question but that was certainly the case in the Philadelphia game. The made several curious calls, and those wound up helping the Eagles get back in the game. Leading 14-0 midway through the second quarter, Belichick opted to call a trick play on special teams. Instead of having Stephen Gostkowski kick off traditionally, he had the kicker flip the ball to Nate Ebner, who then tried an onside dropkick. Seyi Ajirotutu recovered at the Eagles 41 and Philadelphia took advantage of the short field and got on the board moments later. After forcing a Patriots punt the Eagles faced a third-and-13 in Patriots territory coming out of the two-minute warning. New England forced a short completion to set up fourth-and-nine but Belichick opted not to use a timeout until the clock was down to 1:39. The lost time, coupled with bad field position, led the Patriots offense to go conservative and soon disaster struck when the Eagles blocked Ryan Allen's punt and returned it for a touchdown. The gaffes completely changed the complexion of the game and eventually led the Eagles to victory.
NOT SO SPECIAL -The Patriots have been dominant on special teams all season but not so on Sunday. In addition to the botched dropkick, New England surrendered a block punt for a touchdown and a punt return touchdown. The blocked put was a complete breakdown as Geneo Grissom and the rest of the interior line couldn't handle Philly's rush and Chris Maragos sprinted untouched to block Allen's kick. Najee Goode scooped it up and returned it 24 yards for a touchdown. In the third quarter Darren Sproles grabbed an Allen punt and took it 83 yards to the house. Sproles is a dynamic returner to be sure but he made several Patriots miss early before sprinting away from Allen and a few other potential tacklers past midfield. Overall it was a total system breakdown for Joe Judge's troops who have been so solid all season long.
FIXING THE LEAKS -Last week in Denver the Patriots run defense took a huge step back after several weeks of strong play. Both Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson ran well against New England, particularly after Dont'a Hightower left late in the first half with a knee injury. When Hightower was forced to miss the Eagles game the run defense was once again in focus and Philadelphia took advantage. In the first half the Eagles piled up 70 yards on 15 carries, averaging 4.7 yards a pop. Most of that damage was done by Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner, who accounted for 10 carries and all but 1 of those yards. That pair consistently gashed the Patriots front and kept Philadelphia in manageable down-and-distance situations throughout the first half, and that came despite the fact that Jamie Collins returned to the lineup after missing four games with an undisclosed illness. Things didn't improve much in the second half as Philadelphia finished with128 yards on 33 carries, and that included several runs late in the game when the Eagles were simply running out the clock. Aside from a huge strip by Collins that gave the Patriots one final chance, the run defense was quite pedestrian yet again.
View a collection of the best images from the Patriots regular season game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, December 6, 2015.
Tucker LaClair of Montpelier, Vt., throws a football while tailgating with friends in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium before an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Will Putney wears a virtual reality viewing device while tailgating in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium before an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
David Dewsnap, of Fall River, Mass., gets his signs ready while tailgating in the parking lot of Gillette Stadium before an NFL football game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo, left, and Tom Brady take the field for warm ups before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady takes the field for warm ups before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots fans wear masks of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady before an NFL football game between the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Students from the Boston area in the NFL PLAY 60 program are greeted by New England Patriots defensive tackle Alan Branch (97) before an NFL football game between the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola takes a knee before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones gestures before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin (98) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty (32) and linebacker Jonathan Freeny (55) tackle Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles (43) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) runs against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots running back James White (28) scores a touchdown in front of Philadelphia Eagles safety Walter Thurmond (26) after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) passes to tight end Scott Chandler (88) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots running back James White celebrates his touchdown after catching a pass from Tom Brady during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass.(AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) scrambles away from Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Fletcher Cox (91) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) catches a touchdown pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacts after the Philadelphia Eagles blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins (27) tackles New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden (38) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick studies a tablet device along the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins runs past a tackle attempt by New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) with a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) runs along the sideline after catching a pass from Danny Amendola during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Scott Chandler (88) catches a touchdown pass in front of Philadelphia Eagles safety Ed Reynolds (30) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) rises after scoring a touchdown on a quarterback sneak during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) scores a touchdown on a quarterback sneak against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots fans watch during the second half of an NFL football game between the Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, right, speaks to Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly after the Eagles beat the Patriots 35-28 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
The End Zone Militia actors fire guns after a New England Patriots score against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, right, and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, left, work along the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Philadelphia Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis (6) kicks against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) sits on the turf after Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins' 100-yard interception return for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots running back James White (28) runs from Philadelphia Eagles linebackers Brandon Graham (55), Kiko Alonso (50), and safety Walter Thurmond (26) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
New England Patriots wide receiver Damaris Johnson runs with the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks to the media after losing an NFL football game to the Philadelphia Eagles 35-28, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick speaks to the media after losing an NFL football game to the Philadelphia Eagles 35-28, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and C.E.O. of News Corporation, right, shakes hands with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) before an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and C.E.O. of News Corporation, right, talks with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft before an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
THERE'S THE RUB -Keshawn Martin was active early on as a significant part of the offense. He caught a 19-yard pass in the first quarter and later drew a 42-yard pass interference penalty despite being double covered on the play. Martin really showed up a couple of times running effective rub routes, however. Unlike some earlier games when the Patriots seemed to draw flags for illegal blocks, Martin seemed to display good timing when sitting in his routes in areas where he affected the coverage on Danny Amendola, Amendola was able to shake free as result, and Martin avoided the flag each time. Martin struggled a bit in the second half, however. Martin had three catches for 45 yards but was targeted eight times. At least three of those incompletions were drops, including the final play down the seam. Martin is a complementary part of the offense but given the injuries he was forced into a bigger role.
OUT OF LINE -The Patriots continue to have problems along the offensive line and as a result the offense had trouble moving the ball. Tom Brady was forced to move all around the pocket throughout the game with several of the more successful plays coming after Brady was hit and knocked off his spot. He was sacked four times and hit 13 times. The pressure consistently derailed the offense and kept the Patriots from getting into favorable down-and-distance situations. The line also failed to open up consistent holes in the running game as LeGarrette Blount was forced to make many of his 54 yards on his own, some coming on plays designed to go one way only to see Blount reverse course and make hay in the opposite direction. Making matters worse Josh Kline injured his right shoulder and couldn't finish the game. Until things improve up front the offense will have a difficult time getting going.
HIDDEN WEAPON -For whatever reason the Patriots seem to be reluctant to incorporate James White into the offense. Despite being productive in his limited chances, White got just nine touches combined in the last two games. Perhaps out of desperation against Philly that changed and White finished with career highs of 10 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown. White consistently catches the ball and almost always makes the first tackler miss, yet Brady and Josh McDaniels seem to shy away from him for long stretches. Once the Eagles were in command Brady went to White often, and each time he came through. White had a huge 25-yard catch to convert a fourth-and-12 on the Patriots final scoring drive that allowed them to get within a touchdown. Again, White produces whenever he's given a chance to be part of the offense.
EXTRA POINTS -Brady's first of three touchdown passes moved him ahead of Dan Marino for third place on the all-time list, trailing only Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. He finished with three touchdowns on the day and now has 423 in his career. Brady also reached 30 touchdown passes for the season, marking the sixth time in his career he's had at least that many in a season, which is the fourth most all time. ... Nate Ebner served as the dime back in subpackages. ... The Patriots surrendered 35 straight points in a game for the first time since 1993. ... New England lost for the first time in 95 games at home when holding a lead of 8 points or more at any time in the game. ... Rashaad Melvin recovered an onside kick in the fourth quarter, one of three the Patriots attempted in the game. ... Brady had a 36-yard reception from Danny Amendola in the second half, which was just his second reception of his career. It was also Amendola's first-career pass. Â ... Damaris Johnson made his Patriots debut and recorded a 6-yard rush. He also returned two punts for 3 yards.
