FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A look at the New England Patriots players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Sunday’s 27-10 victory over the Washington Redskins.:
UP
LeGarrette Blount: Playing a season-high 47 snaps, he rumbled for 129 yards on 29 carries with one touchdown. His previous high for snaps played this season was 31, against Jacksonville in Week 3. At one point in the second quarter, the Patriots kept him on the field for nine straight snaps as he built a head of steam.
Alan Branch: Big-bodied defensive tackle forced a fumble in the third quarter at a time when the Redskins trailed 17-3 and had advanced the ball into Patriots territory. The turnover was turned into a touchdown as the Patriots never looked back.
Malcolm Butler: With Washington receiver DeSean Jackson returning to action, Butler often drew the challenging assignment to cover him. The fact we didn’t hear either name too often was a reflection that Butler rose up to the challenge. Jackson, it should be noted, is still working his way into top form after missing extended time.
DOWN
Tom Brady: A bit nitpicky to put the quarterback here, but based on the high standard he sets, he’ll probably lose sleep over his first-quarter interception to Julian Edelman. It looked like a throw he should have never made, and his overall accuracy -- which was excellent at times (e.g. Brandon Bolden touchdown pass) -- was up and down.
Dont'a Hightower: Linebacker who normally has a big impact on the game seemed to be a bit quieter than the norm, finishing with just one tackle. At times in the second half, the Patriots subbed him out and got Jerod Mayo and Jon Bostic some reps.
Dion Lewis: Prior to leaving the game with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter with a left knee injury, he had dropped a would-be touchdown pass and was brought down for a loss of 11 yards on one first-half run. He had a notable blitz pickup, and some other plays of note, but this wasn’t his usual solid effort.