Sunday afternoon had an energy that was immediately distinct from the doldrums that plagued the New England Patriots offense late in their matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
The opening script found tremendous success on the ground, especially with the New York Jets' depleted linebacker core. It took just two minutes for the offense to find itself in scoring position; after some strong runs to open the drive, Josh McDaniels dialed up a 28-yard pass play to Jonnu Smith on a clever play design involving a play-action screen pass.
With the offense at the 25-yard line and threatening the red zone, McDaniels once more called an incredible play -- one that some may describe as a "trick" play, but McDaniels seems to consider part of the 2021 Patriots offense's identity.