The Patriots scored 28 points in the second half en route to a 38-15 win over the Cleveland Browns. The Patriots led 10-6 at the break but the offense, defense and special teams took the game over in the second half, enabling them to pull away and win in blow out fashion.

Here seven points on the Patriots win today

1. Thornton makes an impact: Rookie wide receiver Tyquan Thornton returned from I.R last week but didn’t have his breakout game until today. Thornton caught a touchdown pass and scored a second touchdown on a jet sweep. He flashed the play making ability we saw at Baylor today and in the process earned a bigger role in the offense. He gives the Patriots a dimension they have lacked in recent years.

https://twitter.com/newftbj/status/1581721214896439297?s=46&t=4bwrEXo0YzE8Jsz4uGcxBA

2. Zappe Days: Bailey Zappe had the best start of his young career today. He completed 24 of 34 passes for 309 yards and two touchdown passes. Zappe had a 118.4 passer rating. He didn’t get off to a great start in the first half but was lights out in the second half. Given the way Zappe is playing, the Patriots can take their time with Mac Jones recovery. They don’t have to rush him back from his ankle injury.

3. Defense dominates again: The defense didn’t earn a shutout this week but boy were they good. The Patriots sacked Jacoby Brissett four times and picked him off twice. It was another dominant performance by a unit that is starting to play at an elite level.

4. Injuries: It is great to win games like this but the injuries today were concerning. The Patriots lost Kendrick Bourne to a toe injury, defensive tackle Christian Barmore to a knee injury and special teams ace Cody Davis to a knee injury. There are no updates on any of them but the hope is that all three are ok and not out long term.

5. Patricia the play caller: It has been a tough three week stretch for the Patricia Play Calling Haters Club. Patricia called another good game today. He and Joe Judge have done a terrific job with the offense as a whole but especially with Zappe. The kid has developed thanks to Judge and Patricia is doing a good job of calling plays that play to Zappe’s strengths.

https://twitter.com/newftbj/status/1581740101092401152?s=46&t=4bwrEXo0YzE8Jsz4uGcxBA

6. Front seven controls the LOS: The Browns have arguably the best one, two punch in the NFL at running back in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. The Patriots shut them down completely, holding the tandem to 68 total yards. The defensive staff had a great plan today. They played both a 3-2 and 3-3 box against the Browns on early downs. That limited the effectiveness of both backs because the Patriots had enough speed on the field to slow them down.

Stopping the run has been an issue for the Patriots in recent years but not today. The front seven did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage and the secondary supported the run well.

7. Number 324 for Bill: Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick won his 324th game today, tying the great George Halas for second place on all the time wins list. Don Shula is still the leader at 347 but Belichick is hot on his heels and if things go well, could tie or break Shula’s record next season.

For Belichick, his success is directly tied to one thing. Good players.

“You can’t win games in this league without good players. I’m very fortunate to have coached a lot of great players and have had a lot of great coaches on my staff through the years. A lot of those guys have gone on to have tremendous careers and players obviously – many of them are Patriots Hall of Fame or NFL Hall of Fame, or are going to be. Winning games in this league is about having good players and I’m very fortunate to have a lot of them. I had them in New York. I had them in Cleveland. I have them here.”

Having good players is the key ingredient to winning, but many coaches in the history of the game have blown it with good players. Belichick is right but he’s also being a little too humble. He’s a great coach.