The New England Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 26-3, improving to 5-4. Their defense was the story of the game as it collected nine sacks and a pick-six.
The Patriots were the first team on the board, kicking a 49-yard field goal in the beginning of the second quarter. Nick Folk later kicked a 43-yard field goal to make it 6-0.
New England's special teams stepped up big time, blocking an Indianapolis punt and putting them at the 3-yard-line. Mac Jones and Co. immediately capitalized on the turnover with a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown, making it 13-0.
The Colts (3-4-1) tried a 39-yard field-goal attempt at the end of the half, which was no good.
Indy got the play it needed when it recovered a Jacoby Meyers fumble in the beginning of the third quarter. The Colts got three points off the turnover, but it was not nearly enough. The takeaway didn't lead to more positive plays and their success ended there.
The Patriots responded with a field goal of their own to extend their lead as Folk nailed a 28-yard field in the beginning of the fourth quarter.
New England's defense continued to come up with huge plays, with Jonathan Jones picking off Sam Ehlinger and running it into the end zone for six more. Folk, who finished 4 for 4 on the day, once again put the ball through the uprights.
The Patriots defense stepped up in a big way, led by Matthew Judon, who finishes with three sacks.
Here are the key takeaways from the Patriots' Week 9 win:
Why the Patriots won
Once again, the Patriots defense was the shining light for the team. Their defense, especially Judon, pressured the young quarterback and showed up big to help set up New England's offense for success. New England really sealed the deal with their pick-six from Jonathan Jones.
The Patriots special teams was also a highlight of the game, setting up the team's only offensive touchdown of the game with their blocked punt.
The offense had their struggles, but Folk's consistent kicks allowed them to at least get some points on the drives that failed to get in the end zone.
Why the Colts lost
The Colts offense had no steam today and they were unable to build confidence or turn the game around at any point. They didn't get in the end zone once in the game, and not scoring touchdowns is not exactly the way to win games.
They were unable to protect the quarterback and their offensive line was no match for the Patriots' front line. Ehlinger looked like a backup, making questionable throws and bad decisions under pressure. Matt Ryan was clearly not the greatest quarterback in the league before his benching, but Ehlinger is not looking ready either.
The Patriots offense was mostly contained, with only one offensive touchdown, but they were still able to get points off field goals, which ended up adding up to more than the Colts could attempt to catch up with.
The Colts were 0 for 14 in third-down efficiency and 0 of 2 on fourth down. They also averaged 2.0 yards per play, and lost 60 yards on nine sacks.
Turning point
The game was controlled by New England for most of the time, but the Pats widened the gap with the first touchdown of the game.
The Patriots came back after the blocked punt and immediately scored a touchdown. Mac Jones found Rhamondre Stevenson at the goal line to give the home team an even bigger lead.
Play of the game
The Patriots blocked the Colts punt and recovered the ball, putting them on Indy's 8-yard-line.
Matt Haack's punt was blocked by Jonathan Jones and recovered by Brenden Schooler, who took it six yards to the 2-yard-line.
What's next
The Patriots will host the New York Jets (6-3) on Nov. 20 for an important AFC East matchup, but first enter their bye week. The Jets and Patriots are in similar standings in the division right now, so these AFC East games will all be crucial.
The Colts will head to Las Vegas to face the Raiders (2-6) on Nov. 13. The Raiders have struggled this season, and lost two straight games.