Jonas Gray Holds the Key for New England Patriots

By Sean Jensen @seankjensen on November 21, 2014

Tom Brady is putting up MVP numbers.

What else is new? This isn’t a surprise.

Brady, 37, already has plenty of hardware, including three Super Bowl rings and two MVP awards. But Brady finally appears to have some key help as he makes yet another title run.

Remarkably, Brady has seemingly willed his team to 12-plus wins, despite injuries, a porous defense and lackluster offensive weapons.

Since 2010, the New England Patriots defense has ranked 25^th, 31^st, 25^th and 26^th in yards allowed. Meanwhile, the Patriots have always managed to cobble together a respectable run offense, often powered by a committee.

But what Jonas Gray did Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts – a team that had the league’s 9^th rated run defense entering the game – was special.

And it could result in Brady adding to his already impressive trophy case.

In seasons past, opposing defenses have essentially dared the likes of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Stevan Ridley and LeGarrette Blount to beat them, fearing and respecting the brilliance of Brady.

But Gray was remarkable against the Colts, pounding out 201 rushing yards and scoring four touchdowns in a 42-20 victory. Afterwards, the Colts didn’t even know what collectively hit them.

“He had 199?” Colts safety Mike Adams asked after the game, referring to Gray’s rushing total before it was later adjusted. “I think that’s the most all year that we’ve given up.

“That’s tough, that’s tough. It’s hard to beat a team if you can’t stop the run. If you can’t stop the run, it opens up the pass and Tom Brady, like I said before, he was throwing dimes.”

Actually, Brady wasn’t as sharp as usual.

He was 19 of 30 for 257 yards. And while he had two touchdowns, Brady also had two interceptions, including a very uncharacteristically brutal one just before halftime. After a play-action fake to Gray, Brady was pressured, and he blindly tossed the ball in the general direction of super-stud tight end Rob Gronkowski.

The severely underthrown ball was picked off, and the Colts parlayed that turnover into a touchdown.

Such a performance from Brady wouldn’t usually yield a blowout victory, especially on the road.

Not that Brady’s complaining.

“Whatever it takes,” Brady said after the game. “There’s games that you go into and we’re not sure how well we’re going to run it. But when it’s going well, you just want to keep giving it to them.”

Brady’s never been about statistics.

And given his age, he’s clearly more focused on becoming the first quarterback to lead his team to six Super Bowls and the third (alongside Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw) to become a four-time champion.

He may get his wish this season.

Unlike recent editions, the 2014 Patriots don’t have a glaring hole.

They’ve shored up the secondary, and the defense has playmakers in every unit. Overall, its also ranked 16^th, the defense’s highest standing in quite some time. On offense, the line has been improving, and Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell are all making plays and scoring touchdowns.

And while Blount was added back into the fold (he was signed Thursday after being released by the Pittsburgh Steelers), Gray could prove to be the key piece that gives the Patriots their best chance to make a Super Bowl run since the 2011 season.

Yes, the undrafted player who played sparingly in his first three seasons at Notre Dame could hold the key for the Patriots.

Though just 5 foot 10, Gray has both power and speed.

“He’s just a smart, hard-working kid,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “He’s got good power. He runs hard. His game is what we saw (Sunday).

“It’s not any one thing or one great epiphany… He comes to work every day, does his thing and gets better.”

Though Gray was on the Patriots practice squad earlier in the season, owner Robert Kraft predicted the unheralded running back would play a big role in Sunday’s game against the Colts.

“It’s kind of funny because on Saturday I remember walking into the building, and Mr. Kraft pulled me aside and said, ‘You’re going to have a big game this week, so be ready.’ Just hearing that from the owner, hearing that from the head coach, hearing that from the leaders of the team definitely gives you a positive outlook,” Gray said. “It definitely gives you the mindset to go out and do your best.”