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- Patriots win in all three phases. New England took the field with purpose Monday night and jumped all over the Giants, throwing 10 points on the board via a 12-play scoring drive that ended in a field goal and a 94-yard punt return touchdown from Marcus Jones . A fumble forced by their kickoff unit gave the Patriots the ball deep in Giants territory, leading to another field goal and a 20-point lead at 27-7, a score difference that would have stood the test of the remaining game clock. New England's defense bottled up Jaxson Dart and the rest of the Giants offense, forcing two turnovers on downs and four punts before New York's last-ditch drive, completing the total team victory. Often this season, the Patriots have been the subject of skepticism because they haven't won many games in impressive fashion. Their first-half display and the manner in which they finished the game produced an emphatic win in a game many saw as a potential trap. It never came close to being one for Mike Vrabel's team.
- Dart still isn't protecting himself. After missing multiple weeks due to a concussion, the No. 1 priority for Giants fans (and perhaps the Giants themselves) was ensuring Jaxson Dart would be more careful as a ball carrier. It was clear early in Monday night's game that Dart still doesn't quite know how to do so. His scramble late in the first quarter on second-and-13 ended with Dart attempting to tightrope the sideline for extra yards, leaving him exposed for a legal leveling delivered by Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss , a hit that sparked a sideline fracas and resulted in a penalty on Giants teammate Theo Johnson. Earlier in the quarter, Dart floated around a collapsing pocket in an attempt to buy time before sliding too late to completely prevent a defender from hitting him, taking another shot to the upper body, and when scrambling he still didn't avoid contact. A never-say-die attitude is admirable in the gladiator sport that is football, but for a franchise quarterback, it's dangerous and an unsustainable approach to what New York hopes will be a long and successful career for Dart. He makes plays because of his undying determination but needs to understand sometimes it's better to go down or get out of bounds.
- New England makes physical statement. The Patriots seemed to take outside skepticism regarding their potential personally and embraced the Monday night stage as an opportunity to prove their worth, taking the field with purpose and bringing the fight to the Giants with an especially physical brand of football. Simply, these Patriots were hitting early and often, starting with Elliss' big hit on Dart and continuing with a devastating takedown of Gunner Olszewski , forcing a fumble that helped them build on their lead. Perhaps most importantly, a Patriots line operating without its full starting five won the trench battle, helping their typically unreliable running game break 100 yards on the ground with a similarly physical and explosive style that balanced their productive offense. The last note is a big win for them, and while the Giants don't represent a true measuring stick for a club headed to the postseason, it's an encouraging development at the start of December.
- Carter's early absence proves how far Giants have to go. Abdul Carter did not see the field during the first quarter in what coach Mike Kafka said was a coach's decision, suggesting Carter was being punished for an unspecified infraction that occurred before Monday night's game kicked off. It was the second such instance in the last three weeks in which Carter has started the game on the bench and points toward a rookie possibly not yet grasping the responsibilities of a professional football player in the NFL, which also coincides with the current state of the Giants franchise. New York came out flat on Monday night and allowed the Patriots to land multiple haymakers in the first half, taking a commanding 30-7 lead into the break. By the time they finally woke up, the Giants were staring at a three-score deficit that they managed to trim to 15 points early in the fourth, far too late to mount a serious comeback attempt on the road against a 10-win team. The Giants will enter 2026 in search of yet another new coach; hopefully, they find one that can establish a culture of accountability, preparation and professionalism similar to the one that has propelled the team that inhabited the opposite sideline Monday night.
- Jones is heading toward postseason honors. If Marcus Jones was merely spending his game days as a slot corner, he'd be having a quality season. He ranks 14th in coverage grade among all cornerbacks, per Pro Football Focus, and has made some crucial plays in Patriots wins (see: Jones' interception of Josh Allen in Week 5, or his pick-six treatment of Joe Flacco in Week 12). That wouldn't tell Jones' entire story, though, and Monday night was a reminder of how valuable the former Bill Belichick draft selection has become for New England in 2025. Jones' 94-yard punt return touchdown gave the Patriots an early 10-0 lead that felt as if New England had jumped on the Giants' backs as soon as they exited the Gillette Stadium tunnel. It was Jones' second punt return touchdown of 2025, moving him into a tie with Titans rookie Chimere Dike in an incredibly tight battle for the lead among all punt returners (Jacksonville's Parker Washington is also close behind in yards and has as many punt return touchdowns). The difference, though, is how Jones has played a key role on defense for the AFC East-leading Patriots. He's going to end up with a Pro Bowl nod and just might earn his second All-Pro selection, too.
Next Gen Stats Insight for Giants-Patriots (via NFL Pro): Despite missing two starters (left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson), the Patriots allowed a pressure rate of 25, the second-lowest mark of Drake Maye's career. From a clean pocket, Maye completed 21 of 25 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns.
NFL Research: The Patriots have recorded 10 straight games with 23 or more points scored and 23 or fewer points allowed, the longest such streak in NFL history. The previous two teams to achieve such a streak for eight or more games went on to win the Super Bowl (1984 San Francisco 49ers) or an AFL/NFL Championship (1961 Houston Oilers).
