This game was way better than anyone had a right to expect, kind of like the Patriots-Giants Super Bowls. For about a half, anyway. The main takeaway if you started any Patriots players (except Tom Brady) was just how much better it could have been.
A note on the weather, which some were fretting about beforehand. Didn't seem to have any impact. Maybe the wind factored into a Mike Nugent miss, maybe it affected a couple of ugly passes. But much ado about nothing, a reminder that overreacting to weather is just as dangerous if not more so than underreacting.
Tom Brady: Brady finished with great yardage numbers and a couple of short rushing touchdowns (more on those in a minute). But he was definitely off his game in the early going, with an interception and another one that should have been and a couple of fumbles, plus just throwing a couple of wild passes. But he settled in, as he ordinarily does, and was near-perfect in the middle periods, when the game was decided. Should have had a touchdown pass to James White (overturned), but he actually gained fantasy points in most scoring systems by sneaking it in the next play. He's Brady, he's great, and the choice matchups keep on coming with the Jets next week.
Daniel Jones: No surprise that Jones would struggle since he was ludicrously missing his THREE top targets in the passing game (Evan Engram, Sterling Shepard, Saquon Barkley). But he was probably even worse than his stats (161 yards, 1 TD, 3 interceptions) indicated. The picks were just out and out awful decisions and throws, one of which he had loads of time before being forced to scramble and then heaved it up into traffic. Most egregious (and this is on both him and whoever was calling the plays), they dialed up passes to Rhett Ellison as if seemingly believing he was Engram, with similar speed and athleticism, instead of a limited blocker type who was well-covered virtually every time passes were sent his way. Jones could have thrown 5-6 interceptions, easily. Again though, he had no chance with his "weapons." The touchdown throw to Golden Tate was a thing of beauty, also maybe his only good throw all night.
Giants running backs: The less said the better, amiright? Jonathan Hilliman succeeded in making Wayne Gallman look like Saquon Barkley. He had no chance on run plays, had a costly lost fumble, and ...yeah. Less said the better. You should not have started Hilliman no matter how deep your league was. The fact that he was 40th in our RB rankings and there are only 28 teams playing this week says a lot.
Patriots running backs: Here we go. It would be paranoid to think Belichick, Josh McDaniels, or whoever dialed up those goal-line sequences hates fantasy teams. Giving Brandon Bolden the first touchdown, OK, fine whatever. But the fact that New England wound up on the goal line on two other occasions and New England decided to let its 42-year-old Hall of Fame quarterback barge into the line to sneak both of them in is beyond belief. Did they want him to work out some animosity for the Giants depriving him of rings seven and eight, perhaps? Sony Michel is the team's main runner. He ran the ball fairly well last night; not great, but he seemed to take what was there. With any other coaching staff he would have scored multiple touchdowns. But for some reason New England decided not to even have him on the field for those goal-line plays. Crazy and frustrating, even though I was facing Michel in two leagues. I mean, I just want teams to be fair. That was just cruel. They're using Michel a little more as a receiver the last two weeks; he caught 2 passes. But he also let another easy one go through his hands, so we'll see if that usage continues.
James White caught all 9 passes thrown his way. He briefly was credited with a touchdown after one reception, which would have given him a 19-point PPR game. But some replay that we fans were no privy to convinced some reviewer that there was conclusive evidence that when his elbow touched down the nose of the football had not broken the plane of the goal line. Again, it was called a touchdown, so somebody had to have clear visual evidence that it was short to overturn it. Why yes, I did start White in three leagues, why do you ask? In any case, it highlights to me the main problem with replay: even the reversals and non-reversals seem arbitrary and reliant on human judgment. Just like we had before replay, so what is the point. Anyway, bad luck or no, White without Burkhead around to frustrate us is pretty much fantasy gold. Unlucky not to score.
Brandon Bolden appears to be this year's James Develin, except he's not playing fullback. He'll sprinkle in for a few plays and get some goal-line chances, probably scoring 4-5 TDs when all is said and done. Can't actually be started (maybe in TD-only?), but will steal production most notably from Michel.
Giants receivers: Golden Tate and Darius Slayton were the only wideouts targeted. (The less said about Rhett Ellison the better.) Tate had the thrilling, juggling touchdown catch where he was well-covered but it was a great throw. The only Giant who should have been started and the only one who helped you. Was nice to see him with that downfield catch, since the Lions and Eagles didn't do much of that with him last year. Slayton looked credible also; Giants might have found something with the rookie. But usually he'll be the No. 3.
Patriots receivers: A usual big game from Julian Edelman. Couple of missed connections early but they made up for it late. Josh Gordon left early with a knee injury. He was riding a bike on the sidelines, so presumably it's not serious, but just another frustrating outing from a guy set up to have a big game with Phillip Dorsett out and New York's secondary godawful. Jakobi Meyers didn't have a big game (4 for 54), but caught all the passes sent his way and a couple were really nice grabs, including a diving one of a low throw near the goal line. Meyers had the great preseason and in this game he looked like he's for real. Should continue to be one of the top 3 options if Dorsett and/or Gordon miss time. Worth adding.
Ryan Izzo also got a couple of looks (Matt LaCosse was in and out with a knee issue of his own, though returned), but clearly he's not going to be a big part of the passing game. And we had even more smoke to the idea of Rob Gronkowski returning, from Bob Kraft and Gronk himself. If I'm Gronk (and the Patriots), maybe I'm quite content to come back around Week 13 or so. Seems pretty clear the Patriots are going to wind up in their usual spot as the No. 1 or 2 seed in the AFC, so why bother bringing Gronk back now, just get him back for the playoff run. I think it's possible.
Aldrick Rosas: I assume no one considered starting the Giants kicker in this game.
Mike Nugent: Nothing Nugent did suggested he's long for this kicking job. He clanged a 40-yard attempt off an upright and a couple of his extra points were also adventures, just sneaking in. It was windy, so maybe Nugent's awesome, but I'm not buying.
Patriots Defense: Bill Belichick is a defensive guy, so it's kind of amazing it took him nearly two decades to have a Defense like this one. They've had good ones at times, including the one that upset the Rams way back when, but this thing is a freaking NFL and fantasy juggernaut. OK: they have enjoyed the most comically favorable start to a season I've ever seen. Jets, Dolphins, Bills, Washington, and Giants with all their significant offensive players out hurt. But they are making plays on every ball in the air and winning fantasy matchups week after week. I'm trailing 31-13 in a league where I had White and my opponent had the Pats D. I'm leading similarly in a league where I had New England and they had Michel. Whatever, they're on the kind of run the Bears had last year and the Jaguars two years ago. Start 'em every week.