Chris Hogan took a handoff and ran for 4 yards in the first quarter before injuring his hand at the end of the play against Baltimore Ravens. The New England Patriots wide receiver decided to take himself out of the game after the incident.
While that was happening, the team's offensive coaches called for the next snap to be played with a three-received package. However, there was one big problem - the Patriots prepared only three pure receivers for the game and Hogan was being taken care of by the medical staff on the sideline. As a result, special teams captain Matthew Slater determined that a timeout would be the better plan of action so everyone could regroup.
According to ESPN, that early sequence highlighted how the Patriots' offensive depth is being taxed, yet by game's end, they still put up big numbers in terms of net yards (496) and points (30) against the NFL's No. 1-rated defense. Wrapping up everything with Hogan's 79-yard touchdown, and then with running back LeGarrette Blount successfully running out the clock, was something that brought a smile to Tom Brady and Hogan's face.
"Me and Tom are on the same page. It was something where I had the option of going to the corner or the middle of the field and we saw the same thing," said Hogan, whose hand injury didn't cost him one play. "Tom made a great throw and I think it was the time and the point in the game where we needed someone to step up and make a big play."
Meanwhile, here is the weekly snap-count analysis: 68 total offensive snaps and 70 total defensive snaps. Limiting the running game was the foundation of the game plan and the big guys in the middle mostly did that as the Ravens finished with 42 yards on 14 carries (3.0 average). Furthermore, NESN adds that this is Patriots' 11th win of the season.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
