Thrust into the starting role three weeks into his first season in the NFL, Jacoby Brissett looked calm and poised on Thursday Night Football. Paced by Brissett and an unrelenting running game, the Patriots throttled the Texans for a 27-0 victory.Even with the bright lights of a primetime game, the former NC State quarterback showed flashes of his dual-threat ability early on. On his second NFL drive, the rookie went 2-for-4 in the passing game and rushed for 13 yards in a drive that resulted in a field goal. Brissett followed that up with a 27-yard touchdown run after evading would-be tacklers to take an early 10-0 lead. The first rush came off a read option look, something the Patriots rarely ever run with Tom Brady or Jimmy Garoppolo. For the encore, Brissett’s rushing score was the longest for the Patriots since Steve Grogan … in 1976.It's now confirmed that @JBrissett12 has wheels!! âï¸TOUCHDOWN!: https://t.co/4nY6oIH7TH : @NFLonCBS #TNFhttps://t.co/OAu8bXQNtS NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 23, 2016
How did he celebrate his first NFL touchdown? Handing the ball to the man who gave him a chance, of course.Equipped with a 10-point lead, the Patriots opted to limit passing plays against the Texans. After all, the Houston offense and special teams simply couldn’t get out of their own way.Brissett finished 11-of-19 for 103 passing yards and a 72.9 passer rating. On the ground, however, his 48 yards on eight rushes gave him an average of six yards per carry and a 40-year old mark. Not to mention, Brissett also nearly surpassed Brady’s total rushing yards from 2015 (53). In 14 seasons, Brady has rushed for more than 48 yards eight times. No, Brissett’s not exactly putting pressure on Bill Belichick to start him over Brady, but he’s showing glimpses of what his future may be in Foxborough.
