James Harrison didn’t start in his first game as Patriot. He absolutely finished, however.
James Harrison’s first game as a Patriot ended with back-to-back garbage time sacks
The 39 year old proved he’s still got something left in the tank, albeit against a bad team.
Harrison closed out New England’s Week 17 win over the Jets with back-to-back sacks, proving he’s still got the chops to be a productive pass rusher, even at age 39. While he played limited snaps, the former Steeler came on strong to finish the game, giving the Pats reason to be excited about what he might be able to contribute in the playoffs.
His biggest impact came after the final two-minute warning. With the Jets facing first-and-10 in NE territory, the veteran linebacker outflanked an understaffed New York offensive line to come off the edge and drill Bryce Petty as he attempted to step up in the pocket. That forced the ball to the turf, where offensive lineman James Carpenter was able to fall on it. Not satisfied with only slightly ruining Petty’s afternoon, Harrison would take the long was around the edge and sack Petty one more time as the young passer took entirely too long to find a target downfield.
The pair of sacks gave Harrison three on the season. This was the first season he’s had fewer than five sacks since 2013.
What does this mean for the Patriots?: Harrison’s presence is a welcome one for New England. With two sacks Sunday, the former Steeler is already tied for seventh on the team in sacks. Harrison also had a key third-down stop that forced the Jets to punt, and if he can keep up this pace, he’ll prove to be a valuable addition in the postseason.
What does this mean for James Harrison?: Sunday’s performance was a measure of validation for Harrison, whose release in Pittsburgh was at least partly a function of his complaints about playing time. It’s tough to read too much into a pair of garbage time sacks against a disinterested Jets team, but the league’s oldest defensive player looked fresh — and New England’s positional scarcity could mean even more reps when the team takes the field in two weeks for the Divisional round of the playoffs.
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