The New England Patriots didn't prevent Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz from putting up good stats in Sunday's Week 11 matchup, but they were able to frustrate him at times throughout the game.
Ertz finished with nine receptions for 94 yards and zero touchdowns on 11 targets in the Eagles' 17-10 loss at Lincoln Financial Field, but according to Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore, New England knew it could frustrate the talented tight end based on what the team observed on film. Ertz appeared disappointed not to see a few flags thrown in the second half, during which the Eagles scored zero points and punted five times.
Here is Gilmore's take on the matchup against Ertz after the game. It might not rise to the level of trash talk, but it was a pretty interesting reaction from the soft-spoken All-Pro cornerback.
NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry noted Gilmore covered Ertz quite a bit on third downs and other situations late in the game. Ertz was targeted on only one third down, and it came with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter. It was one of Ertz's two targets that didn't result in a catch. The Patriots defense held the Eagles to a poor 3-for-13 conversion rate on third downs overall.
The Patriots defense played well in just about every area Sunday. The secondary did a nice job on Eagles wide receivers, the pass rush tallied five sacks and hit quarterback Carson Wentz 11 times, and Philly gained only 81 yards on the ground. Ertz was among the few offensive bright spots for the Eagles, but the Patriots prevented him from making any big plays that could've changed the outcome of the game.
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