There are a bunch of questions facing the New England Patriots in Sunday’s opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It will be their first real opportunity to wash away the stink of the 2022 season. They went 8-9 last season and missed the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Buy Patriots TicketsThat same model of consistency the Patriots have been known for hasn’t been there since Tom Brady was the quarterback. Coincidentally enough, Brady will be attending the game as an honorary guest of the team.
Perhaps his presence can help fuel the Patriots to beat the odds and knock off arguably the best team in football. Here are 10 burning questions facing the team ahead of Sunday’s matchup.
1
Who will start at right tackle?
One of the biggest questions facing the Patriots ahead of the opener might be the most simple one on the surface. Who will start for the team at right tackle?
Riley Reiff was expected to take on the starting job, despite turning 35 years old in December. But he was recently put on injured reserve with a leg/knee injury. An easy replacement option would have been Conor McDermott, but he has also been placed on injured reserve.
What options do the Patriots have left?
Well, they could go with Tyrone Wheatley Jr., Vederian Lowe or rookie Sidy Sow, but all three are lacking in meaningful NFL snaps. The experience isn’t there to expect any of those players to hold up against Philly’s defensive front.
That leaves Calvin Anderson, who recently came off the non-football illness list. It’ll still be a gamble considering Anderson missed training camp and the preseason for a team that he has yet to even take a snap for on the football field. But he does have 41 game appearances and 12 starts in the NFL, which is far more experience than the other healthy options on the roster.
2
Can the offensive line hold up in the trenches?
The Eagles led the league with 70 sacks on defense last season. They were a major problem for even the most talented of offensive lines. On Sunday, they’ll be facing a banged-up Patriots offensive line that could have one or more backups in as starters.
Offensive guards Mike Onwenu and Cole Strange have been back to practicing in a limited fashion, and the same has been the case for left tackle Trent Brown, who was limited throughout most of training camp. They’ll also have a completely new face in the mix with Calvin Anderson likely starting at right tackle.
This will be a monumental test for the offense as a whole to make up for potential deficiencies along the offensive front. Mac Jones will need time to throw the ball, and both Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott are going to need running lanes to get the ground game going. If the offensive lines fails to even compete in the trenches, this game will get out of hand fast.
3
Who will be the No. 2 quarterback for the Patriots?
Matt Corral has entered the quarterback mix for the Patriots and seemingly upended Bailey Zappe as the No. 2 option behind Mac Jones. That move alone has created a ton of hysteria surrounding Zappe’s placement on the team.
The second-year quarterback is currently stewing on the practice squad, while Corral is the only other quarterback option with Jones on the 53-man roster. But it’s hard envisioning things staying that way.
Even if Corral might eventually surpass Zappe as Jones’ primary backup, it would be surprising if that happens this week against the Eagles. Corral doesn’t have as much experience in the offense as Zappe, who would be the better option under center at the moment.
Perhaps the only argument against Zappe is Corral’s ability to make plays on the move. If he picks up the offense quickly, the Patriots could consider him a better option behind a struggling offensive line.
4
Can the Patriots defense force Jalen Hurts to make mistakes?
People always talk about Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ versatility as an offensive playmaker, but the greatest aspect of his game is the fact that he limits mistakes. He isn’t a quarterback that beats himself in games.
Granted, he had that big turnover at Super Bowl LVII, but for the most part, Hurts played clean football throughout the season. He only threw six interceptions, which is nearly half as many as Mac Jones threw in 2022.
The Patriots are going to have to depend on their pass-rushers to get home along the defensive front, and the backfield is going to need to make plays on the ball. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers averaged more interceptions per game than the Patriots last season. The defense must come up with takeaways if they have any hopes of an upset.
5
Can the Patriots overcome the loss of Jack Jones?
The Patriots’ defensive backfield took a big hit on Thursday with news that second-year cornerback Jack Jones is expected to miss “some time” with a hamstring injury.
That puts the Patriots defense in a bind from a depth perspective. Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones and Marcus Jones are the top options with players like Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade expected to step up more as potential rotational pieces.
The unit will get tested right out of the gates against an Eagles offense with elite playmakers like A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith at the wide receiver position. If anything, Jack Jones’ absence puts even more pressure on Gonzalez as the only larger cornerback, outside of Wade and rookie Ameer Speed.
6
How much will the rookie receivers be involved?
Tyquan Thornton is on injured reserve, and DeVante Parker has been limited at practice. This could be a game where we see a lot of rookie sixth-round draft picks Demario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte right out of the gates.
Both players are coming off a strong training camp, and they should immediately be in the mix for targets, alongside JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne.
Zappe ➡️ Boutte
📱: Stream #NEvsGB on #NFLPlus https://t.co/L9mPiySUki pic.twitter.com/w2UGAR77o5
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2023
Douglas claimed he wanted to make a statement in his regular season debut. What better way of doing that than going out and having a big performance against one of the NFL’s best defensive teams?
7
Can Mac Jones stand up to the challenge?
What Mac Jones will we see on Sunday?
Will it be a more mature version of the quarterback we saw in Year 1, or will it be more of the profanity-fueled tirades of frustration that boiled over last season?
Look, It’s no secret that the offensive situation wasn’t necessarily ideal for the Patriots in 2022, but Jones must remain the voice of calm and reason no matter how chaotic things get on the field. He’s going to have a tough outing on Sunday against a deep and talented defense. His ability to stay calm under unimaginable pressure will be key in a potential upset.
Can he stand tall in the pocket, take the punishment and continue to keep the chains moving? That’s the evolution people need to see from Jones to completely change the narrative from last season.
8
How will the rookie specialists handle the pressure?
Speaking of pressure, imagine what will be going on in the minds of rookie kicker Chad Ryland and punter Bryce Baringer. Their first NFL game will be a home meeting against the defending NFC champions, and legendary quarterback Tom Brady will be in the building.
It’s like learning to swim on the deep end of a pool inhabited by sharks.
Can Ryland rise to the occasion if needed to step in and make a big field goal kick in the game? The Patriots made the decision to trade veteran Nick Folk and stick with their fourth-round draft pick. That decision will help or hurt their chances in this game.
The same will be true with Baringer’s ability to dictate field position with his punts. One mistake could be crushing against a team as talented as the Eagles.
9
Will the Patriots' draft gambles pay off?
Some are still arguing over the Patriots’ decision to go defense-heavy early in the 2023 NFL draft, while passing on positions such as offensive tackle and receiver.
This is a game where rookies Christian Gonzalez, Keion White and Marte Mapu can put those frustrations to bed. If they’re able to contribute to slowing down Philly’s offense, the entire draft will be viewed through a different lens.
White looked like a sack monster in the making during the preseason, and Gonzalez has flashed legitimate lockdown skills in the defensive backfield. Meanwhile, Mapu could be positioning himself as the next great linebacker under coach Bill Belichick.
10
Will Bill O'Brien's offense take flight?
The biggest question mark entering this game is the Patriots’ offense.
Will Bill O’Brien being at the helm make a big enough difference to turn the Patriots into contenders? It would be quite the statement for the unit to have a good showing against the Eagles’ juggernaut defense in the opener.
The Patriots are banged up on the offensive line, and they’re lacking an elite receiving weapon on the outside. This is a game where they’re going to have to outwit the Eagles through O’Brien’s play-calling.
If the offense in New England gets on track, they could be a dangerous team considering the threat they already pose defensively.
