The New England Patriots came within a drive of shocking the sports world on Sunday by knocking off the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles, but far too many mistakes and a failure to execute down the stretch cost them.
This game will feel like the one that got away for the team, especially after they watch the film and see all of the plays they left on the field. However, it could also be viewed as a building block for an improved effort in 2023.
Buy Patriots TicketsThe offense looks like it’s finally in a good place under Bill O’Brien, and Mac Jones is playing with the utmost confidence. Meanwhile, the defense held an elite quarterback in Jalen Hurts to only 170 passing yards and one touchdown in the 20-25 loss.
Here are the studs and duds from the game.
STUD: Mac Jones
The Patriots didn’t get the win, but Mac Jones outplayed Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in this game. He threw for 316 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception as opposed to Hurts’ 170 passing yards and one touchdown.
Of course, the biggest difference between the two was the pick-six Jones threw in the first quarter.
But outside of that one mistake, the Patriots’ second-year quarterback was firing on all cylinders in a game where the team was haunted by dropped passes and missed opportunities to keep the chains moving. Just seeing the improvements from Jones alone is enough for optimism with the Patriots offense moving forward.
DUD: Bill Belichick
The decision to go for it on a fourth down in the red zone in the fourth quarter was a questionable one from coach Bill Belichick. With the score sitting at 22-14, the Patriots could have put themselves in a position where they would have only needed a field goal after the initial comeback touchdown score.
But Belichick made the decision to go for it and took away the opportunity to put easy points on the board. Was it an issue of him not feeling comfortable putting rookie kicker Chad Ryland in that situation?
If that was the case, the team could have kept veteran Nick Folk, who had a great day kicking for the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
STUD: Rookie guards
The Patriots came into this game missing both starting offensive guards, Mike Onwenu and Cole Strange. So it’s no surprise the game was pegged as a disaster waiting to happen with rookies Atonio Mafi and Sidy Sow filling the vacant guard positions against the best pass-rushing team in the NFL.
Quite the contrary, the rookies held up strong in the trenches, and Jones had time to throw from the pocket. It’s a great sign for a Patriots team that feared they lacked the necessary depth to hold up down the stretch.
Granted, Mac Jones still must do a better job of getting rid of the football when the pocket collapses. But for the most part, however, the rookie offensive linemen, along with fill-in right tackle Calvin Anderson, held their own against a tough Eagles’ defense.
DUD: Kayshon Boutte
Patriots’ rookie wideout Kayshon Boutte couldn’t get both feet down to keep the potential game-winning drive going for the Patriots. It was the second time he failed to toe-tap along the sidelines on a beautifully placed ball from Jones.
Those were potential big-game moments for Boutte, who saw four targets and zero receptions in his regular season debut. Meanwhile, his counterpart, rookie Demario Douglas, hauled in four passes for 40 yards in the game.
Boutte will have to work to adapt to the NFL rules of both feet needing to be inbounds for a completed pass, if he hopes to earn Jones’ trust.
STUD: Kendrick Bourne
In only one game under newly-hired offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne already has more receiving touchdowns than he had last season.
He secured six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns against the Eagles on Sunday. One of the touchdown catches was this incredible grab in the back of the end zone on a perfectly placed pass from Mac Jones.
Double the @BournePoly11.
📺: #PHIvsNE on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/MU9w1aQWxi
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 10, 2023
Bourne has the potential to be a No. 1 target for Jones, especially when DeVante Parker isn’t in the lineup. The version of Bourne we saw on Sunday looked like the same player from the 2021 version, who had a career-high 800 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
STUD: Hunter Henry
Kendrick Bourne wasn’t the only veteran making offensive plays for the Patriots.
Tight end Hunter Henry was back to his old job of acting as a security blanket for Mac Jones. He came up with nearly every pass thrown in his direction, including the ones that initially looked like they had no chance of being caught.
What a catch, @Hunter_Henry84 🤯
📺: #PHIvsNE on @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/KG0D9ieHmM
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 10, 2023
Keeping Henry heavily involved in the offense will be the key to success for the Patriots. The veteran tight end was made a first-time team captain this season, and he showed why he’s deserving by stepping up and making plays for the team when they really needed it.
STUD: Christian Gonzalez
It would seem impossible for a rookie cornerback to go up against one of the best receivers in football on the first day of the job, but Patriots rookie Christian Gonzalez is obviously built different.
The first-round draft pick stood up to the challenge and constantly made plays as both a coverage player and a tackler. He even netted a sack on Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts under his belt in the game.
It was a physical football game, and Gonzalez showed he wasn’t afraid to step up and make a big play.
STUD: Ja'Whaun Bentley
Ja’Whaun Bentley is the sort of player that picks up his lunchbox and goes to work week after week, rarely receiving recognition for the incredible job he does defensively.
He led the Patriots defense with nine tackles on Sunday, including one tackle for a loss. It was a tough matchup against a tricky Eagles offense with a dual threat under center at quarterback.
Bentley’s ability to identify what Hurts was doing and run up to make a bevy of great defensive plays was nothing short of astounding. We’ll see if he can build on that effort when facing another dual threat in Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
DUD: Ezekiel Elliott
Ezekiel Elliott led the Patriots on the ground with seven rushes for 29 yards. He’s still getting integrated in the offense, and few expected a big game from him against Philly’s brick wall of a defensive front.
But his lost fumble in the first half of the game was one of the nails in the coffin for the Patriots.
With the fumble, the Eagles were set up in great field position to add to their lead. Ball security hasn’t really been an issue for Elliott over the course of his career, and it’s hard to envision that becoming the case in New England. But that play alone was bad enough to land him a spot on the dud list.
STUD: Keion White
Keion White didn’t look like he made much of an impact on the stat sheet alone, but he was a constant presence in the backfield. There were multiple moments in the game where the pocket was pushed backwards due to White’s pursuit.
It’s only a matter of time before he puts things together and the stats start reflecting his relentless effort. The Patriots’ second-round draft pick could be a sack monster in the making.
Look at the push Keon White gets on this play. Unreal pic.twitter.com/OyjTY3gFkw
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) September 10, 2023
White, Christian Gonzalez and Marte Mapu are already looking like standouts on the Patriots defense, despite only being rookies. The future is bright for this unit.
