The New England Patriots came out on fire in Sunday’s home opener against the Baltimore Ravens before getting extinguished in the second half of the game, which was equally as disappointing as it was heartbreaking to watch.
Quarterback Mac Jones throwing three interceptions, and the Patriots’ defensive backfield getting lit up by Lamar Jackson and company is where the disappointment part comes in. And the heartbreaking part was Jones going down with an ankle injury that could potentially sideline him for multiple games.
Sunday’s loss could have a dramatic impact on the team moving forward, especially if backup quarterback Brian Hoyer takes over the reins.
The very thought of a backup, even one as experienced as Hoyer, going into Lambeau Field to face Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers is even more daunting than David versus Goliath.
Here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s game.
Winner: DeVante Parker
Earlier in the week, the narrative out on DeVante Parker was that he had a worse start to his first two games of the season than N’Keal Harry did with the Patriots in 2021. Well, he put an end to that ugly comparison with an incredible breakout performance against the Ravens.
Patriots quarterback Mac Jones was wheeling and dealing with deep throws to Parker, who hauled in five catches for 156 yards. On a day when the Patriots didn’t have Jakobi Meyers, Parker stepped up and put on a clinic.
As always, the biggest question for any Patriots receiver is consistency. Can Parker build off Sunday’s performance and continue to make an impact on the outside?
Loser: Devin McCourty
This was a rough game for Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who became the victim of his own “You Got Moss’d” moment against Ravens tight end Mark Andrews.
He also bit on a bad tackle angle on a play that resulted in a 34-yard run by Justice Hill.
The defense as a whole had its hands full trying to keep Lamar Jackson from wrecking the game with his legs, while also trying to hold off one of the worst matchup nightmares in the league in Andrews. McCourty clearly wasn’t the only defensive player struggling in this game.
But the defensive backfield, which didn’t have Kyle Dugger in this matchup, was clearly an issue for the Patriots.
Winner: Deatrich Wise Jr.
Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. looked like a monster among men in Sunday’s game against the Ravens. He wreaked havoc off the edge throughout the game, racking up three sacks and four tackles for a loss.
This is beginning to look like a breakout season for the former fourth-round draft pick out of Arkansas. Even securing a tackle against Jackson in the backfield is a herculean feat considering how slippery he can be when scrambling out of the pocket.
But Wise got home often and continued to show why there is so much excitement surrounding the Patriots’ defensive front. The hype for that group is very real.
Loser: Mac Jones
Mac Jones was well on his way to looking like a winner in the early part of the game. He was throwing with more confidence than ever before, and the team was even willing to let him take several shots downfield. The deep throws were fine as long as they were either catches or incompletions.
But once the turnovers started, that’s when the fun went out the window.
Jones got a bit overzealous looking for the home run throws instead of being patient and taking what the defense gave him. There were clear opportunities to hit open receivers for shorter gains or even throw the ball away in some cases.
But Jones still has a bad habit of playing hero ball. Even worse, he went down with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter that might keep him out of action for an extended period of time. There were a lot of really good plays and really bad plays rolled into one on Sunday.
Winner: Rhamondre Stevenson
Not only did Rhamondre Stevenson lead the Patriots’ offensive backfield in rushing yards, but he also surpassed Damien Harris in touches in a game where he finished with 12 rushes for 73 yards.
We also got to see a bit of the versatility from the burgeoning running back with him hauling in four catches for 28 yards. Stevenson has every-down back potential, and he’s beginning to prove it on Sundays.
The Patriots will likely continue to ride the hot hand with Harris still considered the team’s No. 1 option at running back. But Stevenson’s continued rise in usage is something to monitor in the coming weeks, especially if the team doesn’t have Mac Jones under center.
