3 Studs and 3 Duds from the Patriots preseason opener

The Patriots got their season underway against the Texans tonight when they dropped their preseason opener 20-9. The game showcased a tremendous defensive performance, but the offense could have been better throughout and struggled to string together plays. The offensive line, in particular, needed help with blocking and the run game. If there is a silver lining, the Patriots only committed two penalties. The mental game is key in the preseason, and New England did an excellent job of playing a clean game.

Here are my studs and duds from week 1 of the preseason.

Studs

Keion White

The second-round pick from Georgia Tech has been shining in practices this summer, and nothing changed when he took the field for his first NFL game. White finished with three tackles, but more importantly, he caused consistent pressure in Houston’s backfield. White was the best player on the field Thursday night for the Patriots. The Patriots may have found a steal in the 2023 draft.

Tyquan Thornton

After seemingly falling on the depth chart, Tyquan Thornton rose to the occasion and put together a solid performance on Thursday night. The Patriot’s highlight of the day came courtesy of a 27-yard reception from Bailey Zappe to Tyquan Thornton down the sideline. The play came on 3rd-and-8. Zappe threw the ball where only Thornton could catch it, and Thornton got control and extended New England’s drive. If the second-year wideout can continuously expand the field using his explosive speed, it will tremendously help Mac Jones and the offense. Thornton is one of the few Patriots players with elite speed and can separate off the line of scrimmage. If he can stay healthy, Thornton could see an uptick in usage this season.

QB/WR Malik Cunningham

Let’s not overreact. It was garbage time in week 1 of the preseason, but undrafted free agent Malik Cunningham put on a stellar showing in the second half. After what seemed like ten straight three-and-outs, the Patriots put in the former Louisville quarterback to try and create a spark. He did just that. Cunningham led a 9+ minute drive in the fourth quarter, which ended in a touchdown. The quarterback’s performance may have pushed him up on the depth chart, switching places with veteran Trace McSorley. Cunningham finished 3-for-4 for 19 yards, ran for 34 yards on five carries and recorded a touchdown.

Duds

Offensive line

Disastrous. Awful. Communication issues. Those are just a few words to describe the offensive line tonight. It wasn’t good. The Patriots were playing with their backup line, but the lack of depth was telling. The Patriots managed only 164 total offensive yards, and the line gave up three sacks. It seemed as if the Patriots quarterback was constantly under pressure. The Rookies Jake Andrews and Sidy Sow had challenging nights, along with Conor McDermott, who struggled. The line play made it difficult for the Patriots to do anything productive.

LB Diego Fagot

The former Navy linebacker had a tough night mentally. Fagot needed help in coverage and was often found in open field. In addition, Fagot got called for a neutral zone infraction on a 4th-and1. The Texans would be punt turned into a first down, which the Texans capitalized on. Bill Belichick loves special teams, and that type of mistake may be costly for the young 25-year-old.

Sophomore running backs

Although it’s tough to grade the running backs because of the lackluster blocking effort from the line, they still were below average. Clearly, the Patriots didn’t have depth at the running back position, and the sophomore running backs didn’t have any big plays. Rhamondre Stevenson didn’t get a chance to play. Kevin Harris recorded eight carries, rushing for ten yards. In comparison, Pierre Strong registered six carries for 21 yards. The Patriots may be more interested in acquiring a veteran running back.