Quarterbacks – A-
The third-string quarterback Bailey Zappe got the start for New England. He played well for his first carer start, going 17/21 for 188 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Patriots needed one thing from Zappe: he couldn’t lose the game for the Patriots. He kept the mistakes to a minimum, and his lone interception was a fumbled pass by WR Nelson Agholor.
Zappe threw a dart to WR Jakobi Meyers in the second half against cover-two coverage for his second career touchdown pass. He also took one sack, but it was overturned due to a Detroit penalty. However, Zappe and the Patriots were 0-4 in the RedZone, having to settle for field goals throughout the game.
Running backs – A+
Rhamondre Stevenson carried the grade here as he had a career-high day in multiple categories. After just six snaps, Damien Harris exited and remained out for the remainder of the game. Stevenson saw 90% of the snaps following Harris’ departure and was the only running back active. He has now out-snapped Damien Harris in every game thus far, which should continue in Cleveland.
Belichick has nothing but respect for Stevenson. He told reporters after the game he has “as much confidence as you could have in his ability to be a productive three-down back.”
Wide receivers – B+
Jakobi Meyers led the receivers with 111 yards for seven receptions and a score against Detroit. Meyers is off to a great start this season. Although he has missed two games, he is seventh in the NFL with catches per game and has the third-highest PFF grade.
The rest of the receivers had a challenging game as Nelson Agholor contributed to an interception when a pass bounced off his hands. Later in the game, he stayed on the sideline due to a hamstring injury. Tyquan Thornton saw his first NFL action. He caught two passes for seven yards and played 25 snaps. DeVante Parker had a tough outing: he had zero catches, but he did draw two pass interference penalties.
Tight ends – B
Hunter Henry finally got involved in the Patriots game plan Sunday. He caught four passes for 54 yards, all of which resulted in first downs. Henry played most of the game due to Jonnu Smith’s ankle injury and was productive in the run. Henry averaged 14 yards a reception and should see action this week if Smith is still sidelined.
Offensive line – A
The offensive line had a strong day in New England, only allowing one sack which was called back due to a Detriot penalty. The Lions only hit Zappe once and only pressured him on two of his 22 dropbacks. A credit to the offensive line was part of the run game success, which created holes and gaps all day. Although tackle Isaiah Wynn had another holding penalty, he had a strong game, and guard Micheal Onwenu had his best game yet. He is PFF’s highest-rated guard.
Defensive ends – A
The Patriots fixed the run defense against Detroit, allowing 3.7 yards per rush and 101 yards on the ground. Detroit stayed on the field for numerous fourth downs and could not convert a single one. However, the line stayed strong, with Christian Barmore and Davon Godchuax leading the pack with two pressures a piece.
New England will have another tough task next week, defending Nick Chubb in Cleveland.
Linebackers – B+
Matthew Judon has made a sack in every game thus far and had two on Sunday. He continues to be a disruptive piece of New England’s defense. He also had seven pressures and a hit on QB Jared Goff. One of Judon’s sacks forced a fumble, and S Kyle Dugger recovered the ball, taking it 59 yards to the EndZone.
Jahlani Tavai, Mack Wilson, and Josh Uche also had strong games. Uche had multiple pressures, and Tavai helped cover star TE T.J. Hockenson. Mack Wilson showed his speed and was all over the field.
Cornerbacks – A+
Rookie Jack Jones has impressed many with his ball-hawking skills as he picked up another interception. Jones also had multiple pass breakups, improved in the run game, and had three solo tackles. Jonathan Jones had continued to emerge as he made plays on fourth downs on a couple of occasions.
Jalen Mills had a rough game battling through a hamstring injury. He let up three receptions for 37 yards.
Safeties – A
Kyle Dugger had a huge game as he recovered a fumble for a touchdown and kept TE T.J. Hockenson to one reception for six yards. McCourty and Phillps also had a good outing; McCourty has played the most snaps on the defense so far, at 80%.
Special teams – B-
Special teams didn’t get much better this week, but kicker Nick Folk stayed consistent as he hit all five field goal attempts. The Patriots offense has the third-lowest touchdown percentage in the NFL, and without a good kicker, it’s hard to put points on the board. Folk has an NFL record with 63 made field goals inside the 50-yard line.
The Patriots allowed another big return this week. Maurice Alexander had a 47-yard kickoff return.
Coaching – A
New England had a good game plan for hosting the Lions. Detriot was the number one scoring offense, and the Patriots held them to zero. Matt Patricia called a good game for the offense, allowing them to move the ball 364 yards and average 6.5 yards a play. Although the Patriots stalled in the RedZone multiple times, their offense is starting to click at the right time.
Belichick is now 5-0 when coaching a quarterback in his rookie debut who he drafted after the third round.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
