The Patriots 2023 draft class excelled against the Eagles. 11 of the 12 draft picks played a snap for the Patriots on Sunday. The one exception was Isaiah Bolden, who is currently on the IR. First-round pick Christian Gonzalez had the tall task of guarding Pro-Bowl receiver A.J Brown and didn’t back down. Gonzalez also had a sack and a pair of solo tackles. Moving on to the second-round pick, Keion White recorded four pressures in the first half. Although White didn’t see the field much, he executed well.
Furthermore, third-rounder Marte Mapu also had an outstanding game. On the offensive side, Demario Douglas had his share of success, hauling four receptions for 40 yards. Both rookie guards had solid games, with Atonio Mafi and Sidy Sow keeping Mac clean for a majority of the game.
Kicker Chad Ryland made both extra point attempts, and Bryce Baringer had a strong debut, putting three of his five punts inside the 20-yard line.
Bill Belichick spoke about the strong rookie performances on WEEI Monday morning. “I think all those guys, both sides of the ball, in the kicking game… are in the water. They’re swimming. It’s a long season, a long way to go.”
2) Mac Jones sets career-high in completions
All signs pointed to Mac Jones having a tough time against the Eagles secondary, but the Patriots quarterback played his best game since his rookie season, completing 35 passes for 316 yards. Jones had 54 attempts, a career-high, along with 35 completions. Jones passed for 300+ yards twice last season.
Once against the Ravens and once against the Vikings. Another positive for Jones is he looked great under pressure. The quarterback was under pressure on over 40% of his snaps, and he was able to use his legs to get out of the pocket. Jones finished the day with a 91.3 quarterback rating; however, he struggled on third down, only converting five the whole game.
3) Bill O’Brien showcases new offense
Bill O’Brien’s offense looked notably different than last year. Eight players caught more than one pass from Jones, and BOB made sure to mix up the formations and personnel groupings on the field. Marcus Jones also played a few offense snaps, which excited Patriots fans.
The Patriots’ offensive coordinator dialed up a good game plan, and even though Mac was under constant pressure, receivers were getting open in coverage. The Patriots out-gained the Eagles offense 382-251. If it weren’t for the early turnovers, the Patriots were likely to come out with the win.
4) The defense will keep the Patriots in games this season.
The 2023 Patriots’ defense is elite. The Patriots defense held Jalen Hurts to 37 rushing yards and 170 passing yards on Sunday. Since the Patriots lost partly due to the offense, there hasn’t been much talk on the defense, but they played spectacularly. The NFC Champion Eagles only scored 18 offense points, which should’ve been enough to secure the win. At one point in the second quarter, the Eagles went four straight drives without scoring a fourth-down.
Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts didn’t complete a pass over 30 yards. That’s a good sign for the Patriots secondary. It was a team effort, with the pass-round dominant all day.
5) The GOAT returns
Seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady returned to Gillette Stadium for the first time since his retirement from the NFL. Before the game, Brady appeared in the new light-house and rang a bell, signifying the start of the 2023 season. Brady sat next to Robert Kraft in his suite with his family by his side.
At halftime, the Patriots formally honored Tom Brady. The halftime “show” started when Brady ran out to Public Service Announcement and did his signature run down the field, ending with a fist pump towards the crowd. Shortly after, Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced the organization will expedite the four-year Hall of Fame process. Brady will return to Foxborough on June 12th, 2024, where he will be inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
6) Preparing for Sunday Night football
The Patriots have no time to waste, as they have a tough divisional matchup on the horizon. The Dolphins will travel to Foxborough for the first time this season, and it’ll be a pivotal matchup in the AFC East. Miami won their season opener, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday 36-34. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 417 yards, and receiver Tyreek Hill had a career game totaling 225 receiving yards.
The Patriots can’t afford to fall behind more in the division and start their season 0-2. After Miami, the Patriots will have two straight road games, facing off with the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys before returning home.
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.
