On Sunday, the Carolina Panthers (1-2) will visit Gillette Stadium to take on the New England Patriots (1-2). The Panthers are coming off a dominant Week 3 win, shutting out their division rival, the Atlanta Falcons, 30-0. Meanwhile, the Patriots are coming off a home loss, where Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin’s Steelers pulled out a 21-14 victory in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. Turnovers were the key to New England losing that matchup, and the big story entering this week has been how they can correct their fumble and turnover issues. The Patriots need to start strong against the Panthers, finish drives in the end zone, and win the turnover battle.
Much of the talk this week has centered on whether Rhamondre Stevenson will remain the starter for a fourth consecutive game, or if the team will hand the reins to rookie TreVeyon Henderson. Stevenson fumbled on the opening drive last week against Pittsburgh and later coughed the ball up again right before the goal line, costing New England a touchdown opportunity. Backup running back Antonio Gibson also fumbled, which led to Henderson seeing more snaps. Head coach Mike Vrabel addressed the situation Friday via Alex Barth:
“If you’re asking me if Rhamondre is on some sort of discipline, the answer is no,” Vrabel said. “We need our best players to play in the game, do their jobs, and take care of the football.”
Despite the ball security concerns, the Patriots are focused on getting their second win of the season. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye has been solid through three games, throwing for 785 passing yards (6th in the NFL), with 5 touchdown passes (tied for 8th) and a 72.6% completion percentage. The numbers have been encouraging under returning offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. Last week, Maye lost a fumble and threw his second interception of the season, but overall there are clear signs of growth. On Sunday, Maye will face the team he grew up rooting for, the Panthers, which could provide some extra motivation.
Another major storyline is the potential return of cornerback Christian Gonzalez. The second-year defender has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since training camp. Vrabel held him out of last week’s game against the Steelers as a coach’s decision, but Gonzalez has been ramping up to make his season debut in Week 4. If active, his presence would be a big boost to a Patriots secondary that has struggled, ranking 29th in the league while allowing 256.3 passing yards per game.
Finally, wide receiver Stefon Diggs could see an expanded role in the offense. Less than a year removed from ACL surgery, Diggs has shown flashes of chemistry with Maye but is still looking for his first touchdown as a Patriot. Through three games, he has 13 receptions for 112 yards. Diggs spoke about his role earlier this week:
“I want to be a key point in this offense, part of the sail with things going in the right direction,” Diggs said. “We’ve got a young team. We’re out there fighting and getting on the same page. You see things clicking here and there. I just want to be part of it. I’m trying to do what I’m asked and be consistent. Having a young quarterback that can ball, I just want to be in the right spot for him and gain that confidence throughout games. I think it’s going to pay dividends for us.”
—Per Mark Daniels, MassLive Patriots Reporter
My name is Kenneth Matias and I am an aspiring sports journalist that has great sports knowledge and follow the New England Patriots and the NFL landscape very closely.
