The lasting image from the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia was Tom Brady being strip-sacked in the fourth quarter. The lasting theme from the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia was that their defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed. In the Pats’ 2018 season-opener Sunday at Gillette Stadium, we saw great signs that both the protection for Tom Brady and the overall play of the defense may be vastly improved this season as New England toppled the Texans, 27-20.
Here are three things we learned Sunday.
Ball hawks
The Patriots defense had a swagger about it on Sunday as they swarmed to the ball. Unlike last year, the Pats D had its way with Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson, holding him to just 176 yards passing on 17-of-34 passing. Watson did throw a TD pass but was also picked off by Stephon Gilmore and was sacked three times. The Texans’ signal-caller finished the game with a paltry 62.9 passer rating thanks to a Pats defense that never allowed him to be comfortable.
Houston fumbled on its first play of the season as it was recovered by the returning Dont’a Hightower. The Pats D forced the Texans to a three and out on their first “real drive” of the game, and Trey Flowers and Deatrich Wise combined for a huge third down sack in the first quarter to hold Houston to a field goal. The Texans had prime position on that drive after Tyrann Mathieu picked off Tom Brady, but the fact that the Pats held them to just three points there was a signal that things might be different for this defense this season.
A mix of old and new
We spent six months worrying about Brady and Gronk as neither player seemed happy this past off-season. But on gameday Sunday, all was again right in Foxboro.
Gronkowski finished with a game-high 123 yards receiving on seven catches and had a TD grab to open the New England scoring.
Brady didn’t just rely simply on Mr. Reliable, however, as he threw TD passes to Phillip Dorsett (seven catches, 66 yards) and James White (four catches, 38 yards) as well. Fullback James Develin and Cardarrelle Patterson also figured heavily into the Pats’ offense.
Limiting mistakes
Bill Belichick always preaches about mistake-free football, and while the Pats played mostly clean on Sunday – there were areas of concern.
Riley McCarron’s muffed punt late in the game allowed the Texans to hang around on Sunday and was reminiscent of Chris Harper’s fumble on a punt return in 2015 in a Patriots loss to the Broncos in Denver. Harper was cut by the Patriots the next day. Not sure if McCarron will suffer the same fate, but it wasn’t a good look from the Pats practice squad regular.
McCarron’s gaffe led to a Bruce Ellington TD grab and pulled the Texans within seven points of the Patriots with 2:08 left.
The Patriots couldn’t get much of a drive going when they got the ball back but if there is such a thing as a walk-off punt, Ryan Allen had one on Sunday. His 54-yard boot pinned the Texans on their own 1-yard line with 43 seconds left and Houston never had a real shot at tying the game.
