Just a few of my thoughts and observations after the Week 1 21 – 11 Win over the Miami Dolphins in Foxboro…
An absolutely gorgeous early Fall day for football in New England! If you’d told me back in March that the NFL would be starting the regular season as scheduled, in a recognizable form, I’d have politely asked for 2 of whatever you were having. But here we are, and it was so great to have some semblance of “normal” to escape to on a Sunday afternoon.
Of course, there was much that was not at all normal, most noticeably the lack of fans in the stadium. Weird, for sure, but I actually enjoyed being able to hear more of the on field chatter. Surprised there wasn’t the need for lots of bleeping of language, and it was a new element to the game. It will be interesting to see if the opposing team being able to hear more of the verbiage of play calling will be a factor going forward. That said, the fake crowd noise was kind of awkward, and at one point in the broadcast it almost drowned out Tony Romo and Jim Nance, which was bizarre and unnecessary, but a silent stadium would have been even creepier so pick your poison.
The masks were in full effect on the sidelines, but not worn consistently. Some were only covering mouths, leaving noses exposed. Some were worn as chin straps, accomplishing nothing. I was happy to see that it looked like Bill Belichick was wearing an N95 medical mask, the mask that protects both the wearer and the public, since we kind of need to keep that guy healthy. Strange that I even would know that, but again, here we are.
So much anticipation for the first look at the new, Brady-less Patriots. Without preseason games for any glimpses, and limited training camp views for the press, there was little to no idea what to expect. We knew what Cam Newton looked like in his prime and what he could bring as a new kind of weapon for Belichick and McDaniels if healthy, and yesterday did not disappoint. Without reading too much into one game and keeping in mind that the Miami Dolphins probably aren’t the stiffest competition this team will face, it was a great start. In the past we’ve heard Bill Belichick treats September as an extension of the preseason, so curious to see how he views September with none. By the way, I’m completely ok with never bringing back those relatively meaningless injury threat games.
So, some first impressions:
- The Patriots deferring the kick-off was a familiar start, and felt like a good omen
- I liked what I saw from Ja’Whaun Bentley leading the Defense to a nice 3 & out to start. We’ll need lots more good play from him
- Damiere Byrd’s muffed punt return was a scary start for the offense and not a good look for him
- Sony Michel looked good and of course it was great to see him appear to bounce back after last season
- Cam Newton as a dual threat is so fun to watch! You could see the Dolphins front getting frustrated and it boiled over by the end of the game
- Chase Winovich looked dominant rushing the passer and stopping the run. We’ll need him to keep bringing that energy and playmaking
- No penalties in the 1st quarter, plus the run heavy approach makes for a quicker pace of game than we’re used to. Nance and Romo actually joked about finishing early and this game was the 1st in the books yesterday
- Does Cam Newton have the best teeth in the NFL? That smile after running for 1st down was brilliant!
- How about seeing Pat Patriot up overlooking the game also wearing #1 and a mesh mask? Strange times…
- Bummer that the 1st two sweet interceptions (Gilmore’s and Adrian Phillips’) resulted in zero points after Folk’s FG miss. Hoping he can get it together
- Absolutely loved that the 1st TD of the season was Newton running it in, and loved the 2nd TD even more when he gave the ball to David Andrews, back from a missed last season, for the spike. Bodes well for team chemistry for sure
- Edelman really led the charge on the drive to start the 2nd half. His passion, energy and physical toughness are unmatched. Just love that guy so much
- Encouraging to see some nice catches for N’Keal Harry, until the fumble out of the end zone. Hate that touchback rule, but it is what it is and hopefully he can build on the good rapport with Newton and shake that one off
- UDFA J.J. Taylor getting some carries seemingly out of nowhere was uncharacteristic of Patriot teams past, but how great that the backfield has so much talent and potential? And how much do we think Bill Belichick is loving a return to old school smash mouth run it down their throats football? Feels a little like early 2000’s Patriots
- DPI is such a subjective call and shouldn’t be that kind of game changer, but Gilmore did interfere, which basically allowed Miami to score
- Rex Burkhead looked healthy and productive as well. Let’s hope he can stay that way
- Loved the pass disruption from Derek Rivers – another guy who can really be a force if he can take it to the next level and I’m crossing my fingers we’ll see more from him
- Sweet pick in the end zone by J.C. Jackson to effectively ice the game. That guy is such a good young player. If he can cut down on the penalties that dogged him last season he’ll be getting a big contract somewhere
- I actually didn’t mind the chippiness at the end of the game. Seemed like the frustration and maybe on field trash talk got to the Dolphins, but I liked the Patriots having Cam’s back while protecting him from retaliation. Its a physical game and the emotional side of it is a factor, good and bad
Again, not reading too much into Week 1, but it was just so fantastic to have the relative normalcy of Patriots football, and a well-earned victory to start the season was just what the doctor ordered to help my heart heal after long and painful offseason. I’m cautiously optimistic about this team and confident that it will most definitely not be boring! We’ll know significantly more after the road trip to Seattle for Sunday night against a strong Seahawks team and I cannot wait. Go Pats!!