Following the departure of iconic head coach Bill Belichick after a remarkable 24-year tenure, the New England Patriots seemed poised for a major rebuild. This sense of a new beginning was heightened when they traded quarterback Mac Jones to the Jacksonville Jaguars and sent star linebacker Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons during the NFL offseason.
Despite this overhaul, the Patriots chose not to start rookie quarterback Drake Maye in their Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. It appeared that their strategy might involve aiming for a lower season finish to secure a high draft pick for the following year.
In a surprising twist, the Patriots, who were heavy underdogs against Joe Burrow and the Bengals, managed to pull off a serious upset at Paycor Stadium. New England controlled the game from start to finish, emerging victorious with a 16-10 win.
One of the standout moments came from safety Kyle Dugger, who made a crucial play by forcing a fumble at the goal line, preventing a potential touchdown. With early predictions pegging them as one of the worst teams this season, the Patriots’ performance against the Bengals challenged those assumptions.
Under new head coach Jerod Mayo, the team seems to have embraced a chip on their shoulder, motivated by the departure of Belichick and the subsequent skepticism. The players appear to be channeling the criticism into their gameplay, suggesting that this season might not be as dismal as initially thought.