Bill Belichick reflects on Week 1 loss, Tom Brady's exit
In what was almost a Tom Brady-like comeback, the Patriots opened up their 2023-24 campaign with a gut-wrenching, back-and-forth 25-20 loss to the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
While there’s no more room for moral victories after last year’s disaster in New England, the team did show some promise that they can build on moving forward.
Here are five immediate thoughts from the loss:
5 - The “Thank You, Tom” festivities were perfect.
From the christening of the new north endzone lighthouse tradition to running down the field at Gillette Stadium to Jay-Z’s ‘Public Service Announcement’, the honoring of legend Tom Brady could not have gone any better.
In what started with an announcement from owner Robert Kraft that the team will be honoring the quarterback on June 12, 2024 with a Patriots Hall of Fame, and ended with a speech from the GOAT to the Gillette Stadium crowd that included the words “I’m a Patriot for life”, the way the team went about this was perfect.
Not too much, not too little, and more to look forward to.
4 - Patriots offense, schematically, did exactly what they needed to do on Sunday to win.
Now, to the football game. The Patriots, down their two starting guards in front of Mac Jones, were able to do what they needed to offensively to keep this game competitive.
Misdirection, quick throws from the quarterback, and a rotation of personnel (which we’ll get to) left Jones virtually untouched on Sunday. The Eagles, who were one of just four teams to record 70 sacks in a season last year, got to No. 10 just once on the evening, albeit on one of the most important drives.
If anything, the offense made sense, and that’s an improvement from a season ago. Workout some of the kinks and they can compete with the top half of units in the NFL.
3 - Bill O’Brien’s rotation of personnel groupings and players gives unit new life.
Despite not having any true top-end talent on their offense despite (maybe) Rhamondre Stevenson, what they did have, at least on Sunday, was fresh legs. On their first drive alone, the following Patriots all saw reps:
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
RB Ezekiel Elliott
RB Ty Montgomery
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
WR Kendrick Bourne
WR Demario Douglas
WR Kayshon Boutte
TE Hunter Henry
TE Mike Gesicki
TE Pharoah Brown
Some groupings didn’t make all that much sense at times, but it gave the defense different looks and allowed both O’Brien and Jones the ability to find the matchups they wanted throughout the game. This will turn into a positive as the season continues.
2 - Eagles’ Super Bowl hangover virtually non-existent.
The idea of a “Super Bowl hangover” from a team that makes the big game is something that make expect the following season.
The Eagles, however, don’t seem to be going through it.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts still looked like himself throwing for 170 yards and a touchdown, the defense led by Reed Blankenship held the Patriots to just 20 points on the night, and kicker Jake Elliott was 4-for-4 on field goals.
it wasn’t perfect, nobody is in Week 1, but I’d be shocked if this Philadelphia team wasn’t in the final four once’s again come regular seasons end.
1 - Mistakes once again keep the Patriots out of the win column.
The Patriots didn’t play bad football on Sunday, at all. But much like the 2022 season, mistakes are what cost them the game in the end.
Whether it was an offsides penalty by Deatrich Wise Jr. after a sack on Jalen Hurts in the first quarter or a holding on a successful two-point conversion from Mac Jones in the fourth, New England couldn't stay out of their own way even when making positive plays versus Philly.
Promise and potential can only take you so far. The Patriots will have to clean up the little things, once a Bill Belichick specialty, if they want to compete against the top of the league in 2023.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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