1. By many accounts, the Week 1 performance from the Patriots defense wasn’t up to its standards. The unit allowed just 17 points and less than 200 yards passing to the Dolphins, but it couldn’t come up with a timely stop. With so many versatile, talented players, more is expected of this unit and they know it. Adrian Phillips called the game a “wake-up call” when speaking this past week. But when it comes to the unit as a whole, it may not reach its full potential for a bit. With so many players having significant roles — 14 players playing at least 46% of the snaps in Week 1 — it may take a bit for the coaching staff to figure out the best combination of players for every situation. “I would definitely say the team's going to look a lot different in October and November than we do in September,” inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo said last week. “We're definitely still trying to find our way, still trying to figure out what we are as a defensive, who fits where best. We're still in that process now, and like I said, we'll look a lot different in November than we do now.” Not to mention the team will likely get cornerback Stephon Gilmore back in Week 7 at the earliest, and his presence will change the unit for the better as well. The Patriots defense figures to be one of the better ones in the NFL, but it will need some time for it to reach its full potential.
2. Something that has stood out with Mac Jones through the preseason and Week 1 has been his ability to control his emotions. This was something he’s admitted has been an issue in the past, especially when it comes to missed plays. While he may be overly critical of himself at times, he hasn’t carried that onto the field. For the most part he’s stayed in check, which is a good sign for a rookie immediately thrown into the fire of a NFL season.
3. One of the more underrated players on the defense is Adrian Phillips. Want to know why? Look no further than this quote from Dont’a Hightower. “Whenever I think of a football player, AP’s one of the first guys who really sticks out,” he said this past week. “Whenever you say football — the guy really loves football. He’s a safety that can play linebacker and line up on the line of scrimmage. You see a lot of hard-hitting safeties and stuff, but a lot of those hard-hitting safeties, they’re playing on the back end. But AP’s in the box. He’s in there with 330-pound guys bench-pressing them and stuff. You can’t do anything but respect that, and that definitely won me over last year, just sitting back and watching him play. I love AP as a teammate and as a friend.”
4. In the past, Bill Belichick might have held a costly fumble against a player by maybe taking away his snaps moving forward, as ball security is the No. 1 thing preached to the offense. When it comes to Harris, we just can’t see it happening. Yes, it was a costly play, but he also had an excellent game prior to that and is the Patriots’ lead back. As for rookie Rhamondre Stevenson, who also fumbled earlier in the game, it could potentially have him on the inactive list and J.J. Taylor get a shot at the game-day roster.
5. It’s hard to say a Week 2 game is “must-win,” but if the Patriots want to make the playoffs the stats would indicate it is. Since 1978, only 11.1% of teams that start the year 0-2 make the playoffs. In the last two seasons, 20 teams started 0-2, and none made the playoffs. The 17-game season may change that a little bit, but the point remains, Sunday is a sneaky huge game.
6. Sunday is also a big day for the AFC East with all four teams playing division games. Right now, Miami is the only team with a win, so a win at home against Buffalo could give them a huge edge in the division to open the year. Buffalo was the clear-cut favorite to win the division, so starting the year 0-2 would be killer. Yes, it’s early in the season but division games do hold more importance.
7. Looking ahead to Week 3, it will be interesting to see what kind of Saints team shows up. Obviously, they had a dominant performance in Week 1 against the Packers, but is that a fluke, or will they be a lot better than many expected? It does feel like the Patriots defense should have a field day with Jameis Winston. Sean Payton announced Friday the team will return to New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Ida after the game.