The New England Patriots ground through their preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium and earned a 17-3 victory in Jerod Mayo's NFL debut as a head coach.
Between the weather and the failed drives from both teams, this matchup was tough to watch, but there are still some players who played well and some who definitely use more work on the practice field and in the meeting rooms before they step on the field against the Philadelphia Eagles next week.
As we continue to look back at the preseason win, here are the winners and losers of the game:
WINNER: QB Joe Milton III
Milton was the last of New England's quarterbacks to see the field, but he was the only one to throw a touchdown. He finished his two drives completing four of his six passes for 54 yards, including the 38-yard touchdown pass to JaQuae Jackson, who got wide-open in the secondary.
The 24-year-old also showed off his athleticism a bit, as he scrambled twice for 25 yards, including a 12-yard run that saw him reverse field far behind the line of scrimmage.
.@Qbjayy7 running alllll over the field 🏃💨
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024
📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/Q3ZqVuIuTb
It wasn't perfect, by any means, but this is something to build on for the rookie.
LOSER: Coaches
New England's quarterback plan was an interesting one. While Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye will get extra looks against another team's defense in next week's joint practice against the Philadelphia Eagles, they probably could've benefitted from another drive or two in this one.
On top of that, the Patriots, as a team, committed six penalties for 45 yards. They were all fixable mistakes, as they got called for two false starts, one hold, one hands to the face, a delay of game and intentional ground. Those are things that need to be coached better.
WINNER: DL Jeremiah Pharms
With Christian Barmore out indefinitely due to blood clots, the Patriots will need a defensive lineman to step up, and Pharms looked like he could've been that guy on Thursday. He played 22 snaps and finished his night with four tackles and a sack. If he keeps that up throughout the preseason, he could earn a role over a more experienced veteran like Armon Watts.
LOSER: TE Mitchell Wilcox
New England is looking for another tight end not named Hunter Henry to separate themselves from the group, and Wilcox didn't have the best night. He played 32 offensive snaps, the most of any tight end in the game, but they weren't exactly productive reps as a pass catcher. Quarterbacks targeted Wilcox four times, but he was only able to secure one pass for five yards. He had a couple of drops, and he was called for a holding penalty on Bailey Zappe's first drive which put them in a second-and-18.
WINNER: WR David Wallis
It's going to be tough for any bottom-of-the-roster receiver to make this team for their offensive production alone, and Wallis flashed on special teams. He returned his lone kickoff for 24 yards and had two punt returns for a total of 36 yards. His longest punt return (23 yards) set up Zappe and company for the team's first touchdown drive, as they got to start at Carolina's 31-yard line.
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