Week one for the New England Patriots is officially in the books. The Patriots were able to hold off a renewed Houston Texans in a 27-20 win in the home opener. In most areas of the game, the Patriots looked remarkably better during the 2018 opener than they did at any point last year. Still, no win in New England is ever perfect. Let’s review this week’s win.

New England Patriots Wide Receivers Come Through In Week One

Much of the talk leading up to this game was around New England’s hampered receiving corps. With Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks gone, Julian Edelman suspended, and no sign of any big incoming trades or signings, that talk was admittedly somewhat warranted. Still, we’re talking Tom Brady here. The man could turn a retirement home into a championship receiving unit.

Dorsett season is upon us. #Patriots

— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) September 9, 2018

Phillip Dorsett had the unit’s biggest day, reeling in seven receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. Cordarrelle Patterson saw some good contributions as well, though his and Chris Hogan‘s role were understated for this game. While he’s not a wide receiver – in fact, he even saw a defensive snap near the end of the game – tight end Rob Gronkowski (unsurprisingly) brought in the most receiving yards. He saw as many receptions and touchdowns as Dorsett but pulled in nearly twice as many yards. Gronkowski did fumble once though.

Can’t Stop the Rush

For as much action as Dorsett and Gronkowski saw during the opener, New England’s rushing unit was more regularly used throughout the game…just not as runners.

No, in fact, four of the teams rushing backs (including fullback James Develin) saw receiving action. Rex Burkhead, Jeremy Hill, James White, and Develin caught a combined 71 receiving yards. White also brought in a touchdown. As runners, the group ran for nearly 110 yards and no touchdowns. This varied approach on offense helped keep the Texans defense on their toes throughout the game.

Improvements on Offensive Line and Defense

As we said in our preview, the main mission for New England was containing Deshaun Watson. Consider that mission accomplished. Watson, who’s returning to the game after tearing his ACL last year, looked a bit rusty and not at all like himself. Deatrich Wise Jr. and Trey Flowers both recorded sacks during the game, thanks to the defense containing a hesitant Watson. Dont’a Hightower was able to secure a fumbled handoff during Houston’s first drive of the game. New England’s secondary performed remarkably well, up until the last quarter when Stephon Gilmore caught two holding penalties that ultimately allowed Houston to make it a one-score game.

While Brady was still sacked twice, the offensive line saw deep improvements over last year’s group. The improvements in the offensive line allowed Brady to spread the ball around to a number of players, and Marcus Cannon returned to form by impressing with a stiff-arm on J.J. Watt.

Honorable Mentions

Stephen Gostkowski showed no signs of rust as he successfully made every kick. Gostkowski made two field goals and three PATs. After a few missed kicks last year, it looks like Gostkowski is back on track.

We’d be remiss if we went without mentioning that the team’s 41-year-old quarterback is still attempting – and completing – quarterback sneaks. During the second quarter, Brady took a dive on 4th-and-inches to reset the downs. What a madman.

What Didn’t Work

Things are never perfect during the first game of the year. Fumbles and penalties cost the team valuable yardage and did nothing but help the Texans throw points on the scoreboard. Houston’s last touchdown was the direct result of Gilmore’s holding penalties.

Gods Plan

— J Hill (@JHilly3327) September 9, 2018

Houston may have lost a few players during the game, but New England may have lost a running back for the season. In what could be a potential ACL injury, newcomer Jeremy Hill was taken out of the game after being rolled on by Develin. Hill has since taken to Twitter to say “God’s plan”, a statement that has some fans on edge. If Hill is lost for the season, the Patriots rushing corps will be limited to Burkhead, White, and rookie Sony Michel.

Oh, and don’t be surprised if wide receiver Riley McCarron is out of a job in the next few weeks. His muffed punt and Edelman’s eventual return have effectively sealed McCarron’s fate.

Last Word on Week One

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Patriots won. More than a handful of people said the Texans would come out and win. If anything, this outing from Houston was about as messy as it could get. For now, as Bill Belichick would say, we’re on to Jacksonville.

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