In one of the big surprises of the weekend, New England Patriots young talent stepped up. Jerod Mayo earned a Gatorade bath in his 16-10 opening win. A lot of focus has understandably been on the departures from this organization. But for this to work, the developing players may need to grow up in this league faster than was originally intended.
Moreover, skeptics will understandably question what was going on with the Cincinnati Bengals. They boast some premier NFL players and play at home. However, the visitors looked the more composed and veteran of the two on Sunday. It’s possible that this win will end up being a mirage of larger issues. But for now, some bright spots from the performance offer a hopeful message for the Foxboro faithful.
New England Patriots Young Talent Stepping Up
Offensively, Rhamondre Stevenson inspired the overall production. His ability to break tackles and keep the legs turning is an asset. His elusiveness and unwillingness to accept a loss on any play are contagious. While uncertainties persist regarding this offensive line and depth, their ability to ignite with an additional boost could significantly impact close games throughout the year. Explosive plays were lacking in the victory.
Consequently, this will mean needing to sustain long drives by picking up multiple first downs to keep the chains moving. Teams with more deep threats have the ability to offer a quick strike methodology in their approach. As of now, this element still appears to be missing. And until that is solved, trusting in the composure and NFL experience of Jacoby Brissett is the smart move for the time being.
On the defensive side of things, two second-year players stood out. Keion White gave the Bengals o-line fits all day, and Christian Gonzalez showcased himself to be a top corner in the league. As mentioned, a lot of focus has been on who moved on. Notably, Matthew Judon playing for the Atlanta Falcons is expected to leave a significant drop-off. But there are enough positives from the New England Patriots young talent, particularly from these two.
The front office at least saw plenty to be comfortable with losing a Pro Bowler. And if Gonzalez and White string together multiple performances as they did against Cincinnati, it will be a home run hit. Money saved by not extending Judon could prove invaluable and offer needed salary cap flexibility down the road.
Room to Grow for New England Patriots Young Talent
It’s only one game, and there is plenty to clean up. However, there were certainly signs of encouragement in this single-set sample size. Ultimately, Week 1 needs to be in the rearview mirror. Looking forward to the next matchup, this team hosts the Seattle Seahawks next. Cleaning up areas is essential for a potentially successful season. This includes the silly mental penalties and consistently making fundamental routine plays. Regardless of what went wrong, there are plenty of signs of encouragement.
But before getting too ahead, it’ll be critical to see some of the basic corrections made on the field. Furthermore, Seattle offers something of a different challenge altogether. It will be more difficult to focus on one player defensively. Additionally, establishing the run will be equally important. But it will also need to lead to the playbook opening up with passes further down the field. Ultimately, there are plenty of aspects to build on, and the team is sitting at 1-0.
But coach Mayo is undoubtedly preaching that there are a lot of areas for improvement. Through the New England Patriots young talent, some games may be closer than they should be. But the emergence of the same high performers and new players stepping up will determine this season.
Main Photo: [Katie Stratman] – USA Today Sports
