Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Heading into the first game of the regular season, I would have laughed at anyone who said we would beat the Cincinnati Bengals. Well, looks like I’m the one getting laughed at. 

In the 16-10 victory in Ohio, the Patriots looked like a competent football team which is amazing considering where we left them off at the end of the 2023 season. The team is still led by the defense which forced three fumbles and recovered two of them. None bigger than Kyle Dugger’s amazing strip on the Bengals tight end at the two-yard line which led to New England getting points on the board in the ensuing drive. 

The big thing about last year’s team was that they could hold teams to under 20 points, but they never got help from the offense. There were plenty of games where the defense held the opposition Rto under 20 points and the offense couldn’t get it done. 

Granted we had a quarterback crisis with Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Jacoby Brissett is a better quarterback than both Jones and Zappe and on Sunday, he proved he knew what to do and when to do it. 

If you’re hoping for Brissett to put up Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, or even Anthony Richardson-type numbers, you’re going to be disappointed. Brissett is a safe quarterback and it showed. The furthest pass he threw on Sunday was 17 yards. He did enough to get the win and kept it safe and didn’t throw any risky throws. 

Brissett only threw the ball 24 times for 121 yards. If I’m going to be cynical after a win, I would say that passing for only 121 yards with the longest completion being 17 yards won’t win you many games. Teams will scout and gameplan for the run game and force Brissett to beat them with his arm. Jacoby is a good NFL quarterback, he belongs in the league. He just won’t be a difference maker, hence why we drafted Drake Maye with the third overall pick with the hope that he’s the quarterback that will be the difference maker like Mahomes, Allen, Richardson, etc. 

There were a lot of questions going into this game, like how the offensive line will hold. With Michael Jordan starting at guard (not that one), with Siddy Sow out injured, the offensive line was serviceable in the win. I’m still not fully convinced it can prevail throughout the entire season, but there were encouraging signs. Well, the team ran for 170 yards with Rhamondre Stevenson accounting for 120 of them and scoring the Pats’ only touchdown. All preseason, Jerod Mayo said the Pats would be a running team and they sure did run the ball. 

I’m not one of those fans who will now think we’re destined to make the playoffs. This team still has its flaws, but I’ll definitely enjoy this win and look forward to next week when the Pats host the Seahawks.