Well, that loss fucking stunk. I'm trying to be positive. That hypothetical +700 hit sure would've been nice, but it's a results league, and the Pats lost 25-20 to the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Mac Jones falls to 0-3 in Week 1 games, but you cannot blame the Patriots QB for today's L. Yes, the pick-6 wasn't a good throw, but the receiver also had his hands on it. Mac finished the game 35/54 for 316 yards, 3 TDs, and a costly INT that went for an Eagle TD. I love how he responded after a less-than-stellar start to year three. Mac showed me something today (but there were some untimely sacks...10 HAS to know when to throw it away).
It's such a loser mentality, but I didn't expect to win this game. I thought we could, and by the way the Pats played today, they could've won, but it's not like they dropped a game to a 1-9 team. I'm super encouraged by what I saw out of the Patriots defense. It started ugly, but they ended up holding Philly to three on a drive where they were shaving off 10+ yard plays with ease.
The Pats' D allowed 18 points, and six came on a short field (26 yards) after a Zeke fumble. There were plenty of positives against one of the league's most loaded offenses. No Jalen Hurts offense had ever gone three and out on four straight drives...until today.​
Unfortunately for the Pats, it took them too long to capitalize on the Eagles 2nd quarter slump.
You gotta give Philly their credit for holding the Pats to six points in the second half, but in my very unbiased opinion, the Pats lost this game more than the Eagles won. That doesn't really mean anything, but it undoubtedly makes me feel a little better. It just sucks cause this was such a winnable game, even after a terrible start. As a narrative guy, I loved our chances. The missed PAT (which I called) was massive to keep it a two-score game. ​​
When Jim Nance or Romo mentioned how the Pats' 16-point first-quarter deficit was their largest since the Denver game in 2013, I honestly loved our chances even more. I know Brady was QBing that team, but he was in the building today and thought maybe those vibes would spread to the fellas on the field in those fugly uniforms.
New England had plenty of chances to take control in the 2nd half. The had a chance to double-score, but went three and out to start the quarter. On their second drive of the 3rd, they got to the Philly 28 before multiple penalties killed that scoring chance. Then, the Pats got down to the Philly 17 on their following drive. With over 9 minutes left in the game, down 8, the Pats went for it on 4th and 3 instead of attempting a 34-yard field goal. The play never had a chance, and the Eagles kicked a field goal on the ensuing drive to go up 11.
I got serious 2015 AFCCG vibes in that situation. In the Dozo System, you kick it there. When you're down 8, a field goal makes it a 5-point game. Now, if you stop your opponent, you don't have to worry about a two-point conversion, AND you can give up a field goal and still be down one score. I know Belichick is the greatest coach of all time, but with that much time left, the weather, and how well the Pats defense was playing, you gotta take the three there. Obviously, the game would've gone differently had they kicked it....maybe the rookie would've missed? I would've loved to see the Pats get the ball down 2 or 3 instead of 5. What makes that loss hurt the most is the missed opportunities. Even with the turnovers, failed 4th down in the red zone and tbh a piss-poor running game...the Pats had life. That Jalen Hurts fumble gave them the ball on the Eagle 41-yard line with 3:20 left. I was sooo fucking fired up after this play
A solid run set up 2nd & 5, but a sack and delay of game led to a failed 4th & 17 attempt. I get why the Pats went for it in that spot, but with three timeouts, the 2:00 warning, and how well the D played, I wouldn't have hated punting. It didn't end up mattering. The Pats got the ball back with 1:57 left and a timeout...it just felt very un-Patriot like to go for it in that spot.
If only Kayshon Boutte had smaller feet!!!
I loved what we saw out of Kendrick Bourne. His underutilization was so fucking frustrating last season. This offense needs him.
The defense was outstanding for the most part. There are plenty of positives to take away from this game, but the Patriots are still 0-1. Typically, the Patriots play clean football, but their sloppy play (back-to-back turnovers & a million "holdings") and questionable decisions ultimately made the difference against a team many believe can return to the Super Bowl.
Miami won today, and with the Jets and Bills playing MNF, there will likely be two teams a game ahead of the Pats. It's too early to worry about that, but this team isn't good enough to give away games they had within their grasp. While the better team won, the Patriots fucking could've, and I'm excited to see what this team does in the next 16 games. Christian Gonzalez had a huge sack. Sure, I feel like we got kind of fucked by the flags today, but that is just loser talk. The Patriots are 0-1, but I'm excited to see what this team does in 2023. P.S. How many fucking captains do the Eagles have? I swear I saw at least four "C" patches on offense.
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