FOXBORO – Patriots fans didn’t see much of Drake Maye in the team’s season opener Thursday night at Gillette Stadium, but they did see a win. The Patriots won Jerod Mayo’s first game as head coach, beating the Panthers 17-3.
Mayo said he was nervous throughout his first game as an NFL head coach.
“I just felt in my element. It was great to be out there,” Mayo said.
Maye only played one series in his debutreplaced Jacoby Brissett after he too had won just one series. Mayo said that was the plan from the beginning.
The Pats picked up a first down on Mayes’ series as the rookie completed two of his three passes – both short passes to running backs – before the drive ended at New England’s 45-yard line.
Brissett was 0-for-3 on his series to start the game. Bailey Zappe was responsible for most of the action under center, running seven series and going 12-for-20 for 108 yards. Joe Milton III provided the entertainment, finishing 4-for-6 for 54 yards and a touchdown.
Milton threw a beautiful 38-yard touchdown to undrafted rookie JaQuae Jackson (who made a great double move on this play) in the fourth quarter to give the remaining fans a reason to cheer.
Milton also ran 22 yards on his five runs, including an exciting 13-yard pickup where he ran halfway around the field.
The game was scoreless until midway through the second quarter, when Kevin Harris scored a two-yard touchdown for New England. The touchdown was made possible by a nice connection between Zappe and Kayshon Boutte, who went up to receive a pass from the quarterback and carried it 28 yards to the Carolina 3-yard line. Harris put the ball in the end zone two plays later, putting the Patriots up 7-0.
Joe Slye kicked New England’s only field goal of the night with a 42-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, making the game 10-0. Chad Ryland’s two extra point attempts went through the goal posts.
The game really belonged to New England’s defense, especially the defensive line. No matter who played on that side of the ball for the Patriots, they put a lot of pressure on Carolina’s quarterback Jack Plummer, recording five sacks on the night. Deatrich Wise, Jeremiah Pharms, Oshane Ximines, Christian Ellis and Joe Morgan all got to the quarterback on Thursday night.
New England’s defense nearly threw a shutout, but the Panthers kicked a 41-yard field goal with just under two minutes left in the game. It’s worth noting that the Panthers did not field an NFL team on Thursday, as 32 players missed the tryout, including quarterback Bryce Young.
The Patriots defense was relentless on third down, allowing the Panthers to convert on just two of their 14 attempts. Carolina managed just 151 total yards on the night.
Next up for New England is the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom they will practice together in Foxboro on Tuesday before playing their preseason game next Thursday at Gillette Stadium.
