Patriots' Gutsy Comeback Falls Short vs. Eagles
Tom Brady came back to Foxboro on Sunday. The New England Patriots' glory days, however, remain elusive without him in uniform.
The Patriots played valiantly after spotting the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles a 16-0 lead just 12 minutes into the game, but ultimately fell short in their highly anticipated season opener, 25-20, on "Tom Brady Appreciation Day" at rainy, renovated Gillette Stadium.
Bill Belichick's defense limited the high-powered Eagles' offense to just one touchdown and a beleaguered offensive line forced to start two rookies held up until late in the game against the NFL's leading pass-rush from a year ago. Nonetheless, the Patriots, void of a signature win against an elite quarterback last season, have now lost their last three season openers and fell to 25-26 since Brady left after the 2019 season.
After trailing 16-0 early and 25-14 late, New England rallied to within 25-20 with 3:37 remaining on Kendrick Bourne's second touchdown catch - an 11-yard toe-tapper in the back of the end zone. And when Jabril Peppers forced a Jalen Hurts fumble on Philadelphia's next offensive play, the Pats had life and the ball at the Eagles' 40.
But left tackle Trent Brown surrendered New England's first sack of the game, and an ensuing delay-of-game penalty pushed the Pats into a 4th-and-17. Tight end Hunter Henry dropped Mac Jones' pass, but he was five yards short of the first down.
In a wild, unlikely sequence, the Pats got the ball back at their own 45 with 1:57 remaining on a nifty fourth-down pass deflection by rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez. New England drove to Philly's 19-yard line, but a sack by rookie defensive lineman Jalen Carter forced a 3rd-and-13. On 4th-and-11, Jones fired a sideline strike to rookie Kayshon Boutte for an apparent first down at the Eagles' 9.
But replays showed Boutte failed to get two feet down inbounds.
Said Jones, "They defense gave me the ball twice to win the game, and I couldn't do it."
Added Pats' veteran center David Andrews, "There's no moral victories."
The Patriots could have only needed a field goal to force overtime on their final possession, but after Bourne's touchdown Jones' two-point conversion scramble was wiped out on a holding call on tackle Calvin Anderson.
In his first return to Foxboro as merely a spectator, Brady cast a huge shadow.
Before kickoff he became the team's first "Keeper of the Lighthouse" and at halftime owner Robert Kraft announced it would waive the normal five-year waiting period for retired players to induct Brady into its Hall of Fame on June 12, 2024.
Said Brady, "I'm a Patriot for life."
New England's start was an unmitigated disaster, featuring a Pick 6 thrown by Jones, two turnovers in the first quarter for the first time since 2015 and the largest first-quarter deficit (16-0) in 10 years.
The Pats' defense committed costly penalties - an offside by Deatrich Wise and holding on Kyle Dugger that extended Philly scoring drives in the first 10 minutes. A sack of Hurts by Matthew Judon limited the Eagles to a field goal on the game's first possession. But on New England's first drive Jones threw wildly high toward Kendrick Bourne, and the resulting deflection was picked off by Darius Slay for a 70-yard return for touchdown.
The Pats - starting two mid-round rookies at guard in Sidy Sow (4th) and Atonio Mafi (5th) - committed turnovers on consecutive plays, as Ezekiel Elliott was stripped on a screen pass at New England's 26. Hurts' 9-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith upped Philly's lead to 16-0 and brought out the Foxboro boo birds.
But the Patriots made things interesting late in the first half with two Jones scoring passes. Shaken and wobbly early, Jones badly underthrew an open Bourne at Philly's 10-yard line. But then the Pats went up-tempo, and Jones found a rhythm.
He connected on the first catches as Patriots by receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and tight end Mike Gesicki, and finished off a 71-yard drive with a perfect 9-yard touchdown to Henry for New England's first score of the year to make it 16-7.
The early booing turned into cheers, with Brady and Kraft exchanging a high-five. On New England's next possession Jones continued his hot hand, completing 10 consecutive passes including a gorgeous 19-yard touchdown post route to Bourne to trim the deficit to 16-14 at halftime.
Jones cooled off early in the second half and Philly's Jake Elliott made field goals from 56 and 48 yards (off the left upright) to wide the gap to 22-14 with 13 minutes remaining.
