Instant Takeaways from Patriots' 21-11 Victory Over Dolphins in Season Opener

How did Cam Newton perform in his first game in a Patriots uniform?

The New England Patriots begin their season undefeated, beating the Miami Dolphins 21-11 at Gillette Stadium during their opener.

Here are some instant takeaways following New England's win Sunday afternoon.

Cam Newton Efficient vs. Dolphins

In his Patriots debut, Cam Newton looked darn good. He completed 15-of-19 passes for 155 yards. He also had 15 carries for 75 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Newton protected the football made smart reads and showed how effective he can be as a healthy dual-threat quarterback. If he keeps it up, he'll once again be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

Patriots Defense Stout Against Lowly Dolphins

Despite a lot of turnover this offseason, the New England defense shut down the Dolphins. 

The Patriots gave up 269 total yards of offense, and forced Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw three interceptions, one each to Stephon Gilmore, Adrian Phillips and J.C. Jackson. They also gave up just 3.2 yards per carry to Miami's backfield.

Sure, this strong showing came against the Dolphins. But it was nevertheless a promising performance for a defense that had many question marks heading into the season. 

Damiere Byrd Starts, Ends Game as Punt Returner, Muffs Punt

Wide receiver Damiere Byrd, who the Patriots signed this offseason, was New England's primary punt returner on Sunday. However, he muffed his first punt of the game, causing Julian Edelman to replace him for the remainder of the first half. But Byrd returned as the punt returner in the second half.

Byrd's speed is likely one of the main factors that made him the Patriots' punt returner in Gunner Olszewski's absence. Until Olszewski returns in Week 4, Byrd will likely remain in that spot, unless he continues to struggle. 

Patriots Go Run Heavy in Season Opener

To no surprise, the Patriots offense ran the ball often in Week 1. New England's rushing yards came by way of Cam Newton and a committee approach in the backfield. They accumulated 217 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns (two from Newton, one from Sony Michel).

It was evident the impact of Newton being under center had on New England's run game. His presence continually kept the edge defenders frozen, which opened up the outside lanes for the running backs.  

Patriots Opt for Rotation at Right Tackle

The expectation was that New England's starting right tackle job would be filled by Jermaine Eluemunor, who looked strong during training camp at that spot. And while that was the case during the first half of Sunday's outing, rookie Michael Onwenu also rotated in at right tackle during the second half of the game. 

Eluemunor was strong during the first half, which is why it was a bit odd that he was being rotated out for a rookie in the second half. That may have been the case because New England is testing their options at the position.

Stephon Gilmore Wins Matchup vs. DeVante Parker...Kind of

Remember when DeVante Parker torched Gilmore for 137 yards and eight catches in Week 17 of last season? That didn't happen this time around. 

Parker caught four passes for 47 yards in Week 1. What should be noted here is: 1) not all of those receptions came against Gilmore and 2) Parker didn't play during the second half due to injury. 

With that being said, Gilmore had an up-and-down day. He had an interception in the first half, but he also had two defensive pass interference calls against him. Not a great start to the regular season for the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

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