The New England Patriots dominated the Philadelphia Eagles for the entire 60 minutes of their preseason Week 2 match-up, resulting in a 35-0 shutout win.
From start to finish, the Patriots’ offense and defense showed up and decided to put on a performance that not many saw coming, especially after a tough week of joint practices with Philadelphia.
The victory had a lot of positive things for Bill Belichick’s team to build on, but there were plenty of aspects that require improvement.
With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the notable performances, both positive and negative, from this victory over the Eagles.
WINNER: QB Cam Newton
Newton was on fire to begin the night for New England’s offense. He finished completing eight of his nine attempts for 103 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers. This was a big performance for the quarterback battle that may have put Newton in the lead. He lasered balls in with speed and accuracy while moving up in the pocket to avoid rushes. If Newton can play like that in the regular season, this team is in good hands.
WINNER: OLB Matthew Judon
Judon may have only finished with one tackle on the stat sheet, but his impact was felt on multiple plays. Whether he was affecting a running back’s path or getting in the face of Eagles’ quarterback Joe Flacco, it was evident that the linebacker was everywhere. Many questioned whether or not paying Judon would work out for Belichick and company. However, he seems to be doing exactly what he was in Baltimore, and that’s making winning plays.
LOSER: K Quinn Nordin
After an impressive debut in the first week of the preseason, Nordin showed why his services weren’t highly sought-after during the 2021 draft process. The former Michigan Wolverine finished the night hitting one-of-two field goal attempts and two-of-four on extra points. There were some people clamoring for Nordin to take Nick Folk’s job after last week’s win over Washington, but that reality seems less likely today.
WINNER: RB Sony Michel
Michel carried the ball seven times for 34 yards (4.9 yards per carry) against a Philadelphia front that was missing some of their key members. The impressive part of the former first-round pick’s game was his contributions in the passing game, as he brought in four receptions for 37 yards. Michel was a pretty reliable receiver in college, but he hasn’t shown that ability during his three years in the NFL. That type of versatility could help fill the hole left by Rex Burkhead this offseason.
LOSER: WR N’Keal Harry
It was nice to see Mac Jones connect with Harry early in the second quarter to convert a third-and-long situation. However, later in the quarter, Harry had a beautiful pass bounce off his hands that resulted in an incompletion and left the wide receiver injured on the ground. While Harry walked off the field, he never returned. For a guy who needs every opportunity he can get to prove to this team (or another) that he deserves a spot, missing time is never a good thing. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and Harry can make it back to practice sooner rather than later.
WINNER: QB Mac Jones
When Newton departed, Jones picked up pretty much where the former MVP left off. New England’s first-round pick finished 13-of-19 for 146 yards. He was decisive, quick through his reads, and accurate with nearly all of his attempts. Jones has yet to find the end zone in this preseason, however, he led long drives that resulted in touchdowns for his running backs in this game that were impressive. Just when you think one guy is making strides in the battle, the other tugs the rope right back.
LOSER: TE Devin Asiasi
Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, and Matt LaCosse were all inactive entering the game against Philadelphia with various injuries. This left Asiasi as the only tight end on the roster. Despite getting reps at multiple points in the game, Asiasi only saw one target that resulted in an incompletion. Asiasi was a third-round pick last season and lost his job to the two newcomers this offseason and may even find himself behind LaCosse. This was not the type of performance that inspires confidence in the young tight end.
WINNER: RB J.J. Taylor
The diminutive back made his presence known in this game, as he totaled 12 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown while adding three receptions for 18 yards in the passing game. Taylor got most of his opportunities against the Eagles’ third-string defense, but he took advantage and showed his ability to make guys miss as often as he could. He found himself in some regular-season games last year, but if he continues to play like this, there could be a larger role for Taylor in the future.
WINNER: CB Joejuan Williams
Williams drew rookie wide receiver, and Heisman winner, Devonta Smith in this game, and he held his own. Smith is extremely athletic and has big playmaking potential. Williams did a solid job staying with him most of the time he was on the field, allowing him to only catch one ball for nine yards. Williams needs to take advantage of every opportunity he can get, so this performance is great for him as the potential third cornerback.
LOSER: WR Nelson Agholor
In a game where a lot of players popped, Agholor was extremely quiet. Through the first three drives (17 plays), the former Eagle was on the field for 14 snaps. Despite the reps, Agholor didn’t receive a target. New England made Agholor their highest-paid wide receiver this offseason, but he has yet to show anything on the game field. It’s extremely early, but it would be nice to see a pass even thrown his way.
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