New England Patriots

New England Patriots

On the surface, the New England Patriots' 42-13 pasting of the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon is quite the rosy picture. Patriots' fans have been waiting a long time - four seasons in fact - for New England's offense to put up 40 points. It gave us flashbacks to the good old days of Tom Brady marching up and down the Foxborough gridiron.

The excitement around the Patriots' defense was high going into the 2025 season, with the secondary being near the top of the list of groups with the most potential to become the best part of the roster. That was highlighted by Mike Vrabel's decision to sign cornerback Carlton Davis III to join Christian Gonzalez, a duo that has the potential to be the best 1-2 punch in the league.

If you're a Miami Dolphins fan, you're confident of just one thing Sunday: The New England Patriots offer the best remedy for your situation. At home. At 1 p.m. At this panic-button crossroads of two, 0-1 teams facing the kind of pressure you shouldn't see entering a second week. The schedule couldn't offer a better opponent, because you see the New England jerseys and they haven't scared you for years.

Gronkowski appeared at Gillette for night two of Morgan Wallen's concert in Foxborough. Wallen's introduction includes a special guest walking him out from the back towards the stage area; Friday night's show featured New England's current coach, Mike Vrabel. And on Saturday night, Gronkowski appeared on the video board, Patriots-themed guitar in hand and wearing a jersey with the number 617 across the front, to walk with Wallen.

Belichick is showcasing Patriots greats to his players in UNC, limiting his radio appearances to emphasize a focused coaching approach and maintain a brand of minimal media interaction.

The Patriots are facing challenges with their offensive line, as injuries and performance inconsistencies have created concerns about their depth as they head into the preseason.