New England Patriots: Five Takeaways From Impressive Showing Versus Panthers

Aug 22, 2014; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) congratulates running back Shane Vereen (34) after his touchdown run against the Carolina Panthers in the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The New England Patriots smothered the Carolina Panthers last night, beating up Cam Newton and company by 23 points. The Pats got off to a slow start, but Tom Brady got it rolling it the second quarter, and there was no looking back after that.

This wasn’t a game where the offense was the only unit that shined, or a game where the defense outshined the offense. Both sides were equally as impressive, as they dominated from start to finish.

Pretty much everything I took away from this game was positive, which is a rarity in today’s NFL, especially in the preseason. Here are my five biggest takeaways from the Pats win.