5 overreactions to the Patriots' Week 1 preseason win over the Panthers

Preseason football is finally here, and the New England Patriots got off on the right foot with a 17-3 win over the Carolina Panthers in the opener. Bailey Zappe took most of the snaps at QB, while rookie Drake Maye only got one drive to showcase his talents.

What does this mean going forward? Here are the top five overreactions to the Pats' preseason opener:

5 overreactions to the Patriots' Week 1 preseason win over the Panthers

1. The defense is championship-level

While it's easy to assume that New England will have a top-five draft pick again in 2025, the Pats' defense looks to be taking the next step to improve upon its No. 7 ranking in the league in total defense a year ago. If the offense is even marginally better, look for many close losses (eight of seven points or less in 2023) to flip to wins in 2024.

In the dominant win over Carolina, the Patriots held the Panthers to 151 total yards (89 passing and 62 rushing) and had multiple instances where they almost forced turnovers. Carolina was just 2-of-14 on third down and had only seven first downs. The sky is the limit for the Patriots with this level of defensive play.

2. Patriots' mismanagement of Drake Maye could lead to Joe Milton III overtaking him

I get it. You want to protect your franchise QB and not risk injury or confidence loss. But the Patriots did Maye an absolute disservice by only giving him one drive Thursday night. It would be one thing if they hadn't drafted another rookie in the sixth round.

But they did, and giving said rookie over a quarter of action not only gives Milton III an advantage on reps over Maye but also could lead to Maye losing confidence and possibly the fan base and coaching staff losing faith in him.

The stats don't lie. Milton III looked good, going 4/6 for 56 yards and a touchdown with another 25 yards rushing while clinching the game for the Patriots - not to mention the electric plays you don't see on paper. There has already been noise surrounding a potential controversy, with Colin Cowherd going as far as saying Milton III could be the Patriots' starter.

Thursday night will only stoke those flames. Milton III came out as the winner of the game while Maye stood and watched idly.

3. Kayshon Boutte emerged as one of the Patriots' top receivers

Forget making the roster. Boutte showed the most promise of the Patriots' receivers Thursday night, exhibiting the same flashes that put him on the map this time last year. Yes, he had a couple of harsh drops.

But his three catches for 53 yards stood out on a rainy night. In a receiver-by-committee approach, Boutte was head and shoulders the top guy for New England against the Panthers. Can Boutte finally fulfill his potential? Thursday night was a step in the right direction.

4. The offensive line is *still* a problem

While the Patriots offensive line struggles have been well-documented, they reared their ugly head again Thursday night. The Patriots were able to put together 17 points and 274 yards. Still, six penalties for 45 yards (many of them untimely and by the offensive line) put the Pats behind the sticks and in less-than-ideal situations for an offense rebuilding with young, inexperienced quarterbacks.

New England also gave up two sacks for a total loss of 20 yards. For the Patriots to succeed, the offensive line struggles must be cleaned up.

5. Rookie TE Jaheim Bell looks the part

While Joe Milton III was the star of the night, and the young receivers have gotten most of the publicity, Bell jumped on the scene with an 11-yard reception in his first career NFL action. It was one of those "who was that?" plays that often come in the preseason, and when it zoomed in to "Bell" on the back of his jersey, I don't think I was alone in my excitement about him making his presence felt.

The Patriots need depth at tight end, and in limited action, the 6-2, 241-pound rookie from Florida State showed that he might be the guy to step up.

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