Patriots Takeaways: Ground Game Exceeds Expectations In Surprising Win Vs. Bengals

Jerod Mayo believed the New England Patriots' improved run game was one of the best aspects of training camp and the preseason. Rhamondre Stevenson and other Patriots players felt strongly about that aspect of Alex Van Pelt's new offensive scheme, too.

Their confidence was well-warranted as proven by a 16-10 win against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sunday. The Patriots, who entered the season with a projected win total of over/under 4.5, are 1-0 on the campaign.

The Patriots racked up 170 rushing yards and 4.4 yards per rush. New England put the game away with its ground game when Stevenson took four consecutive handoffs for 26 yards and converted a pair of first downs. Stevenson finished with 119 rushing yards on 25 carries and one touchdown. Those touches came after New England took more than seven minutes off the clock from late in the third quarter to midway through the fourth.

Playing without starting left guard Sidy Sow, the Patriots used a combination of jumbo tight ends (extra linemen) and tight ends to provide extra help up front. It jump-started New England's offense early as the Patriots averaged 5.3 yards per carry in the first half.

The Patriots went with the same jumbo tight end alignment on their game-winning drive, which started with 2:13 left in regulation. The Bengals had all three timeouts and the two-minute warning when New England took the field.

The jumbo tight end alignment sprung Stevenson for a few big runs, including a 14-yard gain on his first touch and a 16-yard scamper on the first snap of New England's 12-play, 68-yard scoring drive at the end of the half. It gave the visitors, who were 7.5-point road underdogs, a 10-0 lead at the half.

Caedan Wallace reported as the eligible jumbo tight end eight times in the first half. And even when he wasn't in the mix and runners weren't running behind him, the Bengals still had to alter their defense to cater to the extra blocker. That was the case on Stevenson's three-yard touchdown run in which he ran over the right side, behind center David Andrews, right guard Layden Robinson and right tackle Mike Onwenu all while Wallace was on the left edge.

While New England's pass protection received criticism during the preseason, the run game showed plenty of optimistic signs.

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Here are more takeaways from Patriots-Bengals:

-- Expectations for the Patriots' offense weren’t high entering the 2024 campaign, but the same wasn't said about the defense. And Demarcus Covington's group showed plenty of potential themselves.

New England forced a pair of turnovers and limited Cincinnati to 224 yards of total offense. Joe Burrow and the passing game, which was without starting receiver Tee Higgins, mustered just 154 yards through the air.

-- It started early as Keion White dominated the Bengals up front. The second-year defensive lineman blew up Bengals standout guard Alex Cappa on a third-down sack in the second quarter. White earned a half sack on the play since linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley bullied his way to Burrow, as well.

White added another sack at a key moment in the fourth quarter. With the Bengals facing third-and-5 from New England's 31-yard line, edge rusher Joshua Uche beat Cincinnati right tackle Trent Brown around the right edge and forced Burrow to step up in the pocket. White shed Bengals center Ted Karras and recorded the sack.

White finished the game with 2 1/2 (!!) sacks.

-- Kyle Dugger and the Patriots secondary wasn't to be outdone. Despite the fact it took place in the first half of Week 1, Dugger forced what might prove to be the turnover of the season. Dugger, one play after wrestling a would-be touchdown from the hands of Mike Gesicki, stripped fellow tight end Tanner Hudson at the goal line. It was recovered by Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones and took a Cincinnati touchdown off the board.

-- Patriots second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez followed Bengals wideout Ja'Marr Chase all over the field, including into the slot. Burrow hit Chase on a third-down conversion on the drive which ended in Dugger's forced fumble. Chase finished with six receptions for 62 yards.

-- Jacoby Brissett isn't the most mobile, but the 6-foot-4, 235-pound signal-caller picked up a few first downs with his legs. Arguably none was bigger than Brissett's six-yard rush on third-and-2 on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Brissett's stats (15-for-24, 121 yards, zero touchdowns) didn't jump off the page, but the veteran quarterback proved worthy of the starting job. Brissett was calm and collected in the pocket while facing pressure and taking hits. His biggest mistake of the game came when he tried to force a throw off his back foot to Hunter Henry in the end zone.

Brissett likely would have been intercepted in the red area if not for Henry breaking up the pass.

-- Michael Jordan, who was elevated from the practice squad, started at left guard. Chukwuma Okorafor started at left tackle before being replaced by Vederian Lowe.

-- Veteran long-snapper Joe Cardona forced a fumble at the start of the second half.

-- Brenden Schooler had a pair of special teams tackles.

-- Joey Slye, who beat out 2023 fourth-round pick Chad Ryland in the kicking competition, converted each of his three field-goal attempts. Slye gave the Patriots a two-possession lead with his 37-yarder midway through the fourth quarter.

-- Jabrill Peppers wore the league's guardian cap.

-- Rookie fourth-round wideout Javon Baker was a healthy scratch for the season-opener. He joined Joe Milton III (emergency QB), Sow and four players the Patriots claimed off waivers following roster cuts.

-- The Patriots will host the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener next Sunday.