Four Studs, Four Duds From Patriots Blowout Victory Over Panthers

The New England Patriots needed a good bounce-back performance in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers after suffering an agonizing defeat in Week 3. Well, they got one with a blowout 42-13 victory on Sunday afternoon.

After a slow start, the Pats took control of this game and never looked back, resulting in one of their most comfortable victories in recent memory. Before turning the page to Week 5, let’s quickly reminisce on this win and take a look at four studs and four duds from this contest.

Studs

Marcus Jones

Special teams have been big for New England early this season, and that continued in Week 4. Marcus Jones flipped the game on its head early with an 87-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter, and he nearly housed another punt, coming up just short on a 61-yard return. Jones also held up well in coverage on defense, racking up five tackles on the day.

Drake Maye

Week after week, Drake Maye keeps on earning the “stud” label for the Pats. Maye was in complete control throughout, completing 14 of his 17 passes for 203 yards and a pair of scores, while also rushing for 11 yards and another touchdown. He also didn’t turn the ball over, which was a welcome sight after his two costly turnovers in Week 3.

Stefon Diggs

New England fans had been waiting to see Stefon Diggs look like himself after a slow start to the season, and he delivered the goods against Carolina. Diggs led all pass-catchers in both receptions (six) and receiving yards (101), as he and Maye displayed their budding chemistry time and again against the Panthers’ overmatched secondary.

Jack Gibbens

For the second straight week, Jack Gibbens played nearly 50% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps. This time around, though, he made a major impact, racking up a game-high 12 tackles, one of which went for a loss. Gibbens was everywhere, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see his role on defense continue to expand.

Duds

Demario Douglas

On the other end of the spectrum, Demario Douglas’ role on offense appears to be shrinking at a rapid pace. Douglas played just eight offensive snaps in this one, failing to receive a target from Maye in the air. Douglas is shifty when he gets the ball in his hands, but he seems to be firmly behind Diggs, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins on the depth chart.

Kyle Dugger

It was a bit of a surprise to see Kyle Dugger play over 50% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps, but he didn’t look particularly good during his time on the field. Dugger struggled with his tackling and was the closest man in coverage on a couple of occasions. It’s certainly nitpicky, but both Jaylinn Hawkins and Craig Woodson looked better than him in this one.

Harold Landry III

Through three games, Harold Landry III had been one of New England’s top players, but he didn’t make much of an impact against Carolina. It ultimately didn’t matter, but Landry recorded just one quarterback hit on the day, while also picking up a foolish neutral zone infraction penalty in the first quarter.

Kyle Williams

Another guy buried on the wide receiver depth chart is rookie Kyle Williams. Again, it’s tough to totally fault him, but he turned his one touch in this game, which was a rush, into a two-yard loss. It’d be nice to see him utilized more, but he needs to make the most of his opportunities, and he didn’t do that against the Panthers on Sunday.