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Patriots

RB “Peep-iel” Elliott a Factor for Pats

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DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is concerned longtime Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Will Grier are telling secrets.

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As the New England Patriots prepare to travel to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday, Elliott and Grier add tangible value with their knowledge of the inner workings of the Cowboys’ operation.

“Certainly Will knows where a lot of the bones are buried,” Schottenheimer said. “Zeke obviously does as well. Those are thing you talk about, and you think about, ‘OK, let’s adjust this one.’ We certainly have more than one hand signal for most of our core concepts, and sometimes you can use it to your advantage because they think they know what’s coming. And they hear something they think, ‘Oh, hey, it’s this,’ and we’re smart enough to adjust those things.”

Grier was waived in August when the Cowboys made a trade to acquire Trey Lance from the San Francisco 49ers.

Elliott played 103 career regular-season games in Dallas and was released in the offseason. He’s a close friend of Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and has unique insight, despite the team changing offensive coordinators from Kellen Moore to Schottenheimer. But head coach Mike McCarthy has taken over play-calling this season.

The cat-and-mouse game can work both ways.

Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore played for the Patriots from 2017-20 and was a prized pupil of head coach Bill Belichick. Well-traveled wide receiver Brandin Cooks spent the 2017 season in New England.

“Everybody does it, you get a player that’s been somewhere, you talk to him about different things,” Schottenheimer said. “And then you’re very selective about how much you put into it. Excited to see Will, it’ll be great to see him, but I’m sure he is definitely being interrogated and spending a lot of late nights with their defensive coaching staff.”

Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien belly-laughed when asked if he interrogated the new practice squad quarterback.

“Interrogating?” O’Brien asked rhetorically Tuesday. “Schotty is a good guy, I’ve known Schotty for a long time. I think that’s the way it is in this league — and it goes both ways. It’s always going to happen. At the end of the day, you’ve got to study the film.

“I’ve never thought in all of my years in the league that any of that was an overriding factor in a win or a loss. I don’t think we’re trying to hold a light over anybody and (asking), ‘Tell me what you did on July 20, 2023.’ We’re not doing that. We’re not interrogating anybody. We’re trying to put together the best game plan we possible can.”

–Field Level Media

Patriots Keep Winning Streak Over J.E.T.S. Alive

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Matthew Judon recorded a safety with 2:19 to go and the visiting New England Patriots preserved a 15-10 win over the New York Jets on a rainy Sunday in the Meadowlands.

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The Patriots (1-2) extended their winning streak against their AFC East rival to 15 games, dating to 2015. That ties the Kansas City Chiefs’ run against the Denver Broncos for the NFL’s longest active streak against a single opponent.

Zach Wilson and the Jets (1-2) attempted to salvage a dismal offensive performance with an 87-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that cut their deficit to 13-10. But after New York got the ball back, Judon beat left tackle Mekhi Becton on third-and-long and took down Wilson in the end zone for his second sack of the day.

The Jets forced two three-and-outs to stay alive. Wilson’s Hail Mary throw with 1 second left reached the end zone but fell incomplete, with Randall Cobb just missing the grab.

Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 157 yards and the Jets managed just 38 rushing yards. New York had six three-and-outs and 171 total yards (2.8 per play).

Mac Jones went 15-of-29 passing for 201 yards and a touchdown, and Ezekiel Elliott led the Patriots in rushing with a season-high 80 yards on 16 totes.

The score was 3-0 after one quarter thanks to Chad Ryland’s 48-yard field goal on New England’s opening drive. Ryland went on to miss from 48 and 57 yards during the second quarter.

In the meantime, the Jets went nowhere on their first five possessions, which netted 1 yard and one first down. Wilson took a 12-yard sack early in the second quarter and received a chorus of boos as the Jets went three-and-out.

The Patriots made it 10-0 when Jones hit uncovered tight end Pharaoh Brown over the top after a play-action fake with 10:38 left in the half. Brown chugged 58 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown since 2020 with the Houston Texans.

Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook combined for 29 rushing yards on the Jets’ sixth possession, which included a fourth-down conversion before Greg Zuerlein’s 52-yard field goal with 1:21 left.

Ryland made it 13-3 Patriots with a booming 51-yard field goal with 10:31 left in the third quarter. The teams combined to punt on their next six possessions before the Jets’ touchdown drive.

Wilson completed seven passes on the march, and after a pass interference call on New England brought the Jets to the 1, fullback Nick Bawden pushed in for his first career touchdown with 5:24 left.

Dolphins Hold on For Win Over Patriots

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Miami’s RB Raheem Mostert rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns, and the Miami Dolphins held on for a 24-17 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday night.

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Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa completed 21 of 30 passes for 249 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Tyreek Hill was limited to 40 receiving yards but had the lone touchdown catch for Miami (2-0).

Patriots’ QB Mac Jones completed 31 of 42 passes for 231 yards, one touchdown and one interception for New England (0-2). The Patriots have lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2001.

New England pulled within 17-10 with 11:21 to go in the fourth quarter. Jones rolled right and found Hunter Henry, who caught a 6-yard pass for his second touchdown in as many weeks.

Miami responded with a touchdown to increase its lead to 24-10 with 8:45 remaining. Tagovailoa took the snap out of the shotgun formation and quickly handed the ball to Mostert, who found daylight and sprinted 43 yards for his second touchdown of the game.

Once again, the Patriots tried to claw back. Rhamondre Stevenson punched in a 2-yard rushing touchdown up the middle with 5:25 remaining to finish a nine-play, 75-yard drive.

The Patriots’ final drive stalled at the Dolphins 30-yard line after a wild play in which Mike Gesicki caught a pass and tossed a lateral to offensive lineman Cole Strange. The 310-pound Strange tried to muscle past the first-down marker, but officials ruled that he was down just shy of the line to gain after a replay review.

The Dolphins opened the scoring with three minutes left in the first quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Jason Sanders.

Miami made it 10-0 with 9:39 to go in the second quarter. Mostert cut toward his left and outraced a Patriots defender for an 8-yard score.

New England got on the scoreboard with a 49-yard field goal by Chad Ryland with 1:49 remaining in the first half.

Miami answered with 11 seconds to go before the break to increase its lead to 17-3. Tagovailoa zipped a pass to Hill, who caught it in stride just across the goal line for a 2-yard touchdown.

–Field Level Media

Miami: Tough Opponent for Patriots

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FOXBORO – A prolific performance on offense in their season opener propels the Miami Dolphins into a visit to the New England Patriots on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, near Boston.

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Miami (1-0) captured the league’s attention with 536 total yards in a 36-34 road win against the Los Angeles Chargers. They could become the fourth team in NFL history to put up 500-plus yards in their first two games of the season.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 466 yards and three touchdowns in the season opener, and he promptly was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He completed 11 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns to wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel offered another key statistic: Zero.

That’s how many yards and points the Dolphins can bring with them from Week 1.

“Literally, zero,” McDaniel deadpanned. “I checked with the league. We can’t take the points from last game and put them in the points of this game.

“So it was a really, really cool little thing that you’ll look back on. And that night, as a team, it felt nice to see some of those rewards. But the goal this offseason, the goal for these guys’ lives wasn’t like, ‘Man, I’m going to have a good game.’ So you have to keep that in perspective.

“But I’m excited to see what they do with that moving forward.”

It will not be easy against New England (0-1), which is coming off a hard-fought, 25-20 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1. The Patriots trailed 16-0 after the first quarter but rallied to give themselves a chance for a late victory.

Mac Jones completed 35 of 54 passes for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for the Patriots. Kendrick Bourne caught two touchdown passes and Hunter Henry hauled in one.

“We’ve already talked about what we can do better, and just going out there and trying to do it is a challenge,” Jones said. “But that’s the fun part about the game. You get a chance to learn from your mistakes and then go out there, and it’s going to come up again.”

Jones and his teammates on the Patriots spent this week preparing for a Dolphins defense that now is led by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio. His defensive style relies heavily on zone schemes rather than man-to-man coverages.

“I have a ton of respect for Vic as a coach and what he’s done,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said.

The Dolphins’ offense will match up against a New England defense that produced three sacks, three tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, four quarterback hits and a fumble recovery in Week 1.

Ja’Whuan Bentley led the team with nine tackles, while rookie Christian Gonzalez had seven tackles to go along with a sack, a tackle for loss and a pass break-up.

McDaniel, who is hopeful left tackle Terron Armstead returns after missing Week 1, praised the Patriots’ defense and Belichick, its longtime architect.

“It’s amazing that the orchestration of the defense is so consistent, so fundamentally consistent and sound,” McDaniel said. “Very, very detailed. And the leader of the ship was at the same job when we were all like, ‘What’s an iPod?’

“The coolest part about what they do is it’s not because they’re entitled. It’s because they work at stuff. You can really see it.”

Armstead practiced Thursday without what had become an accustomed non-contact jersey, a sign he could play Sunday night.

Miami has won four of the past five meetings with the Patriots. The Dolphins lead the all-time series, 59-53.

–Field Level Media

NFL: Week Two | Game Previews

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NFL Previews: Week Two

(Staff and Wire Service Report)

Green Bay at Atlanta: GB QB Jordan Love enjoyed life on the road in the opener — three TD passes in a 38-20 win over the Bears — and matches up with Desmond Ridder at Atlanta in his encore performance. The Packers’ traveling party might look a little different due to injuries. RB Aaron Jones, WR Christian Watson and LB Quay Walker (concussion) were all iffy late in the week. Ridder ran a no-risk offense to notch a win over the Panthers. The Falcons are more grind than glitter, but flashy rookie RB Bijan Robinson has Green Bay’s attention as part of a tandem with RB Tyler Allgeier (two TDs in Week 1).

Las Vegas at Buffalo: LV WR Jakobi Meyers caught a pair of TD passes last week but was in concussion protocol as the Raiders got ready for the angry Bills, who dropped their opener to the Jets in overtime thanks to four turnovers. Las Vegas enjoyed the debut of Jimmy Garoppolo, who is 4-1 all-time against the AFC East. The Bills are accustomed to seeing a more comfortable Josh Allen at home. He had 21 TDs (one rushing) in home games in 2022 (Lions QB Jared Goff led the NFL with 23). Allen admitted he was careless with the deep ball, leading to three interceptions in Week 1. He’ll continue to look for WR Stefon Diggs, who had 6-115 in his last game against the Raiders. Las Vegas looks to balance its offense with RB Josh Jacobs. Still getting into gear after skipping the preseason due to his contract status, he extended his active streak in Week 1 to 26 games with 50-plus yards from scrimmage.

Baltimore at Cincinnati: Cincinnati is looking to bounce back from a 24-3 loss to the host Browns in Week 1. Facing Myles Garrett and an intense Cleveland pass rush in the rain, Joe Burrow and the Bengals could never get the offense in gear, recording just 142 yards of total offense. Burrow had 82 passing yards. The Ravens beat the visiting Texans 25-9 in their home opener, sacking C.J. Stroud five times and holding Houston to just 268 yards of total offense. The Bengals are trying to avoid a repeat of last year’s 0-2 start before winning 12 of their final 14 games to end the regular season and capture their second straight AFC North title. The Bengals also started 0-3 in the division before turning things around. Baltimore is banged-up and has already lost starting RB J.K. Dobbins for the 2023 season, due to an injured Achilles’ heel.

Seattle at Detroit: Lions QB Jared Goff has gone 359 straight pass attempts without getting picked off. That is the third-longest streak in NFL history behind only Aaron Rodgers (402) and Tom Brady (399). Detroit (1-0) missed the 2022 playoffs thanks in part to a shootout loss to the Seahawks. Seattle beat the Lions 51-29 late in the 2021 season and left Detroit last season with a 48-45 triumph. Blocking — and personnel up front — are top-level concerns for the Seahawks. Neither starting offensive tackle is expected to be available due to injury. That’s tough news when contending with Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson, who had eight hurries of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes in the opener.

Indianapolis at Houston: Top draft picks and QBs of the future Anthony Richardson (Colts) and C.J. Stroud (Texans) tangle for the first of what is likely many division meetings with the losing team dropping to 0-2. These teams tied under different circumstances to open the 2022 season and made coaching changes in the offseason. Each coach preached this week about the importance of avoiding dangerous hits. The Ravens sacked Stroud five times, tied for the third-highest total from Week 1. Richardson absorbed four sacks plus additional blows while scrambling for 40 yards and a touchdown, but left the game on the final drive after being blasted trying to run for another TD inside the 5.

Kansas City at Jacksonville: The Jaguars and Chiefs meet for the third time in less than a year, with Jacksonville looking for its first win over Kansas City since 2009. The Chiefs beat Jacksonville in the divisional playoffs in Kansas City in January. Kansas City expects to be closer to full strength than Week 1, with DT Chris Jones (contract-related) and TE Travis Kelce (knee) absent. Both are shooting to play. Jacksonville used a 14-point flurry in 1:05 in the fourth quarter to separate from the Colts last week. WR Calvin Ridley had 101 yards and a TD in his first game with the Jaguars. In QB Patrick Mahomes’ only game at Jacksonville, he posted 378 yards and three TD passes, and the Jaguars have never held him under 300 yards in three career meetings.

L.A. Chargers at Tennessee: Titans QB Ryan Tannehill said the offense couldn’t be much worse than it was in a 17-16 loss to the Saints last week. And, well, even if the Chargers don’t say so — allowing 17 pass plays of 15-plus yards to the Dolphins represents a special tier of defensive incompetence. Dinged up WR DeAndre Hopkins (ankle) and Tannehill haven’t had much time to get on the same page. RB Derrick Henry is the constant for Tennessee and posted his 43rd career game with 100-plus yards from scrimmage. The Chargers prepped for Week 2 largely without RB Austin Ekeler (ankle) and top pass rusher Joey Bosa (hamstring). Joshua Kelley picked up the slack with 91 rushing yards last week and QB Justin Herbert has an enviable assortment of weapons that now includes massive rookie WR Quentin Johnston.

Chicago at Tampa Bay: All of the new toys in the Bears’ offense were barely unwrapped in an 18-point loss to the Packers. Justin Fields promises a more aggressive approach pushing the ball downfield to No. 1 WR DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney. Tampa Bay had three takeaways at Minnesota and survived a 150-yard game from Justin Jefferson to beat the Vikings thanks to Baker Mayfield’s two TD passes. Mayfield claims he decoded the Minnesota defensive signals and showed serious grit playing through a shoulder injury. WR Mike Evans caught a TD pass to put the contract drama with the Bucs in the rearview mirror, and he caught three TDs in his last meeting with the Bears. Chicago’s coverage adjustments include finding a replacement for CB Kyler Gordon, who landed on IR with a broken hand.

N.Y. Giants at Arizona: In a league defined by close games — there were eight in Week 1 decided by one score — the Cardinals and Giants fared very differently in 2022. The Giants were 8-4-1 in one-score games and finished with a 9-7-1 record last season. They qualified for the playoffs and saw Brian Daboll in his first season be named NFL Coach of the Year. The Cardinals sustained a debilitating stretch of injuries and were 2-6 in one-score games in 2022. That resulted in a 4-13 record and the firing of head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Neither team fared well in Week 1. The Giants were shut out 40-0 in the largest such loss in the history of their rivalry with the Cowboys and Arizona managed a meager 210 yards in a 20-16 loss to the Commanders. Both teams have health concerns, including Giants LT Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and TE Darren Waller (hamstring).

San Francisco at L.A. Rams: One of the unexpected Week 1 showings was delivered on the road by the Rams’ defense at Seattle, smothering the Seahawks to limit the favored division foe to 14 yards of total offense in the second half. Now they look to beat the 49ers in the regular season for the first time since 2018. Brock Purdy showed no ill effects from offseason elbow surgery, guiding a 30-7 win over the Steelers to improve to 6-0 as a starter in the regular season. Purdy makes his first start against the Rams, who became all too familiar with RB Christian McCaffrey (149 total yards, 2 TDs) in Week 8 last year. Los Angeles hopes to be able to introduce rookie WR Puka Nacua to the 49ers after he had 10 receptions for 119 yards in his debut last week. Nacua was added to the injury report Thursday with an oblique injury.

N.Y. Jets at Dallas: Defense spared the Jets in an overtime thriller with the Bills as the coaching staff scrambles to shake off the emotional toll of losing Aaron Rodgers for the season while feverishly working to ready Zach Wilson. Jets coach Robert Saleh continues to refer to his “championship defense” and the heart of that unit, All-Pro DT Quinnen Williams, could have QB Dak Prescott perspiring considering the Cowboys’ starting guards missed practice time with injuries this week. The Dallas offense barely broke a sweat in Week 1, smacking the Giants 40-0 with touchdowns from their defense and special teams. Pass protection is a worry for New York. The Cowboys had seven sacks against the Giants and LB Micah Parsons had 15 in 2022. Dallas won its final eight home games last season but has lost three consecutive games to the Jets.

Washington at Denver: Denver WR Jerry Jeudy plans to play for the Broncos, who needed a dose of good news on the injury front after a training camp marred by bad breaks. QB Russell Wilson was efficient — 79.4 percent completions, 2 TD passes — in his first game with Sean Payton as head coach but Denver had only six offensive possessions in a loss to the Raiders. Washington’s defense held the Cardinals under 250 total yards and more of the same might be needed as QB Sam Howell makes his first career road start and third overall. The home team in this matchup has won five meetings in a row and Washington coach Ron Rivera has never defeated the Broncos, including a Super Bowl 50 loss when he coached the Panthers. Denver’s rebuilt offensive line gets a test from the Washington D-line comprised almost entirely of first-round picks with Chase Young (neck) back on the practice field and expected to play.

Miami at New England: Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins put up video-game numbers in the Week 1 victory over the Chargers — 466 yards, three TDs — with WR Tyreek Hill hauling in 11-215-2. Tagovailoa wasn’t intercepted in three starts vs. AFC East opponents in 2022. The Patriots have lost four of the past five games with the Dolphins but saw positive signs from their passing game in Bill O’Brien’s return to the play-calling role. QB Mac Jones has two or more TD passes in four consecutive games and boosted his TD-to-INT ratio to 9-1 in his past six home starts with a strong effort against the Eagles last week. Neither team was able to gain consistent traction in the running game last week and the Patriots are fighting multiple injuries to starters up front. It’s reunion day for multiple players. Former Dolphins in New England include WR DeVante Parker, TE Mike Gesicki and DT Davon Godchaux. Current Patriots with Miami ties are OL Isaiah Wynn, WR Braxton Berrios, CB Justin Bethel and DE Chase Winovich.

Patriots Rally Falls Short vs Philly

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Philadelphia kicker Jake Elliott made good on three second-half field goals to help the Eagles ward off a comeback en route to a 25-20 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday.

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Elliott’s final kick came from 51 yards out with 5:33 left in the game. It proved to be critical when Mac Jones found Kendrick Bourne for an 11-yard touchdown just under two minutes later to pull New England within five.

The Patriots (0-1) couldn’t convert the two-point conversion, but they ended up getting the ball back twice. On the second possession, New England drove to the Eagles 20, and Jones seemingly threw a first-down completion to Kayshon Boutte on fourth-and-11 with 25 seconds remaining.

But replay ruled Boutte didn’t get both feet in bounds, allowing Philadelphia (1-0) to hang on for the win.

Elliott also converted field-goal attempts from 56 and 48 yards following halftime to keep the Eagles in front.

Jalen Hurts completed 22 of 33 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown for Philadelphia. Kenneth Gainwell had 54 yards on 14 carries.

Jones threw for 316 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 35-for-54 passing. Bourne had six catches for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

After Elliott capped Philadelphia’s opening drive with a 32-yard field goal, Darius Slay came down with an interception on the Patriots’ seventh offensive play of the game. Jones threw wide of Bourne, who got a hand on the ball and deflected it up in the air. It fell right to Slay, who then took it 70 yards to the end zone for a 10-0 lead.

Ezekiel Elliott fumbled on New England’s ensuing possession, setting the Eagles up at the Patriots’ 26-yard line. Five plays later, Hurts found DeVonta Smith for a 5-yard touchdown, but Jake Elliott couldn’t convert the extra point.

New England flipped a switch in the second quarter, though.

Jones completed 14 of 17 passes for 128 yards in the period, connecting with Hunter Henry for a 9-yard touchdown with 4:34 left before finding Bourne for a 19-yard score just over four minutes later.

That surge allowed the Patriots to pull within 16-14 by the break.

–Field Level Media

NFL: WEEK ONE PREVIEWS

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Week 1
NFL preview capsules for Sunday’s Games – Action via Betting Hero

Texans at Ravens: First-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie QB C.J. Stroud lead Houston into Baltimore eyeing a turnaround for a franchise with 11 wins the past three seasons. The Ravens loaded up at wide receiver after signing QB Lamar Jackson to a five-year contract, adding Odell Beckham and first-round pick Zay Flowers. Baltimore won 10 games last season for the ninth time during the John Harbaugh era and even without Pro Bowl CB Marlon Humphrey (foot) brings a veteran-laden defense to this fight.

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49ers at Steelers: Second-year QB Kenny Pickett put up a brilliant preseason and graduates to a stern test from a San Francisco defense likely to have DE Nick Bosa in the fold. Bosa signed a monster contract on Wednesday and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year joined the team for the first time since minicamp. The 49ers reached the NFC title game behind rookie QB Brock Purdy, whose elbow injury in that game led to offseason ligament surgery. He threw multiple TD passes in each of the final six games (five starts) in 2022 as defenses locked down on RB Christian McCaffrey. With at least two TDs and a win this week, Purdy would become the only QB in NFL history to go 6-0 with multiple TD passes in his first six career starts.

Packers at Bears: Welcome Jordan Love to the stage. The Packers intercepted the torch from Aaron Rodgers, trading him to the Jets and inserting Love into the starting lineup. A rivalry game at Soldier Field pits two solid defenses and unproven quarterbacks. Justin Fields rushed for 1,143 yards last season, but the Bears want him to prove he’s a pro passer with new weapon D.J. Moore matched up with Packers CB Jaire Alexander in a popcorn-worthy pairing.

Eagles at Patriots: A coach for twice the lifetime of Jalen Hurts, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick appreciates the unique challenge the running quarterback presents as the engine of the Eagles’ multi-faceted offense. New England changed offensive coordinators, bringing back Bill O’Brien, who is tasked with getting greatness out of QB Mac Jones while matching wits this week with former co-worker Matt Patricia, an assistant with Philadelphia. The Patriots invested their top three picks on defense, including CB Christian Gonzalez, and expect big things out of other rookies (DE Keion White, LB Marte Mapu, WR Kayshon Boutte). The club will honor the retired QB and franchise legend, Tom Brady, in a halftime ceremony at Gillette Stadium.

Panthers at Falcons: Panthers OLB Brian Burns’ “hold-in” is a fancy way of saying he wants more money but plans to play as Carolina chases Atlanta first-round RB Bijan Robinson and QB Desmond Ridder around the dome Sunday afternoon. The Falcons put up a season-high 37 points and beat Carolina on Oct. 30 last season but lost 25-15 in Charlotte. No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young makes his first career start for the Panthers, who went 7-10 last season and hired Frank Reich as head coach in January. Carolina’s new look spans the roster. Active building the roster in the offseason, the Panthers added versatile RB Miles Sanders and veteran WR Adam Thielen and brought in SS Vonn Bell to anchor the back end of the defense.

Jaguars at Colts: A playoff team in 2022 with a 9-8 record, the Jaguars are widely expected to be the best in the AFC South. They split a pair of games with the Colts last season with a 34-27 loss at Indianapolis, then ended the season with a six-game winning streak, including the wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, before falling at Kansas City in the divisional playoffs. Indianapolis hit the reset button following a 4-12-1 season, hiring Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and drafting Anthony Richardson No. 4 overall to end a run of musical chairs at QB. The Colts won’t have RB Jonathan Taylor (ankle), who was inactive for the 2022 home date with Jacksonville.

Buccaneers at Vikings: No Tampa Tom Brady means something new, or at least not as old, at quarterback for the Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield won the job over Kyle Trask and has a star-studded receiving corps, provided Mike Evans puts his contract rift with the club to bed. He’ll be operating behind a young offensive line. Both teams made difficult roster moves to work from under a growing salary-cap burden since they last played a game that counted. The Bucs also made a switch at offensive coordinator, hiring Dave Canales (Seahawks) to replace Bryon Leftwich and shuffling Rachaad White into the featured running back role. Minnesota, a winner of two of the past three meetings with its former NFC Central rival, has a new lead back, too. Dalvin Cook was released after four straight 1,000-yard seasons and replaced by understudy Alexander Mattison.

Titans at Saints: Tennessee tries to find its way back to a winning path on the heels of a season wrecked by injuries that ended with a seven-game losing streak. Two constants remain for the Titans: Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, who is attempting to bring balance to the offense after Tennessee ranked 30th in passing last season. DeAndre Hopkins joined Tennessee to make a trio of weapons and could help the new-look scheme establish balance. New is fitting for the Saints. They signed QB Derek Carr, RB Jamaal Williams and TE Foster Moreau and must cope with the three-game suspension of RB Alvin Kamara. Carr could be busy considering the Titans ranked No. 1 against the run in 2022.

Cardinals at Commanders: Arizona plans to contend, but likely down the road after a cleaning house in January and starting over from the top, down. The Cardinals are keeping Washington guessing as to who’ll start at quarterback with Kyler Murray (knee) shelved for at least a month. It could be Josh Dobbs, the journeyman with two career starts, or rookie fifth-rounder Clayton Tune staring across at a Commanders’ defense drenched with first-round draft selections. If Dobbs starts, it will be after just five practices since he was acquired Aug. 24 from the Browns. Washington put its chips behind QB Sam Howell, a second-year quarterback making his second career start with new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy planning to spice up the attack to highlight WRs Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin. McLaurin (toe) is expected to play.

Bengals at Browns: Perhaps the Bengals pulled the appropriate levers in the offseason and the offensive line woes exposing QB Joe Burrow to 100-plus hits the past two seasons are in the past. Nothing like a face-to-face with Myles Garrett to test that theory. Garrett had 16 sacks in 2022, 3.5 of them in two games against Cincinnati. Burrow’s lead receiver, Ja’Marr Chase (2,501 receiving yards, 29 games), can pass Hall of Famer Randy Moss (2,527) for the third-most receiving yards in a player’s first 30 games on Sunday. Cleveland turned the defense over to spicy veteran coordinator Jim Schwartz, who emphasizes pressure.

Raiders at Broncos: The Raiders (6-11 last season) have beaten the Broncos six straight times and aim to extend the streak under new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Denver is putting past history to bed, or at least that’s the plan under new head coach Sean Payton. The former boss of the Saints sat out last season and arrived with ideas on how to resurrect Russell Wilson from a serious downturn in 2022, his first with the Broncos. Injuries hit at wide receiver in preseason, but Wilson gets a reprieve thanks to a rebuilt offensive line and the return of RB Javonte Williams from an ACL injury. Garoppolo has two big-time playmakers to work with: RB Josh Jacobs and WR Davante Adams. Jacobs led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards last season while Adams had an NFL-leading 14 scoring receptions.

Dolphins at Chargers: AFC wild-card playoff teams last season, the Chargers and Dolphins are connected by their 2020 draft decisions, when Tua Tagovailoa went to Miami ahead of Justin Herbert landing with L.A. Tagovailoa showed brilliance in moments but also experienced multiple frightening ones with two documented concussions. Tagovailoa was 10 of 28 for 145 yards in a loss to Herbert and the Chargers last season. Chargers RB Austin Ekeler needs one TD reception for 30 in his career, an achievement only five others at his position have accomplished. Marshall Faulk holds the all-time record for RBs with 36 TD catches.

Rams at Seahawks: Eastern Washington product Cooper Kupp was looking forward to returning home to play the Seahawks in Week 1. That won’t happen due to a hamstring injury in camp, putting the Rams in a hole after a 5-12 season and roster rebuild during the offseason. Gone are CB Jalen Ramsey, WR Allen Robinson, LB Bobby Wagner and DE Leonard Floyd. Wagner makes his homecoming by returning to the Seahawks and facing the Rams in the opener. Seattle re-upped with QB Geno Smith after his Pro Bowl campaign in 2022 helped make the Seahawks a surprise playoff entry. Seattle won two games by a combined seven points over the Rams last season. Smith was sacked seven times.

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Cowboys at Giants: New York crashed the playoffs thanks to a 7-2 start last season. But the Giants have only one win in the past 12 meetings with Dallas. The Cowboys roll with Dak Prescott, who faced criticism after throwing 15 interceptions last season, and expected the revamped offense with head coach Mike McCarthy taking over play-calling to be a boost. Tony Pollard replaces Ezekiel Elliott as the RB1 and adds a big-play dimension. Dallas relies heavily on defense and revealed plans to move pass rusher Micah Parsons into a more traditional defensive end role. He has nine career games with two or more sacks.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Zappe Back

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FOXBORO – (Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots re-signed quarterback Bailey Zappe from their practice squad to the 53-man roster and releasing QB Matt Corral, NFL Network reported Saturday. Zappe will be the backup to Patriots starter Mac Jones for the season opener against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles.

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Patriots coach Bill Belichick had said Friday morning that he was still deciding between the two quarterbacks. Corral did not practice Friday.

New England released Zappe, 24, on Aug. 29 and, after he cleared waivers, signed him to the practice squad a day later.

A fourth-round 2022 draft pick out of Western Kentucky, Zappe was 2-0 as a starter last season and played in four games. He completed 65 of 92 passes for 781 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.

Corral, 24, was a third-round draft pick of the Carolina Panthers in 2022. He spent the season on injured reserve due to a left foot injury. After Carolina selected Bryce Young first in the 2023 draft and signed veteran Andy Dalton, Corral was waived on Aug. 30. The Patriots claimed him off waivers the next day.

–Field Level Media

Patriots to Sign Ezekiel Elliott

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -The New England Patriots are in agreement with free agent running back Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal, with NFL Network reporting the contract is worth up to $6 million.

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The two-time NFL rushing champion visited with the Patriots late last month and provides important depth behind starter Rhamondre Stevenson. Elliott referenced the Patriots in a Twitter post Monday.

Elliott, 28, was released by the Dallas Cowboys in a salary-cutting move in March.

The Ohio State product was slowed in the second half of last season by a knee injury and wasn’t fully healthy in 2021. He rushed for a career-low 876 yards and 3.9 yards per carry in 2022 while backup Tony Pollard emerged as a 1,000-yard rusher and big-play threat.

Elliott led the NFL in rushing in 2016 and 2018 and posted four 1,000-yard seasons with Dallas. The 2016 first-round pick (fourth overall) ranks third in Cowboys history in rushing yards (8,262) and rushing touchdowns (68) behind Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett. He also has 305 catches for 2,336 yards and 12 scores in 103 games (102 starts).

The Patriots released running back James Robinson in June, and Ty Montgomery is nursing an undisclosed injury. Second-year running backs Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris are also on the depth chart.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Jalen Hurd Retires

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FOXBORO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots wide receiver Jalen Hurd announced his retirement on Tuesday, exactly one week after signing with the team.

Hurd, 27, never played an NFL snap. He was selected by the 49ers in the third round (67th overall) of the 2019 draft, but injuries forced him to miss his first two seasons.

After beginning the 2021 campaign on injured reserve, Hurd was released by San Francisco on Nov. 11, 2021. He didn’t join another team until signing with New England on July 25.

The Patriots also claimed rookie receiver Thyrick Pitts off waivers from the Chicago Bears on Tuesday.

Pitts, 24, hauled in 57 receptions for 631 yards and 10 touchdowns last season at Delaware. He was released by the Bears on Monday.

–Field Level Media