TEAM TALK
- Mike Dussault breaks down the five plays that defined the Patriots last-second loss to the Seahawks. 1. Devin McCourty’s pick six.
- Mike Dussault’s Unfiltered Notebook 9/21: There were plenty of positives to take from the thrilling game, but also some lingering questions; More.
- Mike Dussault tackles this week’s Patriots Unfiltered Q&A: Putting the 2020 Patriots over the top.
- Press Conference transcript: Bill Belichick.
- WEEI Patriots Monday: Bill Belichick (21.05 min.)
LOCAL LINKS
- Doug Kyed offers some takeaways after rewatching the game: Cam Newton wasn’t afraid to spread the ball around in Seattle, with N’Keal Harry and Damiere Byrd having breakout performances; It could be tough sledding for the Patriots’ front seven until nose tackle Beau Allen returns or New England adds another defensive lineman or linebacker; More.
- Zack Cox tells us why the Patriots’ secondary isn’t panicking, and more final thoughts from Sun. night: The Pats have been the NFL’s most disciplined team from a penalty standpoint this season; More. /Good perspective on how the touchdowns were scored against the Pats.
- Michael Hurley serves up some still-warm leftover Patriots thoughts: The final play against the Seahawks was a good one; the Patriots’ defense had a brutal night; More.
- Jerry Thornton’s knee-jerk reactions to Week 2. “The lesson future football historians will learn about this game and we saw for ourselves last night is that Cam Newton can run any style of offense you ask him to, even an up-tempo, pro-style, spread system built around attacking a defense from deep-to-shallow. In other words, the polar opposite of what he ran to beat Miami in Week 1.”
- Alex Barth details four key coaching decisions from the Patriots loss, that really stood out as game-changers when using the gift of hindsight.
- Doug Kyed looks at what the snap counts tell us about the Week 2 loss, and gow did the Patriots adjust their depth chart between Week 1 and 2
- Matt Dolloff feels the Patriots offense didn’t quite have enough to beat the Seahawks on Sunday night. But could they have enough later in the season?
- Chad Finn shares 15 thoughts on the Week 2 loss: The Cam Newton we saw Sunday is the superstar, Superman Cam Newton we weren’t sure we’d see again.
- Ryan Hannable has 10 quick thoughts from another Pats-’Hawks classic. 4. One of the keys of the game was keeping the Seattle passing game in check and eliminating big plays, but that proved hard to do.
- Dave D’Onofrio gives us five takeaways from the loss to the ‘Hawks. The final play was fine.
- Mike Reiss relays Devin McCourty on how even after letting in 5 TDs from an opponent, he feels they ‘have a shot to be a really good football team.’ “Sometimes in this league, a good throw and catch beats really good coverage.”
- Nicole Yang talks up the career night for Cam Newton, Julian Edelman, and N’Keal Harry, despite the loss.
- Phil Perry says there’s a reason the Patriots went with the play they did and hears from Cam Newton how he could’ve handled the final goal-line carry differently.
- Alexandra Francisco talks about how the first two games of Cam Newton’s tenure in New England already made history.
- Andrew Callahan explains the best thing Cam Newton did Sunday was fire his first interception as a Patriot. Why? “It was time to hand Cam the keys. With those keys, Newton drove the offense into the end zone twice and down to the 1-yard line, where the Seahawks’ defense finally halted his shocking comeback bid as time expired.”
- Zack Cox mentions the ‘significant progress’ Cam Newton has made in his throwing mechanics, according to Belichick. Newton has completed more than 70 percent of his passes.
- Jerry Thornton takes time to appreciate the absolute number Julian Edelman did on Jamal Adams.
- CBS Boston lauds Jakob Johnson’s glorious fullback touchdown against the Seahawks.
- Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) The Patriots’ rushing attack isn’t as nearly good as it seems
- Alexandra Francisco points out how the first two games of Cam’s tenure in New England already made history.
- Luke Ervin (PatsBuzz) Winners and losers from the Patriots Week 2 defeat. “even with a loss, New England’s performance, particularly on offense, will surely increase the Patriots’ confidence moving forward.”
- Sara Marshall (FullPressCoverage) Three steps forward, two steps back: Patriots standout performances in Week 2.
- Ty Anderson feels that Cam Newton has made the Patriots fun again.
- Nick O’Malley lists all 49 quarterbacks making more money than Cam Newton in 2020.
- Doug Kyed notes Bill Belichick commits to Nick Folk as the kicker despite misses, adding that Justin Rohrwasser is still on the practice squad.
- Deyscha Smith reveals what NFL experts are saying about Sunday’s loss: “This week’s loss needs to be graded on the curve.”
- Nicole Yang Patriots Notes: Stephon Gilmore vs. D.K. Metcalf was a fight that went the distance; More.
- Andrew Callahan issues his Week 2 Report Card: Julian Edelman stars in Seattle, defense breaks down at every level; Cam Newton-led offense exceeds expectations
- Abigail Adams notes Bill Belichick hasn’t watched Tom Brady play with the Bucs this season. “I don’t watch a lot of other pro games...I watch the games that affect what we do.”
- Michael Hurley points out that the Patriots don’t appear to be missing much with Gronk’s underwhelming performance so far in Tampa Bay.
- Dakota Randall NFL Rumors: League won’t suspend Quandre Diggs for hit on N’Keal Harry.
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Dynamic duo Mike D’Abate and Thomas ‘Murph’ Murphy discuss all the positive and negative takeaways from this Week Two matchup. (44 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Seth Galina (Pro Football Focus) NFL Week 2 PFF ReFocused: Seattle Seahawks 35, New England Patriots 30. The back-and-forth affair was a game for the ages.
- Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: The Raiders played their cards right in getting to Las Vegas. Plus, whose offense is it in Dallas, Aaron Rodgers is mentoring younger QBs, Saquon Barkley’s injury came at the worst time for him and much more.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) Week 2 Debrief: Unpleasant (and pleasant) surprises. “The old Cam Newton isn’t back. This New England version is a different model, updated for the times and improbably ahead of schedule. He’s dominant again. Already.”
- Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Sorting the Sunday Pile: Josh Allen’s MVP case; The injury plague; Worst coaching decision of Week 2.
- Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) The Winners and losers of Week 2: Why are Pats-Seahawks games always decided on the 1-yard line? Plus: Greg Zuerlein’s perfect onside kick, the trouble with punting to Patrick Mahomes, and Stefon Diggs’s offensive glow-up.
- Nate Davis (USA Today) 32 things we learned from Week 2. 5b ... Brady > Belichick. /Wut?
- Adam Schein (NFL.com) NFL Week 2: What I loved, liked and loathed about Sunday
- Brandon Mendoza (NFL.como) NFL overreactions, Week 2: Aaron Rodgers lock to win MVP? /Wut?
- Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) Which rough NFL starts are salvageable, and which are season-enders?
- Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) After injury-riddled Week 2, here are the 5 NFL teams most affected by the injury bug.
- Tyler Sullivan, Patrik Walker & Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) NFL Week 2 injury tracker.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL didn’t tell teams about its plan to focus on “clear and obvious” fouls.
- Ian Rapoport (NFL.com) Referees focusing on ‘clear and obvious’ calls as penalties drop.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL begins fining coaches for disregarding mask policy.
EXTRACURRICULAR
- Terry Spencer (AP) Florida prosecutors won’t appeal ruling on Patriots owner Robert Kraft, likely dropping solicitation charges.