FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — One of the staples of Patriots coach Mike Vrabel’s weekly addresses to his players is to remind them about “the good, the bad and the stuff that gets you beat.”
Through three games, both New England and Carolina have exhibited bad habits on offense that have contributed to 1-2 starts.
While they have also shown flashes of strong offensive play, this week gives both teams a chance to establish an identity on that side of the ball.
New England never led in last week's 21-14 loss to Pittsburgh. The Patriots turned the ball over five times and scored on only two of their four red-zone visits, including two opportunities at the 2-yard line.
“Not beating ourselves. That’s the big thing,” quarterback Drake Maye said. “It’s something that you try to overemphasize, and usually when you overemphasize things, you fix it.”
For the season, New England has scored touchdowns on just six of 11 trips inside the 20-yard line. It's one reason the Patriots are tied for 17th in the NFL in scoring at 20 points per game.
“At the end of the day it doesn't mean anything if you don't put points on the board,” right tackle Morgan Moses said. “Moving up the field, that's all good and dandy, but you want to leave with some type of points on the board. ... We've got to be better when it's crunch time.”
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young had five turnovers in the first five quarters this season. But he has no turnovers in the seven quarters since.
Other signs of progress? Carolina was outscored 36-13 in the first five quarters, but has outscored opponents 49-17 in the last seven.
“We've always had confidence. We always had a belief within the building. We know what we’re capable of,” Young said. “It’s just on us to execute.”
Concerns at receiver
The Panthers were light on wide receivers earlier this week as rookie Tetairoa McMillan sat out Wednesday’s practice with a sore calf. McMillan said after practice the team was being cautious and that he expects to play against the Patriots.
Xavier Legette missed last week’s game with tightness in his hamstring and was also a scratch for practice, while Hunter Renfrow skipped a day of work to be present for the birth of his daughter. The Panthers are already missing Jalen Coker, who started the season on injured reserve and is not yet eligible to return.
If McMillan and Legette, the team’s starting wideouts, are both out then, veteran David Moore and 2024 undrafted rookie Brycen Tremayne could see extensive action alongside Renfrow in the slot.
Meanwhile, starting tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders (ankle) is not expected to play, leaving Tommy Tremble to fill that role.
Getting his kicks
Panthers rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald has mastered the art of squib kicks since coming into the league. He kicked off seven times on Sunday and the Falcons repeatedly muffed the bouncing ball, resulting in an average starting field position of the 19.
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Atlanta twice started drives at the 10.
Fitzgerald wouldn't give away any secrets on how he kicks the ball for competitive reasons, but said it's something he works on continuously.
“You don’t know what you’re going to get with it, so it is just a hit and hope kind of thing,” Fitzgerald said.
He received a game ball on Sunday for his kickoffs and three successful field-goal attempts. He has not missed this season.
Gonzalez debut?
The Patriots are hoping to get a defensive boost with cornerback Christian Gonzalez possibly making his season debut after missing the first three games with a hamstring injury.
Vrabel said Gonzalez, who practiced last week for the first time since injuring his hamstring early in training camp, was on track to ramp up his participation.
Gonzalez is eagerly anticipating his return.
“It’s what I do, I love football,” he said. “It’s been hard being out. It’s been hard just watching. But excited to get back at it this week.”
Replacing Maye
Maye had committed to Alabama but backed out after learning the Crimson Tide had recruited Young.
Maye changed course and followed in his father Mark’s footsteps by going to North Carolina. It worked out for both QBs as Young was the No. 1 pick in 2023, while Maye was the third overall selection a year later.
AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
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