ones goes from pick-six to 11 straight completions

Quarterback movement surfaced on the eve of the opener. It continued Sunday as Tom Brady made his return to Foxborough as a 2024 Patriots Hall of Fame inductee. But Mac Jones was there, too.

New England’s starter and captain went 35-of-54 passing for 316 yards with three touchdowns and one interception by game’s end. A high throw off the fingertips of wideout Kendrick Bourne became a pick-six on the first drive as cornerback Darius Slay took it 70 yards the other way. Four chances on third down were failed before the Patriots converted on back-to-back occasions and climbed back.

Jones hit tight end Hunter Henry on an out-and-up strike in the low red zone to get on the board against a renovated defense that allowed an NFL-best 4.9 net yards per pass attempt in 2022. He stayed warm, completing 11 passes in a row and turning back to Bourne down the middle of the field for 19 yards and a touchdown prior to halftime. And then back to Bourne in the back of the end zone to make it a 25-20 game on a 75-yard drive.

Down two starting guards, New England concedes two sacks

The Eagles amassed 70 sacks a season ago. On Sunday, the visitors would tally two against an offensive line that started Trent Brown at left tackle, Atonio Mafi at right guard, David Andrews at center, Sidy Sow at right guard and Calvin Anderson at right tackle. Those sacks arrived in the fourth quarter.

Containing Hurts

The task of slowing Jalen Hurts loomed. The Patriots were up for it on a counter run and a chase out of the pocket amid Philadelphia’s opening drive, yet a draw followed and moved the chains from third down to inside the 10. The next third down brought a different result. It brought a sack off the edge by perennial Pro Bowler Matthew Judon to force a field goal.

The escapable second-team All-Pro under center for the Eagles responded with points. The defense then responded by forcing five consecutive three-and-outs heading into intermission.

Hurts, who rushed nine times for 37 yards, finished 22-of-33 passing for 170 yards and one touchdown. Outside linebacker Josh Uche and blitzing rookie cornerback Christian Gonzalez also had a hand in sacks. And a scrambled forced fumble by safety Jabrill Peppers gave the Patriots the football back down five with 3:37 still to tick.