Woah. Cleveland just handed New England a brutal 37-13 loss last night at Huntington Bank Field, and honestly, it felt like a total beatdown. What are we even watching with the Patriots right now? Drake Maye and a whopping 38 other frontline players sat out this final preseason game, with the team clearly trying to protect guys ahead of Week 1. But man, the reserves they put out there struggled big time against the Browns. It leaves you wondering what New England’s going to look like when the games actually count.
The Patriots’ QB Carousel Is Spinning Like Crazy
Tommy DeVito got the start at quarterback for the Patriots, with QB coach Ashton Grant calling the offensive plays. DeVito actually showed some flashes early on, quickly moving the ball across midfield before hitting Kyle Williams for a sweet 45-yard touchdown down the left sideline. That tied the game up for a hot minute. But the good vibes didn’t last. Seventh-round rookie Behren Morton came in late in the first quarter, and his very first pass? It bounced off tight end CJ Dippre’s foot and right into the hands of the opposing defense. Yikes. Morton did manage to drive the offense into the red zone later for a 26-yard field goal from Andy Borregales, and he even scrambled for 14 yards and connected with Kyle Dixon for 19 more. But the overall picture under center feels incredibly unsettled with Week 1 coming up fast.
Cleveland’s Offense Was Relentless, New England’s Defense Was Lost
The Browns, even with Dillon Gabriel and their reserves playing, looked sharp. Gabriel moved the ball with his legs, picking up a third-down after rookie Gabe Jacas bit on a zone-read. Then he found two chunk gains through the air, including a 14-yard touchdown. Andrew Szmyt was money too, kicking a 35-yard field goal and another one after Morton’s interception. Cleveland just kept piling it on. The Patriots’ defense seemed out of sync, letting wide receiver Ben Patterson take a deep connection for 52 yards. Cornerback Kindle Vildor got flagged for defensive pass interference, and outside linebacker Amari Gainer picked up a roughing the passer penalty. Even the offense had issues, with Lan Larison dropping a crucial third-down pass. Cleveland’s running back Ahmani Marshall caught a pass in the flat, shrugged off a tackle, and scored too. It was just a brutal night all around for New England.
Week 1 is under two weeks away, and for New England, the biggest question is who’s going to be healthy and who’s going to actually be under center when the season kicks off. Cleveland, on the other hand, looks like they’re ready to roll.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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