The New England Patriots suited up on Thursday night to take on the Houston Texans in the first preseason game of the 2023 regular season.
After a disappointing 2022 season which saw the team miss the playoffs with an 8-9 final record, the Patriots retooled in the offseason, reuniting with an old friend in Bill O’Brien to coordinate the offense. The addition of O’Brien, along with a seemingly stellar rookie class, has given New England promise heading into the season.
Before we continue, just a note that, while the NFL preseason is a great time to see what kind of talent may lie within this roster, it rarely is a true indicator of how players will perform when the games matter.
Here are four big takeaways from the game.