Not everything went according to plan for the New England Patriots in Thursday’s preseason opener with the Houston Texans. The offense sputtered in the early-going, and the defensive reserves gave up too many plays down the stretch in the 20-9 loss.
It wasn’t the best of showings from a team that was already on thin ice with a fan base that watched them close out the 2022 season with a losing record and a failed playoff berth.
The sense of urgency has also been amplified by the arms race currently happening in a much-improved AFC East division. An argument could be made that the Patriots are falling behind fast and hard. Of course, there’s also a dramatic element to how the team is being picked apart and judged on the heels of only one preseason game, too.
Let’s take a look at three of the biggest overreactions for the Patriots, following Thursday’s loss to the Texans.