The New England Patriots opened their 2024 season on the right foot by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals, 16-10 in Week 1, however, that only leaves room for growth and improvement moving forward for first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.
New England's defense, which forced two Cincinnati turnovers, stood out above all else. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked three times, threw for only 164 yards and couldn't put together any momentum to overcome the Patriots. As impressive of a performance as New England showcased in Week 1, there's still a need to take steps forward amid what'll be a new chapter of Patriots football.