After suffering a narrow loss in Week 1, the New England Patriots were able to bounce back by clobbering the rebuilding New York Jets in a 25-6 Week 2 victory. Bill Belichick's squad continues to be a thorn for rookie quarterbacks, with Zach Wilson becoming the latest addition to the long list of victims.
To put it simply, the Patriots' defense did a great job of containing the BYU product, who was forced to throw a ton of bad passes and wound up with four total interceptions. Wilson's dismal performance on Sunday certainly made it easier for the Patriots to run away with the victory and get in the win column for the first time this season.
Patriots Week 2 takeaways
3. Cornerback J.C. Jackson continues to impress with the extended absence of Stephon Gilmore
Star cornerback Stephon Gilmore was previously placed on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he would miss the first six games of the season. Everyone knows his caliber as a player and that his absence would clearly affect the team's performance, especially on the defensive end.
Fortunately, the Patriots still have another capable cornerback in J.C. Jackson. In Week 2 against the Jets, he led the defensive unit with two interceptions to go with three total tackles to completely limit the Jets' offensive attack from getting their rhythm on the field.
Gilmore's situation with the team continues to hang in the balance, but there is no doubt that Jackson will get significant reps amid his absence. If the Maryland talent manages to continuously improve, the Patriots certainly won't skip a beat even without their top cornerback playing on the field.
2. RB Damien Harris was able to redeem himself after having a costly fumble back in Week 1
The Patriots almost grabbed a victory against the division rival Miami Dolphins in Week 1. However, their own errors killed their chances to win the game, including a late fumble by running back Damien Harris. After committing a costly turnover, the 24-year-old made sure to come out with a better performance in Week 2.
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Harris continued to lead the rushing unit with 62 yards on 16 touches to go with a touchdown scored for New England The damage that he did on the ground was enough to redeem himself and eventually secure a victory for his team this time around.
With the way he's performing as of late, the Patriots can expect Harris to serve as a key cog on offense and be a major threat against their opponents every time he steps on the field.
1. Mac Jones had another efficient outing en route to a dominant victory
Rookie QB Mac Jones had a respectable debut against the Dolphins last week, but he still failed to power his team to their first win of the season. In Week 2, the 15th overall pick had another good showing with 186 yards on 22-of-30 passing.
Though he didn't tally a passing touchdown against the Jets, his performance was still enough to lead his team to a dominant victory against their division rival. Additionally, he successfully outplayed his counterpart in Zach Wilson, who struggled in the pocket right from the get-go.
As of the moment, Mac Jones still has more work to do, but he is currently doing a stellar job as a full-time starter for Bill Belichick's squad. Ultimately, the Patriots will need him to continuously improve, because his level of production will greatly dictate the team's success as this season goes along.
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