PFF’s Best New England Patriots Performances vs. Carolina

The New England Patriots began the post-Belichick era in Foxboro with a preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. Many projected starters played a minimal role or sat entirely. The offense struggled for large chunks of time, but the Patriots defense held the Panthers’ offense in check throughout the night. Ultimately, the Patriots prevailed 17-3 to hand head coach Jerod Mayo his first NFL (preseason) victory.

Pro Football Focus grades every player in all NFL games. Below is a look at the highest-graded New England Patriots players against the Carolina Panthers. For regular season games, there is normally a minimum snap requirement to be included, but for the preseason everyone is eligible to be praised or reprimanded on PFN’s PFF report.

PFF Grading System

Before getting into the best and worst Patriots performances from Sunday, a review of what the numbers represent. Their are five possible tiers a grade places a player in:

90-100 = Elite
85-89 = Pro Bowler
70-84 = Starter
60-69 = Backup
0-59 = Replaceable

Also Read – Eight Takeaways From the Patriots Preseason Opener

Best of Preseason Week 1

WR – JaQuae Jackson (90.7). The UDFA played only 11 snaps but he made the most of his opportunity. He turned a double juke into a 38-yard touchdown reception. New England released veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster on Friday, so Jackson could see even more opportunities moving forward.

JOE TO JAQUAE DIMEEEE!!@Qbjayy7 | @quaerid_9

📺: @wbzsports pic.twitter.com/OvSO4Mdo76

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 9, 2024

DL – Jeremiah Pharms Jr. (89.4). Pharms earned the game’s number one star from PFN. He made three tackles (two solo) and drew two penalties. He registered five pressures, including a sack. Pharms was a force to be reckoned with whenever he was on the field.

LB – Christian Elliss (88.1). He recorded a sack and QB hit on just three pass-rush plays. Elliss finished with four tackles (two solo) and three stops. He also looked comfortable in coverage.

QB – Joe Milton III (86.9). The rookie completed 4-of-6 passes for 54 yards and the touchdown pass to Jackson. He rushed for an additional 28 yards, including a 13-yard scramble that covered half the field. Milton could move ahead of Bailey Zappe on the New England Patriots depth chart if he strings together more outings like this one.

ED – Oshane Ximines (84.5). Ximines would have received a higher grade if not for a poor tackling score. He failed to set the edge once but was generally a disruptive force for the Patriots’ defense. He had a sack, a quarterback hit, and a hurry. If the man they call “OX” was on the field, he was usually in the Panthers’ backfield.

CB – Azii Hearn (82.5). Hearn played both in the slot and on the outside. He finished with the team’s top grade among cornerbacks. Hearn earned a coverage grade of 83.0 and added three solo tackles, including two stops.

OL – Layden Robinson (81.3). The rookie guard split his time between the right and left sides. He played 26 snaps at right guard and 20 plays at left guard. He was the only New England Patriots offensive lineman to receive a grade over 70.0. If Jerod Mayo plans to start his best five linemen, Robinson will be tough to ignore if he continues playing like this.

ST – Marcellas Dial Jr. (81.1). New England’s top special teams grade went to their sixth-round pick out of South Carolina. Dial recorded two tackles on special teams, the only Patriots player to do so. He could carve out a roster spot as a reserve cornerback and core special teamer.

CB – Shaun Wade (80.3). Wade was listed as the cornerback to watch before the game. Only Hearn finished with a higher grade in coverage. Wade nearly intercepted a pass, breaking beautifully on the pass attempt. He also recorded a stop.

LB – Joe Giles-Harris (80.0). He batted down two passes near the line of scrimmage. Giles-Harris also tied for the team lead with four solo tackles and had three stops. Players on the borderline of making the roster need to make their precense felt on the field in preseason and Joe Giles-Harris was impossible to ignore.

Honorable Mention:

DL Sam Roberts, DB A.J. Thomas, RB Terrell Jennings, DE Deatrich Wise Jr., ST Dell Pettus

These 15 New England Patriots had a strong debut in Week 1 of the preseason schedule. They need to continue playing at a high level moving forward to earn a starting spot, stick on the 53-man roster, or showcase themselves for a practice squad spot.