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.