The Patriots’ 27-20 win over the Texans reinforced the star status of several players while also pushing the spotlight in a few new directions.
Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski thrived, reminding the league that they remain a dynamic duo in the New England offense. Yet Gronkowski wasn’t the only player to turn a few heads in the passing game.
And when the offense was unable to ice the game late in the fourth quarter, special teams stepped up to make a big play.
Alongside the successes from Week 1 were those who struggled or – in one unfortunate case – saw the season come to an abrupt end.