It's only preseason football, but every game matters in the NFL.
The New England Patriots took the field on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers and kick-started the new era under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. It wasn't a perfect first night for the Patriots, but overall, it was an impressive showing worthy of some game balls.
This week, we're handing out game balls to veterans and rookies alike. The defense had multiple standouts on a night where they held the Panthers to only three points offensively. Meanwhile, the Patriots offense moved the ball late and put up 17 points in total on the board to come away with the victory.