Thursday’s first half left Patriots head coach Bill Belichick uninspired, to say the least, but the second half was more to his liking.
The Patriots, who trailed by 14 after a sluggish opening 30 minutes, rallied to beat the Redskins, 26-17, in both teams’ preseason opener. Much of the first-half woes and the second-half improvement stemmed from inefficient-turned-improved quarterback play.
Longtime reserve Brian Hoyer ended the game 16-for-23 with 144 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions, and an 86.1 passer rating. After struggling in the first half, he settled into a rhythm late in the game and fueled the comeback.