Patriots Dominate Commanders: Five Instant Takeaways

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In keeping with head coach Mike Vrabel’s decree to approach the 2025 NFL season with “aggression,” the New England Patriots got off to a hot start in their preseason opener.

The Pats offense erupted for nearly 50 points, while their defense and special teams looked to be in solid form as the home team defenated the Washington Commanders 48-18 at Gillette Stadium on Friday evening.

Just moments after the franchise unveiled a 12-foot bronze statue to honor team legend Tom Brady, New England showcased a fervor for football which had been largely unseen in Foxborough for the past few seasons. Still, the coaching staff should be able to identify several areas for improvement heading into the start of the regular season.

In that vein, here is a look at five instant takeaways from the Pats victory in their preseason opener:

TreVeyon Henderson is Explosive

Having joined the Patriots via pick 38 in the second round of April’s draft, Henderson’s spot on the team’s 53-man roster was hardly in question heading into Friday’s preseason opener. Still, the rookie wasted little time in showcasing his exceptional breakaway speed and acceleration. On the opening kickoff, Henderson exploded across the field, earning a100-yard return for a touchdown.

Throuhgout training camp, Henderson has demonstrated his value as a blocker, as well as his big-play prowess when catching the ball out of the backfield. While Henderson should get his share of carries throughout the remainder of the postseason, his performance as a backfield receiver, as well as a return man agasint the Commanders has placed him in the national spotlight.

Special Teams Continues to Impress

While Henderson’s speed and shifty running style deserve much of the credit for his dynamic run, New England’s special teams coverage also played a major role. Earlier this week, a source told Patriots On SI that New England had practiced similar formations, featuring a wall of third-phase blockers to facilitate their speedy returners. Unsurprsingly, New England once again showcased their proficiency in this area when fellow running back Antonio Gibson broke for 62 yards on a kickoff return. In just two returns, the special teams unit had cleared the way for a total gain of 162 yards to open the game.

Accordingly, special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer deserves a great deal of credit for improving a special teams unit which ranked 32nd and 28th in DVOA in 2022 and 2023 respectively. Under Springer’s leadership, the Pats rose to 13th in 2024, and clearly appear poised to build on their recent stellar efforts.

Drake Maye Solid, Despite Minor Struggles

Albeit in limited duty, Maye turned in a solid effort in his debut in Josh McDaniels’ offense. The 22-year-old led his first scoring drive of the preseason with an eight-play, 61-yard series which resulted in his own five-yard scoring rush. Maye also looked impressive on an 11-yard scramble on 2nd and 10 in Washington territory, while also finding Henderson for a nine-yard pass out of the backfield.

Still, there are some opportunities for improvement. Maye’s penchant for extending plays led to his attempt to play through a struggle between left tackle Will Campbell and left guard Jared Wilson on twist. The Pats starter ended up committing a first-quarter fumble on 3rd and 7 at the New England 45-yard line. Additionally, Maye still has some work to do with improving his field vision. Rookie receiver Kyle Williams used his speed to break open on a handful of snaps, ultimately to be missed by Maye.

On the brightside, Maye’s struggles are clearly fixable. While he will be understadably criticized by his coaches for the fumble, his response resulted in a solid scoring drive and a strong indication of growth from his rookie season.