What we learned from the Patriots' surprise Week 1 victory

One of the most electric plays on the defensive side came on this fourth-down tackle by cornerback Jonathan Jones:

Stevenson kicks off a potential career year

The 26-year-old showed fans why he was worth his four-year, $36-million extension signed in June, rushing and receiving for 125 yards and the team's only touchdown.

Some of his best plays came late in the fourth quarter, picking up two first downs on four attempts to take away Cincinnati's remaining timeouts and the 2:13 left in the game. 

After seeing how he dominated Sunday, New England — which feature an unflattering collection of quarterbacks and wide receivers — may be inclined to lean heavily on Stevenson, their best offensive player. That may mean fans will see Sunday's performance replicated several other times throughout the season. 

Second-year pass-rusher Keion White shows out

There was uncertainty about New England's pass-rush after standout defender Matthew Judon was traded to the Falcons in August. 

After Week 1, however, it seems White — who is entering his second season — may be the replacement New England was searching for. He recorded 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble on Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. 

He will need to piece many more solid performances together to truly fill Judon's shoes, but he is off to a great start.