Patriots Start Fast, Special Teams Spark, and Rookie QB Faces Growing Pains in Monday Night Matchup vs. Giants
For the first time since 2022, Monday Night Football returned to Foxborough-and the New England Patriots didn’t waste the spotlight. Riding a nine-game win streak, the Pats came out firing against the visiting New York Giants, who entered the night with just two wins but a renewed sense of energy behind rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Let’s break down how the action unfolded at Gillette Stadium, where special teams made a statement, a young quarterback took his lumps, and New England’s offense continued to find rhythm heading into their bye week.
First Quarter: Patriots Strike Early, Special Teams Delivers a Gut Punch
The Giants won the toss and chose to defer, giving Drake Maye and the Patriots offense the first crack. And it didn’t take long for New England to flip the field. A 39-yard return from Terrell Jennings set the tone, giving the offense prime real estate just shy of midfield.
Maye moved the ball efficiently, mixing in short passes and timely reads to drive into the red zone. On third down, he threaded a tight-window throw over the middle to tight end Hunter Henry, setting up a goal-to-go situation.
But the drive stalled from there-Maye’s third-down attempt to Stefon Diggs in the corner of the end zone fell incomplete. Still, Andy Borregales knocked through a chip-shot 22-yard field goal to put the Patriots up early, 3-0.
Then came the first major momentum swing. After the Giants’ opening drive was derailed by a Harold Landry sack on second down, Dart’s third-down completion to Wan’Dale Robinson came up short of the sticks.
That brought on the punt team-and Marcus Jones reminded everyone why he’s one of the most electric returners in the league. He fielded the kick, made one man miss, and took it 94 yards to the house.
Just like that, New England was up 10-0, and the Giants were reeling.
On the next series, Dart tried to spark something with his legs, scrambling along the sideline before taking a hard-but clean-hit from linebacker Christian Elliss. The Giants didn’t appreciate the contact and retaliated after the whistle, drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That frustration carried into the next play, where Dart’s third-down pass fell incomplete and forced another punt.
New England’s offense wasted no time capitalizing. Maye continued to look sharp, needing just three plays to pick up two first downs and cross midfield.
Then came a perfectly executed play-action pass-Maye rolled right and found a wide-open Hunter Henry on a deep sail route for a 36-yard gain. One play later, Maye lofted a fade to Kayshon Boutte in the corner of the end zone for a three-yard touchdown.
Suddenly, it was 17-0, and the Patriots were in complete control.
Second Quarter: Giants Show Some Fight, Dart Finds a Spark
To start the second quarter, the Giants finally found a rhythm on the ground. Facing a manageable third-and-3, they handed it off to Devin Singletary, who powered his way for eight yards and a first down into Patriots territory. Two more runs kept the chains moving and set up a third-and-8.
That’s when Dart got a break. His deep ball down the right sideline to Theo Johnson drew a helmet-to-helmet penalty on safety Jaylinn Hawkins, moving the Giants into the red zone. And this time, they made it count.
New England dialed up pressure, but Dart read it well. He got the ball out quickly to Darius Slayton on a slant, and Slayton did the rest-breaking a tackle and racing 30 yards to the end zone for the Giants’ first score of the night. That cut the lead to 17-7 and gave New York a much-needed jolt of confidence.
What We’ve Seen So Far
Through one and a half quarters, the Patriots have looked like a team playing with momentum and purpose. Drake Maye continues to grow into his role, showing poise in the pocket and a strong connection with his tight ends. The offensive line, while banged up, has held up well enough to let Maye operate.
But the biggest early impact came from special teams. Marcus Jones’ punt return touchdown was a backbreaker for a Giants team trying to stay afloat. That kind of play doesn’t just flip the scoreboard-it flips the energy in the building.
As for the Giants, Jaxson Dart has had flashes-particularly on the Slayton touchdown-but he’s also been under consistent pressure and is still adjusting to the speed of NFL defenses. The run game gave him some support in the second quarter, and the defense has shown signs of life. But they’ll need to tighten things up if they want to hang around.
There’s still plenty of football left, but early on, it’s clear: the Patriots came into this one looking to make a statement before their bye, and so far, they’re doing just that.