Patriots Secure Victory in Belichick's Absence

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In a historic preseason matchup, the New England Patriots triumphed over the Carolina Panthers 17-3, marking the first game in 24 years without Bill Belichick at the helm. The game, held on Thursday night, saw the Patriots debut their third overall draft pick, quarterback Drake Maye, who played only one series. The absence of projected backup Andy Dalton, sidelined with a strained quadriceps, limited the Panthers' offensive options. Maye's performance included a successful screen pass to Antonio Gibson for 13 yards, but he struggled with a high throw on his first downfield attempt, finishing the night with 2 completions on 3 attempts for 19 yards. Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe, who had significant playing time last season, completed 12 of 20 passes for 108 yards. Rookie Joe Milton III, a sixth-round pick from Tennessee, impressed fans with his agility, throwing for a 38-yard touchdown and completing 4 of 6 passes for 54 yards. The game featured two of the NFL's lowest-scoring teams from the previous season, both averaging just 13.9 points per game. The Patriots took an early lead with a 2-yard touchdown run by Kevin Harris, following a 28-yard completion from Zappe to Kayshon Boutte. The Panthers faced additional challenges with injuries to defensive tackle Jaden Crumedy and right tackle Badara Traore, while the Patriots reported no injuries. Looking ahead, the Panthers will host the New York Jets in their next preseason game on August 17.