Jimmy Garoppolo completed 11 out of 18 passes in while playing the entire first half in a 34 to 22 win against the New Orleans Saints. Drew Brees played only one series before calling it a night, while Tom Brady was at a memorial service for a family member instead of being in Foxborough on Thursday night. Saints running back Mark Ingram had one fumble and only averaged 2.6 yards per a carry, while Patriots rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell had four receptions for 55 yards before going down with an injury, in a game where most of the offensive starters were benched to avoid injury.

What it Means

The New England Patriots started the preseason off strong with a win over the Saints, but still had many problems with the offensive line. Both Garoppolo and Jacoby Brisset were under pressure all night and taking hits. Saints linebacker Kasim Edebali had two sacks on Garoppolo in the first quarter alone. While the offensive got off to a slow start, they were able to pick up there momentum. Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Dion Lewis were all held out from the game, meaning that the offense was far from its best production. Garoppolo still played decently, and it’ll be interesting to see how the offense comes together with all its star players in the lineup.

Stat of the Game

Tyler Gaffney had 9 attempts for 64 yards, while LaGarrette Blount had 9 attempts for 20 yards in the run game. While the backfield is already pretty crowded with players like Lewis, James White and special teamer Brandon Bolden, Gaffney could find a spot on the main roster with continued good play. As for Blount, his streak of hot and cold games continues on into the upcoming season.

Unsung Heroes

While most of the focus was on the offense, the Patriots defense played very well as a whole. Jamie Collins had a pick 6 that lead to 8 points after a successful two point conversion, with another fumble and two interceptions leading to a 4 plus turnover ratio. It is only the preseason, but Chris Long looked very good filling in for the injured Rob Ninkovich. One player who played very well as Shea McClellin, a former first round pick who never panned out in Chicago with the Bears. A turnaround with the Patriots this season could very well be in the cards for him.

Noteworthy

While Malcolm Mitchell’s injury looked very nasty, he will most likely only be out four weeks, missing only the week one opener. Mitchell was back at practice on the 15^th in pads, but whether or not he will be capable of playing anytime soon is yet to be known. Tom Brady will be back for preseason game number two, but how much he will end up playing is only known by Bill Belichick.

What's Next

The Patriots play the Chicago Bears at home in Foxborough on August 18^th at 8 PM eastern standard time in their second game of the preseason. Coverage of the game will be available locally through your CBS affiliate, or through the NFL Game Pass.