Sunday’s blowout of the Carolina Panthers was a “get-right” game for almost every member of the New England Patriots.
There were plenty of positives to extract from the Patriots’ 42-13 victory, including Drake Maye’s dissection of the Panthers’ defense, Marcus Jones lighting it up on special teams and Stefon Diggs delivering his best performance in a New England uniform.
But not everyone on the home team had a banner day at Gillette Stadium — and that includes DeMario Douglas, who didn’t see a single target after catching just two passes for seven yards in Week 3.
Still, the good far outweighed the bad, as reflected in Phil Perry’s “Stock Watch” for Week 4:
Stock Up
Marcus Jones, cornerback
After a glacial start to the game, the Patriots needed a spark, and Marcus Jones provided one. His 87-yard return for a touchdown featured his make-you-miss athleticism as he dodged three would-be tacklers on his way to the end zone.
He racked up a franchise-record 167 yards as a punt returner Sunday, averaging over 55 yards per return. Electric. — Perry
Drake Maye, quarterback
Talk about trending in the right direction. Maye leads the league in completion percentage. He’s fifth in quarterback rating. He’s sixth in yards per attempt. After a three-touchdown day against his hometown team,
Maye has put himself in the conversation as one of the most efficient quarterbacks in football through the season’s first month. — Perry
Stefon Diggs, wide receiver
It had been a while since Diggs had a game like this one. His six-catch, 101-yard day was his first 100-yard game since October of 2023, when he was catching passes from Josh Allen as a member of the Bills.
He may not be as fast as he was when he played in Buffalo, but his savvy makes him a reliable option in gotta-have-it situations. — Perry
Jack Gibbens, linebacker
Mike Vrabel calls Gibbens “Dr. Gibby” because of his football IQ. Well, the doctor made good on that nickname against the Panthers, sniffing things out quickly enough to post a team-high 12 tackles.
He appeared to get some work over start Christian Elliss and it bears watching how frequently he’ll be used moving forward after Sunday’s performance. — Perry
Stock Down
Carlton Davis, cornerback
Not many nits to pick from this game, but Davis’ penchant for picking up flags is worthy of note. He got handsy and the line and picked up a pass-interference call. Later he got a handful of first-round rookie Tetairoa McMillan’s jersey and was called for holding.
With Christian Gonzalez back in the fold (and perhaps more man coverage calls coming) the Patriots will need a cleaner brand of football from their No. 2. — Perry
DeMario Douglas, wide receiver
After seeing just eight snaps on Sunday, it seems clear the Patriots are looking to reduce Douglas’ workload. He wasn’t targeted, and he remains stuck at five catches for 13 yards on the season.
Mike Vrabel credited him for blocking and helping spring Hunter Henry for a touchdown catch-and-run, but Douglas’ stock is heading in the wrong direction. — Perry