NE defense needs to be close to perfect

Welcome to the Unconventional Review, an instant reaction to standouts, stats, and story lines from the Patriots’ most recent game …

Two games, one win, and one loss into Jerod Mayo’s coaching tenure, the Patriots have begun to establish some interconnected truths.

• They’re a hard-running and hard-hitting team, tough and united, and that’s been a pleasure to watch.
• Playing that way is pretty much the only way they’re going to win.
• And even when they do play that way — as they learned in Sunday’s 23-20 overtime loss to the Seahawks in the home opener at Gillette Stadium — that’s not always going to be enough.

The Patriots’ margin for error — because of a chronically leaky offensive line, a poised and smart but limited quarterback, an inexperienced head coach, and an overall talent disadvantage — is going to be small against virtually every opponent on their schedule.

Their best hope for victory in most weeks is that their sturdy defense hoists them up and helps them overcome limitations of an offense that won’t truly be fixed until at least one more influx of talent from the draft.

In Sunday’s loss, the defense could not live up to such high demands. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t as good as it needed to be, especially at defending the pass.

Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith completed 33 of 44 passes for 327 yards and a touchdown. Twenty-seven of his completions went to wide receivers, who totaled 282 receiving yards, including more than 100 each for DK Metcalf (10 catches, 129 yards, 1 touchdown) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (12-117-0).

That kind of production stands out in stark contrast to the Patriots wide receivers, who had just three catches for 19 yards, including Ja’Lynn Polk’s 5-yard reception in the first quarter for his first career touchdown. That was the Patriots’ first catch by a receiver. They did not have another until the fourth quarter.

Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and safety Kyle Dugger — two of the team’s best players — miscommunicated on Metcalf’s 56-yard touchdown reception late in the first quarter. Patriots defensive backs Marco Wilson and Jonathan Jones also committed pass interference penalties on Seahawks scoring drives, though the call on Jones in overtime was ticky-tack at best.

Some further thoughts, upon immediate review …

Three players who were worth watching

Players suggested in the Unconventional Preview: Christian Gonzalez, DeMario Douglas, Kenneth Walker III.

Antonio Gibson: The Patriots had an awesome lineage of change-of-pace backs during the dynasty years — from J.R. Redmond and Kevin Faulk, to Danny Woodhead and Shane Vereen, and then to the best of them all, James White.

Though he didn’t retire until the next training camp, White’s career effectively ended when he suffered a hip injury in Week 3 of the 2021 season. That lineage also ended with him.

So it was a pleasant flashback and a glimmer of hope for this offense Sunday when Gibson looked like he belonged in their company.

The five-year veteran, who signed in the offseason after four seasons with Washington, finished with a team-high 96 rushing yards on just 11 carries, including a 45-yard burst with just over seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter after he initially appeared to be cornered in the backfield.

Gibson had only one target and one catch in the passing game, but it was a big one at the time — a 7-yard wheel route in the third quarter to prolong a drive that ended with a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run on a direct snap.

Stevenson also had a fine day, gaining 81 yards on 21 carries against a Seahawks defense anticipating the run, but we knew he was good. The way Gibson ran the ball was a revelation — and a hint that the Patriots might just have a running back tandem.

Hunter Henry: The preseason prediction here that Henry will lead the ‘24 Patriots in receptions is off to an encouraging start. He finished with eight catches for a career-high 109 yards, including 5 for 56 yards in the first quarter and 7 for 98 yards in the first half.

Julian Love and the Seahawks defense did a better job of accounting for Henry in the second half, holding him to a single catch after the break, but it was an important one at the time.

His rumbling 11-yard gain after bending down to catch a changeup from the retreating Jacoby Brissett gave the Patriots a first down on the final play of the third quarter, a drive that culminated with Stevenson’s touchdown run and a 20-17 lead.

Keion White: Is it too early to suggest the Patriots have a defensive star in the making? I don’t think it is, do you? Following his 2½-sack performance in the opener against the Bengals — which brought high praise from Bill Belichick, among others — White was a force for the second straight week.

He finished with seven tackles, 1½ sacks, 2 quarterback hits, and a tackle for a loss. A 34-sack pace two games into the season? For everyone but the Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson, that counts as an extraordinary start.

Grievance of the game

An easy and specific choice this week. With the Patriots leading, 20-17, with just under four minutes remaining in regulation, Joey Slye’s 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Love. The Patriots would have led, 23-17, had he made it. Instead, the Seahawks marched down the field and tied it on Jason Myers’s 38-yarder with 55 seconds left. Consider it a wholly unnecessary reminder that the Patriots cannot afford special teams breakdowns.

Three notes scribbled in the margins

Predicted final score: Seahawks 14, Patriots 13

Final score: Seahawks 23, Patriots 20 (overtime)

Prediction: Caeden Wallace is going to catch a touchdown pass this season. When he enters the game as an eligible receiver and de facto sixth lineman, it’s all but a declaration that the Patriots are going to run. Bet offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt takes advantage of that at some point … Dugger led the Patriots (alongside Jonathan Jones) with eight tackles, including three for a loss, but that mixup on Metcalf lingers … Bryce Baringer averaged 57 yards on six punts, placing three inside the 20. Belichick didn’t draft the right kicker last year in Chad Ryland, but he got his punter pick right.

More Patriots coverage from Sunday:

⋅ Instant Analysis: Patriots’ limitations on full display in overtime loss to Seahawks

⋅ Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones left looking for answers after late penalty

⋅ ‘Just a lack of execution:’ Here’s what Patriots coach Jerod Mayo had to say after overtime loss to Seahawks

⋅ Can Patriots defensive end Keion White be blocked one on one? It doesn’t look like it

⋅ Ja’Lynn Polk’s first NFL touchdown highlights day for Patriots rookies