3 Takeaways from Patriots' Week 4 Loss

The New England Patriots nearly spoiled Tom Brady's homecoming Sunday night. The defense harassed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller all game while limiting big plays and forcing the Bucs to settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.

Ultimately, though, a missed 56-yard Nick Folk field goal ended the Patriots' chance to play spoiler. Brady bested his former team, and New England fell to 1-3 on the season. For Pats fans, it was a disappointing end to perhaps the most heavily hyped regular-season game in recent memory.

However, the Patriots should feel about as good about this performance as they can feel about any loss. While New England finds itself in an AFC East hole—two games behind the Buffalo Bills—it proved Sunday that it can go toe-to-toe with the Super Bowl champions and the GOAT.

Here's what else we learned during the Patriots' 19-17 loss in Week 4.

It's hard to imagine a bigger stage than the one we saw Sunday night. Brady's return to New England has been one of the storylines of 2021 and a date that virtually every football fan had circled.

For a rookie quarterback making just his fourth pro start, a few jitters could be expected. However, Mac Jones showed poise and confidence while attempting to outduel a seven-time champion. The Alabama product finished 31-of-40 for 275 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He calmly led two second-half scoring drives and helped set up the potential game-winning field goal.

At one point, Jones completed 18 consecutive pass attempts.

While Jones' efforts didn't lead to a victory, it earned him some encouraging words from New England's former franchise quarterback.

"[Brady] just told me to keep my head up and keep working," Jones said, per Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston.

Jones got plenty of experience playing in big games at Alabama. He showed Sunday that when the big NFL moments come, he will be ready for those too.

If Jones finds himself on the playoff stage this season, New England's defense will have played a big part in getting him there. The unit was fantastic Sunday after suffering a bit of a letdown against the New Orleans Saints in Week 3.

The Patriots allowed 380 yards of offense, but they limited Brady and allowed only a single touchdown.

Brady finished a modest 22-of-43 for 269 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He was only sacked once but was pressured repeatedly.

The Patriots defense, which ranks fifth overall and sixth in points allowed, is a playoff-caliber unit. It's going to keep New England in games and should help the Patriots get back on track against the Houston Texans in Week 5.

It would be nice to see some more takeaways, though. After forcing five turnovers in its first two games, New England has drawn a blank in that category over the past two.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson was the breakout star of the 2021 preseason, and his performances made the Patriots comfortable trading away former starter Sony Michel. However, after registering one carry and a fumble in Week 1, Stevenson hasn't seen the field.

It's time for New England to give the rookie Oklahoma product another opportunity. New England's ground game desperately needs a spark, and that was evident throughout Sunday night's contest.

The Patriots finished with minus-one rushing yard and only attempted eight runs on the evening. Running the ball has been a major issue over the past two games, as the Patriots have produced just 48 yards on the ground in that span.

Losing James White to a season-ending hip injury has not helped matters. The Patriots now rank 31st in rushing and 30th in yards per carry.

While the Patriots have supplemented the ground game with short passes, there will be times when running the ball is necessary. Right now, New England is struggling to get it done on the ground. Stevenson—who finished the preseason top in yards over expected, according to Next Gen Stats—might just provide the boost the Patriots need.