New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots battered the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, beating them by a score of 42-13. While pretty much everyone played well for the Pats in this one, the guy who flipped the game on its head was cornerback Marcus Jones.
The Panthers opened the game with a touchdown on offense before forcing the Patriots to punt on their first offensive possession. It seemed like things were going downhill quickly for New England, but it forced a punt on its second defensive possession, and that’s where everything changed.
Carolina punted the ball away to Jones, and he promptly ripped off an 87-yard punt return touchdown to give the Pats a 7-6 lead that they would never relinquish. Jones nearly cribbed another punt in the second quarter, as he ran the ball back 61 yards before getting tripped up by Panthers’ punter Sam Martin.
All in all, Jones returned three punts for 167 total yards and a touchdown, which played a big role in helping New England earn its second win of the season. For his efforts, Jones ended up winning the Week 4 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award.
Jones has quickly solidified himself as one of the most electric returners in the game, and his ability to make plays with the football in his hands has earned him several big opportunities in New England. Heck, in 2022 as a rookie, he spent time working on the offense because of the lack of playmakers the team had at its disposal.
The Patriots have been putting an extra effort into prioritizing their special teams play this season, and it’s paying off in a big way. The team will hope that trend continues in Week 5, because they will need all the help they can get when they face off against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football in Week 5.
